Redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams breaks free from the East Carolina University defense on Nov. 5. Williams racked up 179 yards during the 16-3 win for Tech.
The No. 20 Virginia Tech Hokies hope to start their first winning streak in almost a month Saturday when they head to College Park to face the University of Maryland Terrapins.
After dropping two straight games to conference foes Georgia Tech and North Carolina, the Hokies finally got back on track last weekend with a solid 16-3 victory over East Carolina University.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks here,” said Hokies head coach Frank Beamer. “I use the word relentless, and that’s exactly how I described this football team. They were relentless. They just kept coming back and coming back and fighting their way through it.”
This week, the Hokies take on a Terrapins team that has been everything but relentless this season.
Maryland is 2-7 overall and 1-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play this year.
During their 38-31 loss to North Carolina State last weekend, the Terps suffered another loss on top of the one noted in the final score.
Midway through its game against the Wolfpack, Maryland’s starting quarterback Chris Turner suffered a knee injury that took him out of the game for good.
After the game, Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen was unsure of when or if he would return this season, but he did know Turner wouldn’t be able to go Saturday.
“I think it’s his MCL,” Friedgen said. “We’re not sure yet how severe it is. He possibly could be done for a couple weeks, just depends on how severe it is.”
With Turner out Saturday, sophomore Jamarr Robinson will get his first start behind center for the Terrapins.
Robinson completed five of 11 passes for 27 yards and also ran for a team-high 38 yards on nine carries last week after Turner went down.
“I thought Jamarr got better as the game went on,” Friedgen said. “He’ll definitely play.”
With a dual threat quarterback added to its system, Maryland will surely give Tech some looks no team has seen from the Terps this year.
“Overall, I thought he made some plays,” Friedgen said. “He gives us some mobility, which is good.”
The Hokies defense will need to be prepared for a new-look Terrapins offense, but if last week’s performance says anything, the Hokies will come ready.
Against ECU, the Hokies allowed just 277 total yards and forced three turnovers.
Tech’s defense performed much more like the unit that earlier in the season held Miami to seven points than the unit that got blasted by Georgia Tech for 28 points and 307 yards on the ground four weeks ago.
“We played together and put the pieces together,” said Tech cornerback Rashad Carmichael. “We didn’t change anything. The Tech defense didn’t go anywhere. We stuck to the plan and executed it. That’s the difference.”
Another facet of the Hokies that got back on track last Thursday was their running game.
Redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams put up big numbers against ECU on his way to eclipsing the 1,100-yard rushing mark, gaining 179 yards on the ground against the Pirates.
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