Post-game wrap: Hokies keep bowl hopes alive with 30-23 overtime win against last-place Boston College
Not the prettiest of wins today for Virginia Tech, which barely got by last-place Boston College 30-23 in overtime. But it’s a win nonetheless.
Here is a quick version of tomorrow’s game story. Hopefully it gets updated with my final version soon.
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Now for a few more notes and quotes from the post-game …
** The Hokies struggled most of the night against what was a reeling Boston College team that has only beaten Maryland and Maine this season. But they made plays in the end, tying the game on a late field goal by Cody Journell, getting a touchdown in overtime by tight end Randall Dunn and making a defensive stand after that to win the game.
For a team that had lost three straight overall and seven straight away from Lane Stadium, its longest drought since 1987-88, it was a welcome change.
“It just feels good,” linebacker Jack Tyler said. “We had a little losing streak there. It’s just nice to get a win again and just kind of get that monkey off our back finally.”
“We just talk about fighting. Keep on fighting,” head coach Frank Beamer said. “That’s kind of the story of the day right here.”
The Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) barely stayed in the bowl picture with the win. They need to beat Virginia next Saturday at Lane Stadium to go to a bowl for a 20th straight season.
** The revised version of my game story focuses on Marcus Davis. The fifth-year senior was much-maligned this week after video of his lackluster effort in the Florida State game went viral and ended up on Deadspin. He was benched for the entire first half, something Beamer insisted was not planned for a fixed amount of time, even though the receiver played the very first snap of the second half.
From then on, he was outstanding. He had five catches for a game-high 104 receiving yards, including a 37-yard touchdown he hauled in over cornerback Sean Sylvia that gave the Hokies a 17-13 lead in the third quarter.
Davis said the benching was tough. Linebacker Bruce Taylor said he could tell Davis was down.
“You know a person, you know the personality,” Taylor said. “Me and Marc usually joke around a lot, we spend a lot of time together. You can tell when something’s bothering somebody.”
But he didn’t let it affect his play once he got a chance.
“I never take it personally,” Davis said. “I take it as, I need to get better. … I never doubt coach is believing in me. And when he told me [I’d play] the second half, a little fire lit up in me. … I just went out and did what I had to do.”
** The Hokies struggled mightily in the first half, trailing 13-3 despite out-gaining Boston College 183-145, the story of the season.
It was Davis who offered encouragement, though.
“The first half is over,” he remembered telling the team. “Just like they’ve been telling me all week, Thursday was over. And I was down about it. And I couldn’t let that affect me, just like we couldn’t let that first half affect how we played in the second half.”
** Virginia Tech did rally, though. Down 23-20 with 4:11 to play, the Hokies went 62 yards in 10 plays — getting catches of 12 yards and 33 yards from Davis — before Journell made a 41-yard field goal that glanced off the left upright and through, forcing overtime.
In the OT, Martin Scales had a key three-yard run, breaking a tackle behind the line to move the chains on third-and-1.
“I kept moving my feet and I was like, I can’t go down,” Scales said. “We’re taught you don’t let one person bring you down, so I was just like, ‘Look I’m tired of losing. I’ll just run my hardest every time I get an opportunity.’”
Three plays later, quarterback Logan Thomas rolled to his left and connected with tight end Randall Dunn for a 7-yard touchdown. The pass was high, but Dunn went up to get it and get a foot in before falling out of bounds. It was one of the Hokies’ two-point conversion plays, in which Dunn was the second option.
** It was a big moment for Dunn, who has been limited by an injury injury he suffered in the Bowling Green game in September when he took a helmet to the hand.
He’d been wearing a cast in practice and that put a dent in his confidence. It didn’t show Saturday in the overtime.
“I told [Thomas] throw it up,” said Dunn, who started the first game of his career. “I told him I’m going to make a move and we’re going to win.”
** Thomas had an up-and-down day. The junior was 16-for-33 for 247 yards and two touchdowns, the third time this year he’s completed less than 50 percent of his passes.
He started slow, just 8-for-20 at halftime for 123 yards, 69 of which came on a ball he threw into double coverage that got tipped into the air and caught by Corey Fuller.
“I guess things went our way in the way the ball was bouncing,” Thomas said.
Thomas had several near interceptions in the second half that glanced off receivers’ hands or were poorly thrown. He also nearly lost a couple of fumbles. One was at the Hokies’ 1-yard line in the third quarter when a BC defender hit his arm as he was winding up to throw. Another came late, but he jumped on the loose ball, allowing Tech to still kick the game-tying field goal.
Still, he snapped a six-game streak of throwing at least one interception. And he had several well-placed passes on the Hokies’ final drive in regulation, then had the game-winning pass in overtime.
“I think he’d probably say parts of it were erratic,” Beamer said. “I thought a couple of his throws weren’t typical of Logan. But you know, again, I go back and he made some big plays at the end. He kept battling and playing tough. That’s kind of the story of our day.”
** Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig was very clear about how the pressure Virginia Tech put on him compared to every other game he’s played this year.
“Definitely the most,” he said.
The Hokies pummeled Rettig all afternoon, sacking him a season-high seven times. It was the fourth time in the last five games that Tech finished with at least five sacks.
“I just think it’s the will to get to the quarterback,” Tyler said. “For a while there, we were kind of hesitant. Now we’re just pinning our ears back and we have nothing to lose.”
Everyone got in on the action. Taylor and fellow linebacker Alonzo Tweedy had two sacks apiece as the Hokies continued to send blitzes from all angles, just like they did against Florida State.
Defensive linemen Tyrel Wilson and J.R. Collins each had one. Derrick Hopkins and Corey Marshall combined for one. Virginia Tech now had 30 sacks this season.
Amazingly, Tech did it Saturday without getting a sack from either James Gayle or Luther Maddy, arguably the team’s two best pass rushers.
“Some of it, we’ve blitzed our way into it,” Beamer said. “But a lot of it is just those four guys. … When you’ve got a front four that can get some pressure, then it allows you to play a lot of different coverages in the back end.”
The Hokies only allowed Rettig to throw for 129 yards, 151 below his season average. He was 13-for-30 with a touchdown and an interception.
** Virginia Tech wasn’t sharp wits its special teams early but came around in the end.
Michael Branthover resumed kickoff duties but booted his first try out of bounds for a penalty. The Hokies had a block in the back on their first punt return and allowed 40-yard punt return by BC’s Spiffy Jones to set up a field goal, all in the first quarter.
Demitri Knowles finally gave the Hokies something to feel good about, though, taking the opening kickoff of the second half back 75 yards to the Eagles’ 20 to set up a touchdown. It was his third kick return longer than 50 yards this season.
“That was a perfect spark, really,” Beamer said. “You think about it. You needed something good to happen, and sure enough.”
** Here are a few quick hitters …
- The Hokies wore a special white helmet, an unbalanced look that had a plain number on one side and a large, flexing Hokie Bird on the other.
- Knowles, Fuller and Kevin Asante started at wide receiver. Fuller had two catches for 72 yards. Asante left the game with a leg injury.
- BC’s Nick Clancy was credited with 20 tackles, 17 of which were solo stops.
- Tyler led Tech with 10 tackles. Taylor had nine, including three tackles for a loss. Tweedy was next with seven, including 2.5 for a loss.
- Antone Exum notched his third interception this year and the fourth of his career. He also had his 15 pass breakup, which leads the ACC.
- Tony Gregory led the Hokies with 69 rushing yards on 14 carries. The Hokies managed only 154 rushing yards and 3.2 yards per carry against a Boston College rushing defense allowing 228.4 yards per game coming into the night, near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
- Rolandan “Deuce” Finch ran 26 times for 133 yards for the Eagles, part of a 162-yard rushing night. The Eagles entered the day third to last in the FBS, averaging 72.5 yards per game.
- Virginia Tech did not allow a sack, despite Thomas throwing the ball 33 times and feeling pressure on plenty of his dropbacks. That’s the first game the Hokies’ didn’t allow a sack.
- Branthover had six kickoffs and one touchback. BC’s average starting field position was its own 27.6-yard line.
** Although it was far from a perfect performance, it at least got Virginia Tech back in the win column for the first time since the Duke win on Oct. 13, 35 days ago.
“It feels really really good,” Taylor said. “I felt like we hadn’t won in like a month and a half or something like that. Like I told you guys before I hate losing. Just to be able to smile and joke with teammates after the game for a change, rather than being depressed is great. Overall I’m proud of everybody. We stuck through it and kept fighting.”
November 17, 2012 - 4:54 PM
I’m honestly surprised by the excitement voiced by the coaches in the post-game show. No sense of relief at having beaten a 2-win team in overtime, actual excitement as though this was a victory over a Top Ten team. Stinespring was absolutely giddy. Is that really how far we have sunk? Man, those coaches want their bowl bonuses, don’t they? Well, why shouldn’t they? Stinespring’s, Bud’s, & Beamer’s are more than some of us make in a year. No wonder Stinespring was so ecstatic. He had the equivalent of a free Lexus riding on this game.
I will always take a win. However, Frank had best not be telling us that they have turned the corner, all is good. Stiney, Newsome, O’Cain, Sherman must go.
Special teams attrocious. Major Shankfest.
Logan Thomas beyond bad. Should have had at least 3 interceptions. How has his accuracy gotten so bad? Screens in the dirt, passes behind players and his usual overthrows. Seems he’s so unconfident that he won’t even try many throws. I just don’t know what has happened to him. Defense struggling against the worst running team in ACC if not the world?!!
For the most part the defense played well considering how many times our offense lets the opposing offense touch the ball and the great field position our special teams/offense give opposing offenses.
Saw a couple of glimpses of our running game, but just a couple. Wanted to run out onto the field grab the RB by the shoulders, turn him 90 degrees toward the LOS and yell, “NOW RUN!”.
Ask Beamer to have the entire staff donate there bowl bonus to Charity, Union Mission or some agencty that sees that people have a meal. Then we will see if the bonus is there motivation. Assuming they make a bowl?
This game was REALLY hard to watch. I’m starting to wonder if there will actually be any coaching changes after the season is over. If so, will they be anything significant. I do agree with David on who it should be. Though keeping Stinespring as line coach would be OK. He just can’t run an offense.
And I DO NOT want to lose to UVA!
Yeah totally agree Beamer is the main problem he keeps the same sorry ass staff every year, they lose every big game they play in because of the offense and their acting like fools with beating a horrible and I mean horrible BC team in overtime. This crap has to stop tech will never win anything under beamer the guy is a clueless old fart. I hope UVA wins just to hear the excuses by beamer and co.
Chad Morris
They probably shouldn’t spend those bonuses until they beat UVA.
This is a program that is in serious trouble. This win is nothing in the big picture of things.
This type of season is what to expect in the future unless changes are made in the program.
Shane as the next head coach is a JOKE. He is on the staff because of daddy.
Frank do you seriously believe Shane was hired to be the next Tech Head Coach – Think the AD will decide that!
Shane was hired for his recruiting success at SC – Look at who was responsible for most of last years 4 Star Recruits an those already committed for 2013 – Check out Rivals.com they have that data available!
Stiney needs to go back to the o-line..Newsome was clearly picked up to help recruiting in the 757..He cannot be hidden any longer. I dont care if you have Peyton Manning, You cannot throw the ball from your back side. Newsome needs to go as well. O’Cain has bounced around all over, we see why now. Questioned the hire. I would like to see Ricky Bustle brought back some how. His was not the spread offense everyone wants but it was very effective. I like Coach Sherm as well.. Remember he recently took 2 three star prospects and turned them into 2 of the best Tech has ever seen(Boykin and Coale). I really dont understand why they keep Roberts off the kick return team. He is one of the best in school history and average at best as a reciever. Another thing. If I was a coach and had Marcus Davis on my team. He would get some direct snaps
tech is pretty sorry this year. but, boy these fans suck.
pete
James Franklin
Frank is turning into Joe Pa and Bobby B without the big wins. Name the stadium or something for him, and kudos and thanks for all he has done! Seriously he has been awesome, but time to turn the page. No overhaul will ever happen as long as he is HC and Weaver is AD.
Gregory and Scales both looked good running the ball today. Gregory has a nice burst and Scales runs harder than any of the other Hokie backs on the roster this year. My question is why those two haven’t gotten the bulk of the carries all year long. I know Gregory was hurt for a while and Coleman has shown flashes, but I think we spent too long trying to find the back of the future. In the meantime, the lack of an effective running game put more pressure on LT and the passing game. I have to agree with others here that it’s time to retool the offensive coaching staff. If Coach Beamer isn’t ready to commit to a complete overhaul, I think we at least need a new OL coach and maybe a new QB coach. The OL continues to be inconsistent and often subpar. That’s squarely on Coach Newsome at this point. LT has taken a couple of steps backward this season and that points to Coach O’Cain. There needs to be some accountability for the coaches as well as the players.
Martin Scales always looks good to me. I would have liked to see him complement either Coleman or Gregory as the two back rotation this season. I didn’t like how we played down to the level of our competition but at least this team hasn’t rolled over and died with all it has faced. I thought some grit was shown this week and against Fl State.
I agree with you Pete. They think fans should pick the coaching staff and the offensive philosophy when all they’ve done is sit in the stands or on their couch watching games. If hey had some division 1 coaching experience they might have some credibility.
Say what you want Pete. This fan here wants us to win. This frustration isn’t over a year of bad play. It is over years of bad offense. Not once has this offense under this crew been better than pedestrian. Last year’s offense did as well as it did in spite of the coaching. They played horribly today. The team that nearly beat FSU was not playing. It is coaching. I suppose next I will be asked where I have coached. Do I need to be a cop to know that a car traveling north in a southbound land is wrong?
I don’t care if Davis caught passes. DID HE BLOCK. HE wasn’t outstanding if he didn’t block.
Somebody ask ‘Roger’ to donate his Goodwill Thanksgiving Bonus to a good cause.
You guys are the most pathetic bunch of couch potato arm chair QB’s I have ever seen. Not every year can be a banner year. Sure the “O” coaches need to go and maybe it is getting time for Frank to think about stepping aside but I am a Hokie fan and I support the Hokies no matter what. I am proud to be a Hokie! You bunch of whining losers make me sick.
Thank you. I will say what I will. To buy into the local/regional media hype year after year to me suggests too many Freetos and Counrty Clubs….or lack of reality. yes, Tech played for a ‘national championship’ once, and has been in the running a coupla times. But to think Tech can go head to head with the Alabama’s, the USC’s, the Notre Dames, the …I mean, as Bobby would say…”This is VPI’ for God’s sake. A real kick-ass team, yes, I expect one every 4-5 years. Not a ‘national contender’ EVERY year. One thing, look at the injuries this, and last, year. We never have serious injuries….our two ‘sore spots’, defensive back and running back, went ‘pro’ early, also. Tell me a Wilson wasn’t worth three wins this year.
Hopefully Beamer will be able to one day sit in his luxury box and see Tech realize the dream of national champions, in knowing he laid the groundwork. Just don’t expect it ‘next year’….AGAIN. Tech fans should know when we got ‘the’ team to do it. Expectations have become frightening.
Just think. We could be USC EAST. Or Miami. Or North Carolina. Or……
Va. Tech.
tech-uva should be a barn burner!!!!
Fact is BC won 2 games and Lord Botetourt HS could run on these guys. So don’t tell me we have not recruited talent on offense. Tech diligently tied to loose that game yesterday. I say that because the usual lousy play calling nearly sealed a loss. Until Tech delouses themselves of horrible coaching we will have to improve just to stink on offense.
Defense way to go!!
Results are what matter in this situation, not of the fans have coached at the Division One level. Some of the coaches on the staff had not coached at that level until they came to Tech, and look at how that has turned out for everybody.
This is a program with serious problems, everybody needs to know that, and already should know that fact.
Bring in Bob Stitt from the Colorado School of Mines to run the offense, never heard of him, do some reading, he designed plays that a lot of the major level spread offenses use. Make FB give up that stupid Nike contract and stop using dumb excuses for it. Players don’t need innovative uniforms to perform, look at Alabama, LSU, UGA, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, etc. Proves Frank’s argument is counter-intuitive, just like all the excitement about beating BC. VT is losing its identity with the death of Beamerball and now the unis.
Kansas State’s loss at Baylor reminded me so much of Virginia Tech’s loss at Pitt that I started to cry.
As I said before, I just hope VT beats UVA and the performance against BC won’t cut it next time. We all know this game will be UVA’s “bowl game” and (at least at the outset) they will be playing with a similar intensity to that shown by VT against FSU. The good news is that the game is in Lane and that VT seems to get up for the rivalry game each year.
Using 540′s apologist defense of the coaches, nobody should ever decide they’ve caught a cold, unless they’re an MD. Nobody should ever speak about religion, unless they’re an ordained minister. Nobody should ever discuss politics, unless they hold elected office. Nobody should ever… do I need to continue, or does even 540 see how stupid his defense is for using that argument? Probably not, unless he is a professional arbiter.
mike raised an interesting point – the claim that Marcus Davis ‘sparked’ the Hokies is an incomplete thought. First comment – he just ‘coincidentally’ – wink, wink – happened to sit out the entire first half? Like that was supposed to appease his critics? Then he just coincidentally played the whole second half, getting almost as many pass plays called in his directions as he had in entire games the whole year? Coincidence? Or Stinespring trying to prove another pointless point? Davis never caught more than six passes in a game this season, yet he just ‘coincidentally’ had enough plays called for him that he caught five in one half? Gee whiz, Marcus Davis is so magnificent we should have been playing him MORE, not less!
The question has never been about the effort given by Davis on plays called for him to be the primary receiver. The question has ALWAYS been about his overt absence of effort on plays calling for him to play a supportive role. Stinespring’s bait & switch tactics don’t change that. That’s fine, though. We’ve only got to watch Davis half step it for two more games. No big deal.
A win is a win go hokies
Once again I am amazed at the fact people forget Frank Beamer has only beat dudes his entire career. 1-19 vs top 5 teams people! We went to the national championship game by beating the big east competition. The ACC was a small upgrade. Open your eyes and look at the numbers people. Yes we beat cupcakes, but Mike Vick was the reason we played for the National Championship not Frank Beamer. If they name anything after Frank it should be the loss to JMU a few years back. Once again I am amazed at how people cling to that Frank did a lot for this program junk. We beat the Big East and the ACC people wake up.
I’m sick and tired of the Hokie bashing on this site. It wasn’t pretty, and I had that same “here we go again” feeling from the get go, but they won the game. Save the Hokie bashing until the next loss. It’s clear that major coaching changes need to happen, and I’m hopeful that this season has put the microscope on that even more. It’s clear we have never been on the same level as the perennial top 10 teams (except ’99, and I think we all know why), and I doubt we will ever get to that level under the current coaching administration. We do however, have a good foundation for whoever can take us to the next level. GO HOKIES!
If this was a bunch of fans complaining after one year I would say you were right to call them whiners but these are the same comments about coaching that have been made for some years now. I thought lasts years Special teams was bad and that it couldn’t continue to get worse but I was wrong. I can’t remember when Stinespring and the offensive line weren’t a valid target for criticism. In my opinion it’s warranted and fair. I think offensive recruits lost faith in Beamer and the offensive staff a long time ago. We have luck recruiting RB’s because they new VT would run the ball, but top notch QBs and receivers do not give VT much of a look. Bud keeps recruiting because of what a great coach he is and the great coaching they get. The concern is that Beamer won’t make the necessary changes until it’s too late and recruits have completely abandoned VT. Just look at Maryland. I really don’t think it matters who the head coach is. Folks like working for Beamer and he is certainly a great guy, but he has always had trouble making the tough decision where players or coaches are concerned. What’s the average rank of our offense the last decade? 50th? 70th? Can’t defend that forever.
To PA Hokie, I have been a Hokie fan since ’72 sitting in Lane Stadium watching Don Strock sling the pigskin all over the field. I think the fans on this site are just really frustrated at the coaching and are not bashing the young players. Most of us realize the team has major problems, especially with the offensive coaching and just want to see some new blood. We will never compete against the major teams with this staff, and after watching the W VA-OK game last night, know we would be destroyed by many non ranked teams, let alone the top 25. I think WVA had about 800 yards on offense and they still lost. I think all of us on this site are Hokie fans and want to see us compete for a NC trophy. Go Hokies and whip dem Hoo’s!!! And pray for coaching changes in 2013!!!!!!!!!!
Question for all of you fans who are upset people are critical of the coaching. Are any of season ticket holders? Do you fork over around $600 a year for tickets? Do you drive 7 hours one way to make the game? Do you live out of market and have to pay $30 for the road games because there is no ACC network where you live? Dont forget the $25 a game to park. So you add all the above costs and tell me as a ‘consumer’ I have no right to complain. We may never get close to another national championship and that’s okay but we dont have to be an embarrassment either!
I see, and feel, your point, Dave in Salem. Again, ‘we’ were out-coached on offense yesterday. Being a ‘fan’ since ’65 I know the kind of team/offensive concept Beamer wants. He just needs that offensive play caller who has the killer instinct that Foster has on defense. WHEN to call a pitch back pass, WHEN to slip Thomas out as a receiver, WHEN to call a fake punt….we all know what the results are when Tech gets ‘creative’. (read desperate)
beamer is Techs best coach, ever. defensive coach, field position coach, simply put, ‘old school’. We could easily hire a Rich Rod or a Charlie Coffie….Tech forbid! I think this year comes under the heading of ‘law of large numbers’…it’s Techs time in the barrel. New offensive play caller?? I’m with ya, Dave!! All the ‘big’ schools have down years. from Alabama to Nebraska. Everyone should postpone the cutting of wrists until 2014, anyway. If it hasn’t returned to ‘Tech Football’ by then….I’ll supply the razor blades.
Stomp UVA.
pete
bruce arians
Oh, and did anyone else think some of the tech players had slipped in a cow-pie and gotten a little ‘pie’ on one side of the helmet? The simple number on the side I thought was great. But, really….a ‘flexing’ turkey?
We aren’t good this year. So what? We’ve been pretty darn good for a long time. Not good enough to win a title but you know, not many teams ever get a chance for that.
I am going to drop back to the Cal Ripken point of view.
When you have someone better than Frank to coach the team, let me know. Not just a gleam in your eye or a “these guys stink, fire ‘em all”.
I don’t think Urban Meyer is coming to Blacksburg anytime soon. I don’t see Les Miles on our doorstep. Nick Saban? The ‘Ol Ball Coach?
You want RichEod? Don’t make me laugh. There is a reason he has a bunch of bridges on fire behind him.
Yup, this year was a real bad one. We’ll survive and so will Frank.
AS HE SHOULD!
Be prepared for UVA! They would LOVE to win against VT, especially this year. GO HOKIES!!
Zman- Every year that Frank Beamer observes the offense failing as we fans have and does not make changes, that list gets bigger. It’s been getting bigger for a while now
I say careful what you wish for fans. Did you hear the latest news about the Tennassee coach getting railroaded?? Phil Fulmer had a record of 152-52, was fired in 2008 in the middle of a 5-7 season, and look what has happened since. Lane Kiffin coached one year and took off for a more high profile (and I’m sure higher paying) job, and then Dooley got the ropes. Look at the eggs he’s layed. There’s something to say about consistency in a program. I think it will be a cold day in Hell before the VT Admin takes that kind of action, so unfortunately we are stuck with CFB and the entire coaching staff. It will be interesting to watch was UT does – see who they hire – If I was Bud Foster right now, I would be polishing my resume, and calling the airlines for the first flight down to UT for an interview.