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The Roanoke Times: Press Box

with our sports staff

Your 17-10 final

Another week, another uneven performance by the Virginia Tech offense. The Hokies got a 17-10 win over North Carolina today, but they're still frustrated by their lack of efficiency. The bright spots included that first drive, a seven-play, 70-yard masterpiece; the defense, led by Xavier Adibi, Vince Hall and Cam Martin; and punter Brent Bowden, who was strong again. Jud Dunlevy also hit a 52-yard field goal, Tech's longest since 1999.

So it's certainly not all bad. It only seems that way when we've been thinking week after week that this is going to be the day the offense puts things together. We'll have plenty on the offense in Sunday's paper. A few notes, courtesy of Tech's sports information department:

-Tyrod Taylor threw his first interception today. He'd thrown 64 interception-free passes before then.

-Eddie Royal's 53-yard run on the first play from scrimmage was a career long. His previous best was 17 yards.

-Kam Chancellor's fourth-quarter fumble recovery in the end zone was Tech's first fumble recovery this year.

-Cam Martin had three sacks, the most since William Wall equaled that total against Duke last season

-Adibi's 15 tackles were a career high

A few thoughts from coach Frank Beamer:
On the nine penalties:
"I don't like that."

On the O-line's performance:
"I thought we were better. I think we go back and look at the film. We have to say with our quarterback, 'Are you looking where you need to be looking and should the ball be getting out of there or should you be scrambling?' We're into different stuff offensively...I think there's going to be some things he can learn from and be a better quarterback at Clemson."

On getting a late stop to win it:
"What I like is their toughness. When they absolutely had to, our defense stepped up....We are not as smooth as you want. I know that, and you guys know that, too. We're just not quite as smooth as we want, but keep giving effort, and we're going to get there. We're going to be a smooth machine when this thing's over."

That's all for tonight. Check out all our coverage in Sunday's paper and at roanoke.com. We'll see you next week from Clemson.

Comments

# 1

[September 30, 2007 12:10 PM]

Cane

Hokies are impressive...NOT! Get ready to get toasted by FSU & UM at home.

# 2

[October 2, 2007 5:28 PM]

roudyred

The Hokies are still an unknown quantity, but that might be said for the whole ACC. The one thing I would be concerned over per this past contest is the comparison of all the stats for the game. UNC dominated, I'm afraid.

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Quick thoughts

  • Poll voters get it right -

    Who knew the Virginia football program carried so much weight? Southern Cal moved up from No. 3 to No. 1 in the Associated Press media poll, and from No. 2 to No. 1 in the coaches’ poll, after its 52-7 rout of UVa in Charlottesville. “To see a team go on the road and play a New Year’s Day bowl team from last season, and not only play them but destroy them, how could you not reward that team?” voter Stewart Mandel of SI.com told the AP. Now we all know UVa is hardly the same team that played on Jan. 1. But the voters still got this right. USC proved more at UVa than a Georgia team that beat Division I-AA Georgia Southern or an Ohio State team that beat I-AA Youngstown State. — Mark Berman

  • ACC stinks it up -

    Arkansas State won at Texas A&M. Bowling Green upset Pitt. Louisiana Tech beat Mississippi State. But the ACC laid the biggest egg of all in Week 1, reinforcing its reputation as a weak conference. Preseason ACC favorite Clemson was squashed by Alabama. ECU upset the Hokies. USC flattened UVa. Maryland only beat Delaware by a 14-7 score, and UNC had to rally to beat McNeese State. On Thursday, South Carolina shut out N.C. State. At least Wake Forest beat Baylor. But the ACC was an object of ridicule on national sports talk radio Saturday night, and rightly so. And it won’t get any better next weekend when Miami visits Florida. — Mark Berman

  • Intriguing ACC games for VT hoops -

    The 2008-09 schedule for the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team was released this week, and the Hokies will begin and end the ACC portion of it in noteworthy fashion. Their ACC opener will be a Sunday night visit to Durham on Jan. 4 to take on Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski and Duke in a game airing on Fox Sports Net. Their next game features a visit to Cassell Coliseum by Virginia. And the Hokies better hope they have a good record before their final three games of the regular season, because that will be the toughest stretch of their year by far. They host Duke in an ABC game on Feb. 28, followed by a March 4 visit from Tyler Hansbrough and North Carolina in an ESPN game. The regular-season finale is a trip to Florida State, where Tech always loses. — Mark Berman

  • Good showing for UVa at Olympics -

    With the Olympics over, UVa has plenty to be proud of. Ex-Cav Angela Hucles, the leading goal scorer in UVa history, now has to be considered one of the best female athletes UVa has ever produced. Not only did she win her second gold with the U.S. women’s soccer team, but she scored a team-high four goals in Beijing — including two in the semifinals and one in the quarterfinals. Ex-Cav Lindsay Shoop also won gold — one of three UVa grads to medal in rowing. And Dawn Staley was part of a winning basketball team as an assistant. As for Virginia Tech? Well, ex-Hokie Ieva Kublina had a few good basketball games for Latvia. And Queen Harrison reached a hurdles semifinal at the age of 19. London could be in her future. — Mark Berman

  • Hightower making us look good -

    Tim Hightower is making The Roanoke Times — and Division I-AA football in this state — look good. Hightower was a standout running back at Richmond last fall, helping the Spiders reach the I-AA semifinals. We chose him as the Roanoke Times’ state Division I offensive player of the year, eschewing I-A stars. Now comes word that the fifth-round draft pick will likely be Edgerrin James’ top backup with the Arizona Cardinals. Good for him. I just hope he fares better off the field than our offensive player of the year picks in 1999 and 2004, Michael and Marcus Vick. — Mark Berman

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The Press Box blog will post entries on a variety of sports at both the high school and collegiate levels in Southwest Virginia. Contributions come from staff writers of The Roanoke Times sports section.

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