After a record setting night in Blacksburg last week, Virginia Tech has to be looking at its’ ACC record with a smile.
Redshirt freshman tailback Darren Evans rushed for a school record 253 yards and a touchdown in the Hokies’ 23-13 win over #23 Maryland Thursday night at Lane Stadium. The win puts Virginia Tech at 3-2 in ACC play and in a four-way tie for first in the ACC Coastal Division.
The important factor to remember though is who the other three teams are. Two of them are Georgia Tech and North Carolina, and the Hokies have wins over both schools this year. The other is Miami, and Virginia Tech gets its' crack at the Hurricanes Thursday night on ESPN.
Put last Thursday's win over Maryland with Virginia’s loss to Wake Forest Saturday and North Carolina’s win over Georgia Tech and the Hokies are still in control of their own destiny in the ACC Coastal Division. If Virginia Tech wins at Miami, it will need only one more win and another Virginia loss to book a trip to Tampa Bay for the ACC Championship Game.
After spending much of the season on the road, including a 54 stretch between home games leading up to last Thursday’s win over the Terrapins, Tech has one final road game this week before returning home for its’ last two against Duke on November 22, and Virginia on November 29.
On a night where both of Tech’s top quarterbacks, Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon, were listed as questionable with injuries, the Hokies seemed to finally find an identity on offense.
Glennon, suffering from a high-ankle sprain, started the game against Maryland. However, it was Evans’ hard running and some “wild-turkey” play calling from the Hokies’, which put tight end Greg Boone at quarterback, that kept the Terps befuddled and led to Tech’s highest offensive output of the year.
Boone ended the night with six carries for 22 yards. The junior also got involved in the passing game catching his second touchdown pass of the year from Glennon in the first quarter. Boone had two catches on the night for 31 yards.
Evans’ yards on the ground accounted for the bulk of the 400 yards of total offense Virginia Tech put on the board. It marked the first time Tech had hit the 400 yard mark since a win over Virginia in the final week of the 2007 season.
Glennon was efficient for the Hokies. The senior completed 14 of his 20 passes for 127 yards and his touchdown to Boone. The touchdown throw was only his second of the year.
Taylor did not play at all Thursday. He missed the game altogether with his high, left-ankle sprain. An update on Taylor’s status is expected Monday.
The Hokies received more good news Thursday. Before the game, Tech’s coaching staff arrived to the stadium and were greeted by Logan Thomas, a rivals.com five-star recruit from Brookeville High School in Lynchburg.
Thomas made an oral commitment to Virginia Tech after being heavily recruited by offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring.
By Nick Pierce