BLACKSBURG - Poor tackling, careless penalties and untimely turnovers again doomed the Virginia football team as it fell to in-state rival Virginia Tech Saturday for the seventh consecutive season. The 37-7 rout marked the fourth consecutive loss for the Cavaliers - a disappointing end for coach Mike London's first year at the helm of the program.
No. 13 Virginia Tech (10-2, 8-0), meanwhile, earned its 10th straight victory after beginning its 2010 campaign with back-to-back losses against Boise State and James Madison. With the win, the Hokies became the first team to go undefeated in ACC play since the 2000 Florida State squad.\n"[The Hokies] are the measuring stick right now, and you're humbled by the fact that that's where you've got to go," London said. "That's what I aspire to be - a team that wins games and competes for championships."
Virginia Tech relied heavily on its three-headed ground game to expose the Cavaliers' defensive front-seven, which ranked 106th in the nation in stopping the run entering Saturday's game. Redshirt junior tailback Darren Evans, redshirt sophomore tailback Ryan Williams and sophomore tailback David Wilson combined for 177 of the Hokies' 201 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
The Hokie rushing attack struck first blood after an early defensive struggle. The Cavalier defense forced three-and-outs during each of Virginia Tech's first three drives, but senior quarterback Marc Verica's 14th interception on the season set up an easy Williams score from five yards out.
"It was just kind of a miscommunication between me and the wide receiver," Verica said. "I thought he'd be a little more outside than he was. I wish we could've eliminated those things because I think we could've put points on the board early."
One such missed opportunity came after Virginia's opening 51-yard drive set up a 46-yard field goal attempt by junior place kicker Chris Hinkebein. With winds whipping around Lane Stadium, Hinkebein missed the field goal wide right.
Nevertheless, Virginia (4-8, 1-7 ACC) tried to recapture the momentum gained by its early defensive stands with a special teams gamble near midfield. Following the Hokies' first touchdown, sophomore running back Torrey Mack rushed for 26 yards on three carries as the offense seemed to find its footing. On fourth-and-two from the Virginia 45-yard line, however, junior punter Jimmy Howell took the snap, rolled to his right and hit sophomore tight end Colter Phillips cutting toward the Virginia sideline. The Virginia Tech special teams unit stopped Phillips a yard shy of the first-down marker to give the Hokie offense solid field position.
"There's an option to either kick the ball, or there's an option to throw it to Colter," London said. "We just didn't see the coverage that was off, that it probably would have been a better decision to kick it."
Four plays after the failed fake punt, senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a screen pass to Wilson, who scampered 20 yards up the Virginia Tech sideline before diving into the end zone for a score. The Hokies continued to exploit the cracks in the Cavalier defense, as they went on to score on three of their next four offensive series en route to another dominating performance against the Cavaliers. Virginia Tech has now won 11 out of the teams' past 12 meetings.
Trailing 37-0 with 2:59 remaining, redshirt freshman Ross Metheny - who replaced Verica with less than five minutes to play - completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to senior tailback Keith Payne to avoid Virginia's first shutout loss to the Hokies since 2006.
The Metheny-led 72-yard drive marked the longest of the day for the Virginia offense, which was held to less than 300 yards of total offense for the first time this season. The Cavaliers especially struggled in third-down situations, converting on only 1-of-12 opportunities.
"It was really loud out there, and it was tough to communicate," Payne said. "It just didn't go our way. It just slipped away from us."
Through recruiting, London hopes to lessen the on-field disparity between the Cavaliers and the Hokies.
"My second season has just started," London said. "This is my opportunity to get into the homes, get in the faces of young men who have opportunities here. I'll continue to talk about things the school can offer them. I'll work tirelessly to attract young men who can help us on the field also"
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