Hokies falter vs. No. 9 Miami

Chris Hirons

November 15, 2020

BLACKSBURG, Va. — After suffering one of the more embarrassing losses in recent memory last week, Virginia Tech (4-4, 4-3 ACC) squandered an opportunity to avenge its loss and take down No. 9 Miami (7-1, 6-1 ACC).

Instead, the Hokies, who led by 11 in the final two quarters, imploded offensively and failed to score in the final quarter-and-a-half. After dropping Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes by a single point, 25-24, Virginia Tech has lost three of its last four games, signaling how truly unhinged the 2020 season has become.

“I feel better about our football team than at any point,” head coach Justin Fuente said. “We're not happy with not winning the ballgame, but my gosh, did our guys lay it on the line today."

Miami didn’t lead until the last six minutes of the matchup when quarterback D’Eriq King, who threw for 255 yards, found wide receiver Mark Pope on a 36-yard pass to put the Hurricanes up 25-24.

Tech’s last three opportunities on offense, all after Miami took the lead, were all wasted on a punt, interception and turnover on downs. In the end, Miami ran 15 more plays and outgained Virginia Tech in total yards 386-362 — a season low for the Hokies.

“I'm hurting immensely for our [players], because you can imagine all they've dealt with through the week,” Fuente said. “This season is just the most unique season ever. Guys could have folded up shop. They refused to.”

The Hokies also couldn’t find a way to capitalize on the Hurricanes’ lack of discipline. Throughout the game, Miami was called for multiple personal fouls that amounted to eight penalties and cost the Hurricanes 77 total yards. Virginia Tech, on the other hand, played one of its more finer games when it came to penalties, only accounting for two which resulted in 10 yards.

Losing Khalil Herbert on the opening kickoff last week certainly put a cloud over everyone’s head for the rest of the game. Herbert, though, made his return this week, and while he wasn’t used as much as he usually is on offense, the transfer ran for 49 yards on eight carries.

“I wasn’t concerned about my workload,” Hebert said. “I was more concerned about how I could help the team win in any way.”

For his replacement, third-string running back Jalen Holston stepped up in Herbert’s place against Miami. The redshirt junior carried the ball four times for 36 yards and two touchdowns — his first two since coming back from a fractured ankle last season.

Before Herbert and Raheem Blackshear transferred into Virginia Tech, Holston was expected to replace Deshawn McClease after McClease declared for the NFL Draft. After VT landed both Herbert and Blackshear through the transfer portal, Holston was demoted and saw the best opportunity he had since arriving in Blacksburg slip away. More bad luck piled on as the injury bug nipped him again earlier this season and forced him to sit out multiple weeks.

“It’s been tough for Jalen,” Fuente said. “I was proud of the way he was running the football.”

Both offenses were stumped for their first two possessions, respectively. A fake field goal on the ‘Canes first drive cost them points after kicker Jose Borregales was stopped short of the first down marker.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker and Holston got the offense going early with their legs. Hooker scrambled for a 54 yards into the endzone, virtually untouched, to give the Hokies a 7-0 lead. After a Borregales field goal late in the first quarter to cut into the Hokies lead, Holston took two eight yard handoffs in the redzone and scored on the latter handoff to give VT a 14-3 lead.

King, who has been one of the nation’s most athletic quarterbacks, ran in for a 10-yard score late in the second quarter to cut the deficit to four points. A drive late in the first half, led by King, allowed the Hurricanes to get close enough for Borregales to kick a field goal to close out the first half and cut the deficit to just one point.

The Hokies came out strong to start the second half, scoring a touchdown on a Holston carry and then a 38-yard field goal from kicker Brian Johnson put VT ahead 24-13. However, that was the last time Virginia Tech would find the kicking net or the endzone.

With a minute left in the third quarter, Hurricane running back Cam'Ron Harris found paydirt after taking a six-yard handoff from King to cut into the lead 24-19. Miami attempted to go for two, but couldn’t convert.

Twelve minutes later, with six minutes to go in the game, Miami found paydirt one final time that proved to be the backbreaker for VT. King hooked up with wide receiver Pope for 36 yards and gave the Hurricanes a one-point lead, 25-24. The ‘Canes attempted another two-point conversion, but like the previous attempt, it failed.

After three failed attempts for the Hokies offense and a failed lateral play for the final play of the game, Virginia Tech fell to the hands of defeat once again.

The Hokies will attempt to get back on track next weekend against Pitt, though, that situation is fluid after Pitt cancelled its game earlier this week and shut down its program for a few days because of a spike in coronavirus cases.

"We’ll be straight, we’ll be straight,” Herbert said after the game. “We’ve got a bunch of guys in there that don’t quit. We'll bounce back next week.”