Hokie History: Virginia Tech’s first bowl win

For the 17^th consecutive time, Virginia Tech’s football team will end its season in a bowl game. For the second time in that run, it will play in the Chick-Fil A Bowl in Atlanta.

During this era of perennial consistency, Hokie fans have become accustomed to, and now demand, success in the form of bowl victories.

For 94 years, there was no postseason success to speak of in Blacksburg, until the Hokies played in the Peach Bowl (now the Chick-Fil A) in 1986 against North Carolina State.

Six years prior, the Hokies had lost to future conference mate Miami 20-10 in the same bowl game. The NC State game was only the second postseason appearance in 18 years for the program.

Tech wasted no time finding the scoreboard in that game. After a 77-yard run to the 1-yard line by Maurice Williams on its first offensive possession, Eddie Hunter rumbled in two plays later to put the Hokies up 7-0.

NC State would respond shortly after. Keep in mind this game was pre-Frank Beamer era at Tech, so the Hokies’ special teams were not the juggernaut they are today. The Wolfpack blocked a Tony Romero punt, which was recovered in the end zone to tie the game at seven.

The ‘Pack would score twice more before the half, and led 21-10 at intermission.

The second half saw a comeback for the ages by the Hokies. Williams short touchdown run brought Tech within five points as the third quarter drew to an end.

Early in the final quarter, Tech scored again to take its first lead since early in the game at 22-21.

NC State’s Mike Cofer put his team ahead with a 33-yard field goal midway through the quarter, and Tech was faced with a 24-22 deficit.

The Hokies’ offense failed to produce on the following drive, and was forced to give the ball back to the Wolfpack with the clock drawing closer to zero.

The outlook was grim when on the first play of the NC State possession went 40 yards thanks to a Mal Crite run. After that, however, the ‘Pack sputtered, and gave the Hokies one more chance, punting the ball with 3:14 remaining in the game. . .

Or so everyone thought.

Instead of punting, NC State ran a fake and made the first down. The Tech faithful were deflated, and it looked like the first bowl win in school history would have to wait even longer.

Tech’s defense was able to hold the Wolfpack’s offense on three downs this time, and with 2:01 left, NC State did indeed punt the ball, landing in the end zone for a touchback.

With 11 seconds remaining, the Hokies had driven to the 39-yard line, just outside of kicker Chris Kinzer’s range for game-winning field goal. Head coach Bill Dooley decided to take a shot at the end zone.

Wingback David Everett blew by the secondary down the middle of the field, and quarterback Erik Chapman launched the ball Everett’s way with the clock ticking down.

Wolfpack safety Brian Gay was able to recover enough ground while the ball was in midair to bring Everett down to the turf, drawing an easy pass interference call; 15 yard penalty, first down for Tech.

Though the penalty moved the ball into Kinzer’s range, the play made by Gay was still the right one; had he not knocked Everett down, he would have caught the pass and won the game with a touchdown.

This is when Kinzer, a native of Dublin, VA just 30 miles from the Tech campus, stepped into the spotlight. NC State called its final timeout to “ice” Kinzer, making him wait a little longer before the pressure-packed boot.

Nothing could faze Kinzer that day, though. He coolly stepped through the kick and sent the ball squarely through the uprights as time expired.

Heart attack, check.

Lucky penalty call, check.

First ever bowl win, check.

Although many Hokie fans associate the Frank Beamer era with the glory days of Tech football, 1986 was made by Kinzer a year to remember (though, if you’d like to split hairs, Beamer had already been hired as the departing Dooley’s successor nine days prior to the game).

Simply known as “The Kick” to Tech loyalists, the Peach Bowl has brought some good memories to the Fighting Gobblers. 

On the Docket - New Orleans Bowl: New Orleans Bowl: Middle Tennessee (9-3) vs. Southern Miss (7-5)

Synopsis: Middle Tennessee can lay claim to a victory over an ACC opponent, albeit the moribund Maryland Terrapins. It’s the first bowl appearance for the Blue Raiders since 2006. Seven of their nine wins came by more than a touchdown, but their three losses were by a combined 68 points.

Southern Miss finished 6-0 at home, while going 1-5 on the road. Its five losses were by a combined 34 points, half as much as the Blue Raiders. Running back Damion Fletcher has overcome adversity this season, including a suspension prior to the season, to rush for nearly 1,000 yards on the year.

Player to watch: MTSU quarterback Dwight Dasher (pictured) lives up to his surname as a truly dual-threat option under center. He needs just 47 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, and has accounted for 32 touchdowns total in 2009. If he continues his great play in the bowl game, the Blue Raiders could put a great finishing touch on a successful season.

Who has the edge? The Golden Eagles have played a much more difficult schedule despite the worse record entering the game, and are much more battle tested. The biggest advantage for MTSU is the intangibles of playing in a bowl game, which is a much bigger deal for their program than for Southern Miss.

Prediction: Southern Miss 28, MTSU 20

Fifth Down Basketball Special: Atkins energy, Delaney’s shooting helps Hokies cruise past Bucs

As will appear in Monday's edition of the News & Record in South Boston, VA:

Virginia Tech freshman Manny Atkins describes himself as an “energy guy”.

The 6’7’’ forward was true to form Saturday night, making plays all over the Cassell Coliseum floor in the Hokies’ 73-50 win over Charleston Southern.

In 18 minutes of action, Atkins made three steals, two assists, and scored six points, in a performance that a box score cannot do justice. He also came up with a jump ball and deflected several passes that led to turnovers.

“If anything, I’m a hustle player, and I like making things happen when I come in,” Atkins said.

In a game where 16 inches of snowfall kept all but about 2,000 fans away from the arena, the Hokies needed their energy to come from within. That’s where Atkins, who had only played 31 minutes total prior to Saturday, came into the mix.

Tech burst out of the gates with a 27-6 run in the game’s first 12 minutes.

Towards the end of that spurt, Atkins intercepted a Buccaneer pass inches from the sideline in front of the Tech bench. He managed to launch the ball ahead before falling out of bounds to a streaking J.T. Thompson, who finished the play with a sweet right-handed dunk.

The early onslaught sent the openly loyal crowd into frenzy.

Malcolm Delaney, the ACC’s leading scorer, found his shooting touch yet again Saturday night, draining six three-pointers en route to a 26-point performance. The more important number in Delaney’s stat line, however, was his seven turnovers, a season high.

Head coach Seth Greenberg was not pleased with that figure.

“The way we handled the ball was just careless,” Greenberg said.

Greenberg’s demeanor on the sideline, in a game that was never closer than eight points after the first media timeout, was that of a coach who knows his team has plenty of work to do.

Of the Hokies’ nine wins, six of them have come against teams with a losing record. The schedule will not be so forgiving in three weeks, when ACC play begins.

 “We’ve got to get better, plain and simple. We’re not at the level we need to be,” Greenberg said.

The defensive end of the floor was the brightest part of Saturday’s win. Buccaneers’ leading scorer, Jamarro Warren, was held to a mere two points. He was Delaney’s responsibility most of the night.

“We are starting to get a lot of stops on defense, and that gives me a good feeling.” Delaney said.

Jeff Allen was also very active on the defensive end of the floor. Allen, who’s been dealing with foul trouble in recent games, managed to have five steals, two blocks, and seven rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

Dorenzo Hudson added 14 points in what was, according to Greenberg, one of his better games of the season.

There are flaws to be worked out, but energy like what Tech brought to the floor Saturday night can cover up many weaknesses down the road.

On the Docket: St. Petersburg Bowl: UCF (8-4) vs. Rutgers (8-4)

Synopsis: It’s the battle of the uniquely colored Knights in this match-up. The Golden Knights of Central Florida will most be remembered in 2009 by its 37-32 upset of Houston in mid-November. They are led on offense by quarterback Brett Hodges, who transferred from Wake Forest last spring. Hodges has thrown for 2263 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.

Rutgers struggled out of the gate this season with a 47-15 loss to Cincinnati, before ripping off five straight wins. True freshman Tom Savage has started all but one game for the Scarlet Knights at quarterback. He has had a successful season for his first year on campus, completing 54.5 percent of his passes while throwing 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Player to watch: Tim Brown finally lived up to his potential in his senior season, topping the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. Central Florida has been able to slow down some of the better passing attacks it has faced this season, and keeping Brown at bay will be the key to the Golden Knights’ hopes in this game.

Who has the edge? Central Florida is capable of scoring plenty of points, and that trend should not change now. Rutgers has not been as effective away from home this year, and it can’t hurt the Golden Knights’ chances to have a fifth-year senior under center, rather than a true freshmen for Rutgers.

Prediction: Central Florida 30, Rutgers 28

Let it snow

Weather has a funny way of changing the landscape of sports, as we know it. Rain delays in baseball are as common as three-run homers. Blustery days can turn a pass-happy offense in football into a power-I smash mouth team. Watching sporting events in the elements is one of the more thrilling parts of fandom.

As Blacksburg is in the midst of its worst snowstorm this millennium, this brought to mind some of the more exciting “blizzard bowls” in recent memory.

1999 Independence Bowl: Mississippi State 43, Texas A & M 41 (2OT) – December 31.

Dubbed “The Snow Bowl” in Starkville and College Station lore, the Bulldogs and Aggies were hit just hours before kickoff with a powerful snowstorm. The game pitted two teams that both relied on strong running games already; it was a busy night for Ja’Mar Toombs of the Aggies and Dontae Walker for the Bulldogs.

The Aggies jumped out to a seemingly commanding 14-0 lead in the first quarter, thanks to a score from Toombs and one from Richard Whitaker. Missisippi State recovered, scoring back-to-back touchdowns to even the game, before an Aggie just seconds before halftime made it 20-14.

By this point, the surface resembled more of a hockey rink than a football field, with the snow falling far too fast for the groundskeepers to clear away. Nearly half of the nearly 37,000 fans in attendance left during halftime.

Those fans might have been warm for an extra two hours, but they missed one of the most fantastic finishes to a bowl game ever.

The Bulldogs led 21-20 heading into the final quarter, but two Aggie touchdowns made the score 35-21 with the time dwindling away. Walker would score on a 32-yard run with over three minutes left to bring the Bulldogs within a touchdown.

On the ensuing Aggie possession, Bulldog safety Macro Minor intercepted a Mark Farris pass on the A & M 5-yard line, setting up a 3-yard pass from Wayne Madkin to Donald Lee for the game-tying touchdown.

At 35-35, the game went into overtime, and only then did true chaos ensue.

On the first play of the extra session, Toombs took the handoff and rumbled 25 yards for a score. On the extra point attempt, Willie Blade broke through the line of scrimmage and blocked the kick; Eugene Clinton scooped the ball off the powdery ground for the Bulldogs. Just as he was being tackled, he tossed the ball aside to teammate Jul Griffith, who ran untouched the rest of the way for two points, making the score 41-37 in favor of A & M.

Madkin carried the ball around the edge on the first offensive play for the Bulldogs and was not brought down before reaching the six-yard line. After Walker was brought down for a loss on the next play, Madkin carried the ball again, this time racing into the end zone, diving across the barely visible goalline, for the game-winning score.

Madkin’s touchdown capped off a once-in-a-lifetime game, and turned out to be the final score of the 20^th century.

There’s an answer to a trivia question someday.

On the Docket - New Mexico Bowl: Fresno St. (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)

Synopsis: Fresno State enters the game winners of seven of its last eight games after starting 1-3.  Pat Hill has built a respectable program in Fresno, but this year’s team lacks a signature win. The biggest victory of the season for the Bulldogs was probably the 31-21 win at Idaho.

The Cowboys snuck into the bowl picture after winning their season finale against Colorado State, 17-16 to become bowl eligible. They are outscored by an average of 11 points per game, and are the fifth-place team in the Mountain West. They did hang with second-ranked Texas for one half, trailing 13-10 before allowing 28 unanswered second-half points in a Sept. 12 loss.

Player to watch: Bulldogs running back Ryan Mathews has been one of the best-kept secrets in all of college football this season. He has racked up 1664 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground this year. His best performance came against Boise State, when he ran for 234 yards and scored three touchdowns in a losing effort.

Who has the edge? The Wyoming defense has had its issues throughout the season, allowing more than 30 points in three games. Meanwhile, the offense has simply failed to produce in several losses, including three games where the Cowboys failed to score entirely.

The Bulldog offense is too powerful behind Mathews for the Cowboys to be able to keep up.

Prediction: Fresno State 38, Wyoming 17

Race for the Heisman – Mark Ingram

Season statistics: 249 carries, 1,542 yards (6.2 yards per carry), 15 touchdowns

Why he deserves to win:

With an untested quarterback starting for Alabama this season, Ingram put the offense on his back in most of its games, leading the Crimson Tide to a 13-0 season.

From the opening game against Virginia Tech in Atlanta, where he ran for 150 yards and scored one touchdown both rushing and receiving, Ingram was clearly the best player on the best team.

He is not the flashiest player in the country, but he is as versatile as they come in terms of his ability to run both in between the tackles and on the perimeter.

Why he wouldn’t win:

If the voters want to select the player who had the most outstanding season, it’s Toby Gerhart. If they want to select the most dominant player, it’s Ndamukong Suh. If they want to select the player who did the most for his team, there’s an argument for Ingram.

However, his two backups, Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch, both ran with great power when they were in the games and were arguably nearly as impressive as Ingram.

While Ingram had a great season, playing his best football against the best opponents, he simply never stood out above the rest.

Best game of 2009:

Like Suh, Ingram saved his best game for last. In the same building where the Tide started the season, Alabama rolled the top-ranked Florida Gators 32-13 for the SEC championship.

Ingram scored three touchdowns in that game to lead the way while rushing for 113 yards on the ground. It is always an advantage to leave the voters with your best game fresh in their minds as they fill out the ballot. For Alabama to have knocked off a-Florida, and b-Tim Tebow thanks in large part to Ingram, it gives him a great shot at having his named called around 8:58 p.m. Saturday night. 

Race for the Heisman – Tim Tebow

Season statistics: 182-279 (65.2 completion percentage), 2,413 yards, 18 touchdowns, five interceptions, 203 carries, 859 yards, 13 touchdowns.

Why he deserves to win:

Go ahead, try and find a more successful career for a college quarterback. Two national championships, one Heisman Trophy, and his own play bearing his namesake (the “Tebow jump pass”), there are few players in the history of the sport to have made such a substantial impact.

He has rushed for nearly 1,000 yards, which is unusual for a quarterback of his style. Unlike many of the fleet-footed scramblers that leave defenders in their dust, Tebow is a quarterback in a fullback’s body. His bullish running style is unprecedented for a quarterback in the spread offense.

He also became the first quarterback in this decade to lead his team to back-to-back unbeaten seasons in the SEC.

Why he wouldn’t win:

While this season was solid, it was far from spectacular by Tebow’s standards. His production dipped in the passing game, throwing 12 fewer touchdowns than in 2008.

One of the knocks against his resume last year was his season was not as impressive as his sophomore campaign. If he didn’t win it last year, it’s unlikely the voters will give him the credit for an even less impressive year this time around.

Best game of 2009:

Two weeks after being knocked out of a game for the first time in his career with a concussion, Tebow took the field at Tiger Stadium against LSU. With coach Urban Meyer admittedly using a ‘conservative’ offensive game plan, Tebow was not sacked the entire game, and carried the ball 17 times for 38 yards. In the passing game, he completed 11-of-16 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.

However, it was not the statistics that defined this game for Tebow. It was his gutsy decision to play at all. He did not practice in between the Kentucky game (where he was hurt) and the LSU game, and was not medically cleared until the day before the game.

Many fans worried for the quarterback’s safety, even if he was medically allowed to play. The Tiger defense is not exactly a bunch of pussycats. It was one of the most courageous performances in recent memory.