BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech TB Ryan Williams has become known for his shifty moves and breakaway speed this fall.
In Saturday's 38-10 Atlantic Coast Conference rout of N.C. State, Williams displayed the kind of power which will become a staple of highlight films for a long time.
On a second down run from the Wolfpack 19-yard line, Williams busted into the open off left tackle. Backup safety Earl Wolff grabbed Williams' jersey at the 12 and got a free ride -- all the way into the end zone for Williams' fourth touchdown of the day.
It was the longest play of a grinding afternoon for Williams, who finished with 120 yards on 32 carries.
"He was making me mad," Williams said of Wolff. "I wanted him off my jersey. I tried to smack his hand off because I'm not big on stiffarming people, but it looked cool on the big screen. I liked it."
So did his teammates, who have gotten used to seeing that kind of brilliance from a redshirt freshman who's rushed for 1,355 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.
"I didn't see the replay, but I had the back view," QB Tyrod Taylor said. "He's very powerful. I've seen him do that in the weight room. I know he's very strong."
Williams' four TDs were the most for a Tech freshman in a game since Tommy Edwards scored four in a 63-21 win at Pittsburgh in 1993.
Williams needs just one score in the last two games to break the ACC freshman record for most TDs in a season. He's currently tied with North Carolina's Leon Johnson, who originally set the mark in 1993.
Boykin's Best Sophomore WR Jarrett Boykin might be headed for the Hokies' high-water mark for a pass-catcher in six years. With his career-high 164 yards on six grabs, Boykin is up to 715 yards on the season, the most for a Tech player since Ernest Wilford recorded 886 yards as a senior in 2003.
"Jarrett made a couple of great adjustments on the ball and got those big claws up there and came down with it," coach Frank Beamer said. "He is very, very dependable. If you get that ball up there around him, we have a very good shot of coming down with it."
Among Boykin's grabs were 42, 38 and 36-yarders. His 38-yard catch late in the third quarter served as the Hokies' final TD.
On the season, Boykin has 36 receptions and is averaging nearly 20 yards per catch.
"Today, I was just focused on making plays," he said. "Whenever the ball was in the air, I just did my best to come down with it so he would have confidence in me. That is just kind of how the day went along."
Shorthanded Wolfpack N.C. State has regressed this season. After using a season-ending four-game winning streak last year to make the PapaJohn's Bowl, the Wolfpack fell to 4-7 Saturday and won't play in a bowl game.
One major reason is a ridiculous wave of injuries which has cost N.C. State 13 projected starters. It even hit its coaching staff for this game.
Offensive coordinator Dana Bible wasn't with the team after finding out Friday that his doctor recommended he not travel due to the need to undergo tests at a Raleigh hospital.
Coach Tom O'Brien had no other information on Bible's situation.
"You always have a backup that you think you have to do this, that or another thing," O'Brien said. "But 24 hours before a football game -- it's a tough situation."
Running backs coach Jason Swepson and O'Brien teamed to call plays. O'Brien said Swepson did a fine job, although the Wolfpack's 10 points was their fewest since a season-opening loss to South Carolina.
Extra Points
Redshirt freshman Michael Via made his third straight start at center, although Beau Warren (knee) was cleared to play ... DT Demetrius Taylor and TE Sam Wheeler picked up starts because it was Senior Day ... Tech unveiled the Wild Turkey for the first time since September as TE Greg Boone took four second half snaps. Boone tried a pass but it fell incomplete. The former high school QB can throw the ball 80 yards in the air.
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Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Southern Miss state of mind
East Carolina's 2009 football schedule contains numerous oddities that were evident even before the season began.
Most notably, the middle of the campaign featured a three-game stretch in which the Pirates played no Saturday games, but instead Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday games.
ECU head coach Skip Holtz looked past that and immediately saw something perhaps even more daunting.
“People started looking at the Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday schedule, and they looked at being on the road at West Virginia and North Carolina and two of the first three are on the road against very quality, BCS-type opponents,” Holtz said. “The thing that always caught my eye is that Southern Miss is last.”
The Pirates (7-4, 6-1 Conference USA) finish their regular season when they host the Golden Eagles at 1:30 Saturday afternoon in a C-USA East Division clash.
The winner of the game will claim the East and play in the following weekend's C-USA championship game.
Given that Southern Miss has 26 wins in 34 previous games against ECU, Holtz said he would love to make the Pirates' end of the rivalry a little more legitimate.
In his four previous games against the Golden Eagles (7-4, 5-2 C-USA), Holtz is 1-3.
“I wonder if it's a rivalry for them,” Holtz said. “You've got to win every once in a while to make it a rivalry. I just don't know how they view it. I know how we view it, as a rivalry game, but it is extremely lopsided, especially being 2-15 at home and how spaced out our wins are.”
Holtz's lone win in the series came in overtime at Hattiesburg in 2006. The Pirates lost last season's meeting in Mississippi by a convincing 21-3 score.
Injuries
Senior linebacker Jeremy Chambliss is perhaps the biggest question for ECU after he injured his shoulder early in the Pirates' win over UAB last weekend.
Holtz said even if Chambliss, who is fourth on the team with 62 tackles despite having already missed a game this season with the flu, suits up against Southern Miss, he would likely be very limited.
The Pirates will also likely be without true freshman linebacker Marke Powell, who steadily carved a niche in the rotation before his foot injury last weekend left him doubtful for this Saturday. Reserve linebacker and special teams man Austin Haynes (knee) is also questionable.
The defensive line got a boost from the return of Josh Smith from his shoulder injury last week, and Holtz said he expects Smith to make a full return this week after not having any lingering pain.
The offense hopes to welcome back senior receiver Jamar Bryant (shoulder) and running back Jon Williams (knee) by Saturday.
Out for the season are defensive lineman A.J. Johnson (knee), tight end Rob Kass (knee), linebackers Dustin Lineback (knee) and Matt Thompson (elbow) and defensive back Dekota Marshall (leg).
Harris honored
East Carolina's Dwayne Harris, who set a school record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown in ECU's win over UAB, was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week. It's the second time this season Harris has won the award.
Harris established a new East Carolina single-season and career record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with his third of the 2009 campaign, a 99-yarder against UAB in the fourth quarter. In all, he racked up 146 kickoff return yards on three attempts.
The 99-yard return was the second-longest kickoff return in program history and was his third return for a score this season. Harris compiled 254 all-purpose yards and accounted for three touchdowns with two scoring receptions, including a 59-yarder that was ECU's longest pass play and longest touchdown (rushing or passing) of the season.
With his eight-catch, 108-yard performance against the Blazers, Harris moved into second place on ECU's career receptions list with 146.
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Most notably, the middle of the campaign featured a three-game stretch in which the Pirates played no Saturday games, but instead Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday games.
ECU head coach Skip Holtz looked past that and immediately saw something perhaps even more daunting.
“People started looking at the Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday schedule, and they looked at being on the road at West Virginia and North Carolina and two of the first three are on the road against very quality, BCS-type opponents,” Holtz said. “The thing that always caught my eye is that Southern Miss is last.”
The Pirates (7-4, 6-1 Conference USA) finish their regular season when they host the Golden Eagles at 1:30 Saturday afternoon in a C-USA East Division clash.
The winner of the game will claim the East and play in the following weekend's C-USA championship game.
Given that Southern Miss has 26 wins in 34 previous games against ECU, Holtz said he would love to make the Pirates' end of the rivalry a little more legitimate.
In his four previous games against the Golden Eagles (7-4, 5-2 C-USA), Holtz is 1-3.
“I wonder if it's a rivalry for them,” Holtz said. “You've got to win every once in a while to make it a rivalry. I just don't know how they view it. I know how we view it, as a rivalry game, but it is extremely lopsided, especially being 2-15 at home and how spaced out our wins are.”
Holtz's lone win in the series came in overtime at Hattiesburg in 2006. The Pirates lost last season's meeting in Mississippi by a convincing 21-3 score.
Injuries
Senior linebacker Jeremy Chambliss is perhaps the biggest question for ECU after he injured his shoulder early in the Pirates' win over UAB last weekend.
Holtz said even if Chambliss, who is fourth on the team with 62 tackles despite having already missed a game this season with the flu, suits up against Southern Miss, he would likely be very limited.
The Pirates will also likely be without true freshman linebacker Marke Powell, who steadily carved a niche in the rotation before his foot injury last weekend left him doubtful for this Saturday. Reserve linebacker and special teams man Austin Haynes (knee) is also questionable.
The defensive line got a boost from the return of Josh Smith from his shoulder injury last week, and Holtz said he expects Smith to make a full return this week after not having any lingering pain.
The offense hopes to welcome back senior receiver Jamar Bryant (shoulder) and running back Jon Williams (knee) by Saturday.
Out for the season are defensive lineman A.J. Johnson (knee), tight end Rob Kass (knee), linebackers Dustin Lineback (knee) and Matt Thompson (elbow) and defensive back Dekota Marshall (leg).
Harris honored
East Carolina's Dwayne Harris, who set a school record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown in ECU's win over UAB, was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week. It's the second time this season Harris has won the award.
Harris established a new East Carolina single-season and career record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with his third of the 2009 campaign, a 99-yarder against UAB in the fourth quarter. In all, he racked up 146 kickoff return yards on three attempts.
The 99-yard return was the second-longest kickoff return in program history and was his third return for a score this season. Harris compiled 254 all-purpose yards and accounted for three touchdowns with two scoring receptions, including a 59-yarder that was ECU's longest pass play and longest touchdown (rushing or passing) of the season.
With his eight-catch, 108-yard performance against the Blazers, Harris moved into second place on ECU's career receptions list with 146.
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