Hokies get the breaks in last three games

By Nathan Warters

Published: September 28, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. — Tyrod Taylor doesn’t call it luck.

Maybe he’s right, because after all, luck eventually runs out. That hasn’t happened yet for Virginia Tech’s football team.

For the third straight game Saturday, the Hokies took advantage of an opponent’s major penalty — in this case Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh’s late hit in the fourth quarter of Tech’s 35-30 win at Memorial Stadium — and turned a second chance into critical points.

“I don’t feel lucky. That’s just how the game goes. Some people make mistakes, and that’s just part of the game,” said Taylor, the Hokies’ starting quarterback.

Taylor, who is now 8-0 as a starter, has been a penalty magnet in the fourth quarter of Tech’s last three games.

He was the recipient of Suh’s fourth-quarter hit Saturday.

Taylor was forced out of bounds short of a first down at Nebraska’s 35, but Suh’s late hit turned what would have been a fourth-and-2 situation into a fresh set of downs.

“(Tight end Greg Boone) was trying to help me up, and the guy came and hit me,” Taylor said.

Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before the Hokies (4-1) could get their next play off, moving the ball to the Nebraska 11.

Three plays later, Taylor was in the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run that proved to be the difference in the tight ballgame.

It could have been considered a remarkable chain of events if it hadn’t happened in each of Tech’s previous two games.

Two major penalties kept a pivotal third-quarter touchdown drive alive in its 14-point comeback win against North Carolina last week, and two major penalties prolonged the winning drive in the Hokies’ victory over Georgia Tech on Sept. 13.

“When the other team gives you the opportunity, you need to take advantage of those. It’s basically free yards,” Tech offensive guard Nick Marshman said earlier in the week.

It’d be unfair to credit penalties solely for the Hokies’ victory over the Cornhuskers (3-1), which counts, by the way, as one of their biggest non-conference wins in recent memory.

Their offense, defense and special teams all contributed big plays to help pull out the victory, which was in question until rover Dorian Porch recovered a Nebraska fumble at the Huskers’ 48-yard line with five seconds remaining.

Close games are torture to Tech’s fans, but they’re character builders for such a young team. The Hokies — who dressed 22 true and redshirt freshmen Saturday — have taken their last three games, all wins, down to the wire.

“I think when you’ve got a bunch of young kids in your dressing room, and they’re experiencing winning in the fourth quarter, that’s a great experience for them, and good for our football team,” said Tech coach Frank Beamer, who admitted to treating his players to some “old Fancy Gap” dance moves in the locker room after the game.

The Hokies’ offense showed improvement from last week’s game against UNC, putting up 35 points for the first time since last year’s 44-14 win over Miami.

They showed more balance, gaining a season-high 377 yards (206 rushing, 171 passing). What’s more, they didn’t turn the ball over.

Tech’s defense gave up some big plays, as Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz led his team on two big second-half scoring drives, the second of which cut the Hokies’ lead, which once swelled to 18, to 35-30 with 1:32 left, but it also made a game-changing play or two.

The defense’s biggest contribution might have been senior cornerback Macho Harris’ over-the-shoulder interception of Ganz in the first quarter. Harris snagged the pass at the Nebraska 20 and returned it to the 5.

Running back Darren Evans, who had 72 yards on 21 carries, scored the first of his two touchdowns shortly thereafter.

The Hokies’ special teams also came through. Stephan Virgil blocked a punt in the first quarter and the ball rolled through the end zone for a safety.

And senior kicker Dustin Keys made four field goals.

Keys said he and his teammates watched Wake Forest’s 12-3 win over Florida State last week on the ride back from North Carolina. Sam Swank, the Demon Deacons kicker, attempted seven field goals in that game.

“I said, ‘Man, it would be great to have seven opportunities, seven chances,’ but I mean, I’ll take four,” Keys said. “Four is good.”