Hokies Hammered
October 22, 2003 09:27 PM | General
October 22, 2003
Quincy Wilson scores a four-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Wednesday night's game against Virginia Tech. The Mountaineers won 28-7. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Running back Quincy Wilson ran 33 times for 178 yards and scored a touchdown to help the Mountaineers to a 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech.
“I have to give West Virginia credit, they played a great game and took it to us,” said Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.
“I was really proud of the way our young men played,” said WVU coach Rich Rodriguez. “Our attitude has been good all week.”
West Virginia (3-4) pulled off its biggest upset in school history in easy fashion by totally dominating the third-ranked team in the country, and in the process has revitalized a season that once looked bleak after a disappointing home loss to Cincinnati.
WVU’s win over No. 3 Virginia Tech represents the highest ranked team ever defeated by the Mountaineers. Twice Don Nehlen’s Mountaineers defeated the No. 4-ranked team in 1984 against Boston College and in 1993 against Miami – both at Mountaineer Field.
Backup Kay-Jay Harris chipped in with 77 yards on 15 carries to help the Mountaineers run for 264 yards against Tech’s nationally rated defense.
“Their backs were really running hard tonight,” said a gracious Beamer. “They were getting down hill on us all night. They flat out played really well.”
Junior quarterback Rasheed Marshall completed just enough passes, including a back-breaking 93-yarder in the third quarter to Travis Garvin, to keep the Hokies off balance. He finished the game seven of 14 for 162 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall completed a respectable 14 of 22 passes, but was picked off three times and finished the game rushing for minus eight yards on 14 carries. Randall also fumbled once to account for all four Hokie turnovers.
“When you turn the ball over like we did, you’ll have a tough time winning ball games,” said Beamer.
Virginia Tech turnovers led to two first-quarter scores for West Virginia. The Hokies’ first miscue came when they were driving on their opening possession. On second and eight at the WVU 25, Tech’s Randall lobbed an arching pass into coverage that WVU safety Brian King was able to pick off at the 10.
WVU mixed the run and the pass with three Hokie penalties to drive 90 yards on 11 plays. During the drive, WVU completed its first pass of the year to a tight end (a 10-yarder to Josh Bailey), and Marshall went three for three for 33 yards on the drive.
An 18-yard run by Kay-Jay Harris moved the ball to the Tech 14 and two plays later Harris went around left end untouched for a seven-yard touchdown.
Virginia Tech’s second turnover came as a result of a bad option pitch by Randall that Mike Lorello recovered at the Tech 36.
WVU went right to the air with Marshall hitting tight end Tory Johnson down the middle for 19 yards to the Tech 17. Quincy Wilson found a crack up the middle for 12 yards to the Hokie five and Wilson finished the drive with a five-yard run off right guard.
An unfortunate turn of events got Virginia Tech back into the game. After Brad Cooper missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, West Virginia was the beneficiary of a running-into-the-kicker penalty that gave the Mountaineers a first and 10 at the Hokie 25.
On WVU’s first play, Wilson fumbled the ball and it was picked up by Tech linebacker Vegas Robinson who returned the ball to the 42 where it appeared he was tackled by West Virginia’s Rayshawn Bolden. Robinson fumbled the ball and backup defensive back Vincent Fuller picked up the ball and ran it 50 yards for a touchdown.
It was Virginia Tech’s eighth touchdown scored this year by either the defense or special teams.
Several different replay angles clearly showed that Robinson’s knees were down when the ball came loose. Nonetheless, Virginia Tech caught a big break and on West Virginia’s ensuing possession the Hokies were able to force the Mountaineers to a three-and-out.
Virginia Tech took over at its own 36 with 35 seconds left and was able to move the sticks on an interference penalty whistled on Mike Lorello, but the first-half clock ran out when Randall was sacked for an eight-yard loss by Ernest Hunter while trying to find an open receiver downfield.
After forcing Virginia Tech to punt, West Virginia hit the biggest play of the game at its own seven yard line. On second and nine, Marshall went deep down the middle to flanker Travis Garvin, who caught the ball at the West Virginia 35-yard line and out-ran the Virginia Tech defense for a 93-yard touchdown. It was the longest scoring pass play in Mountaineer Field history and the second longest touchdown pass for the Mountaineers ever, just three yards short of Danny Buggs’ 96-yard touchdown catch against Penn State in 1973. Ironically, Buggs was at the game tonight.
West Virginia was back in business with 3:57 left in the third quarter when the Mountaineers forced Virginia Tech to punt deep in its own territory. Lance Frazier took Vinnie Burns’ line drive punt at the West Virginia 38 and returned it 28 yards to the Hokie 34 yard line.
A Tech personal foul penalty moved the football to the WVU 18 and three plays later on third and nine, Harris went 17 yards to the Tech two. On third and goal, Marshall kept the football and crossed the goal line before being hit late by a Hokie a Tech defender.
Virginia Tech lost its poise several times during the game and finished with 13 penalties for 116 yards. The Hokies came into the game as the least penalized team in the Big East.
West Virginia has put itself back into the Big East race with a 2-1 conference record.
“We have to keep getting better and have the same intensity not only in our games but in all of our practices as well,” said Rodriguez. “If we do that then we have a really good chance to finish the season very well.”
The Hokies drop to 6-1 overall and have probably eliminated themselves from the national championship picture.
Scoring Summary
WV – Harris 7 run (Cooper kick)
WV – Wilson 5 run (Cooper kick)
VT – Fuller 50 fumble return (Warley kick)
WV – Garvin 93 pass from Marshall (Cooper kick)
WV – Marshall 4 run (Cooper kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing: VT – Jones 11-57, Humes 3-15, Easlick 1-1, Randall 14-minus 8, Total 29-65; WV – Wilson 33-178, Harris 15-77, Marshall 9-9, Team 2-0, Total 59-264.
Passing: VT – Randall 14-22-3-146-0; WV – Marshall 7-14-0-162-1.
Receiving: VT – Wilford 4-58, Hamilton 3-35, Easlick 2-10, Willis 1-18, Jones 1-14, King 1-6, Clifton 1-6, Humes 1-minus 1, Total 14-146; WV – Garvin 3-117, Henry 2-16, Johnson 1-19, Bailey 1-10.
Attendance: 56,319
