THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509240167
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
Dwayne Thomas doesn't talk much, but Friday night he had something to say to his Virginia Tech teammates.
Saturday afternoon, he backed it up.
Thomas ran for 165 yards and a first-quarter touchdown as Virginia Tech pulled off what could be the Hokies' biggest win ever, a 13-7 upset of No. 17 Miami before a crowd of 51,206 in sold-out Lane Stadium.
Virginia Tech (1-2, 1-1 Big East) pushed the Hurricanes around on both sides of the ball and averted an 0-3 start that could have sent a season loaded with promise south early. Instead, Virginia Tech beat Miami for the first time in 13 tries and remains alive in the Big East title chase.
``This wipes the last two games out,'' offensive guard Chris Malone said. ``It seems like we never even played the first two.''
The first two - a loss to a good Boston College team and an abysmal performance in a shutout loss last week to Cincinnati - had spawned boo birds and naysayers. It was a week of soul-searching in Blacksburg, and at Friday night's team meeting, coach Frank Beamer broke from standard procedure and asked some seniors to speak.
Thomas was first.
``I was hyped at the time,'' said Thomas, who struggled to recall his exact words.
``He told them this is a good football team,'' assistant head coach Billy Hite said. ``He said many of the guys we won with the last two years are in this room, and there's no reason if we go out and play like we're capable of that we're not going to win the football game.
``Dwayne's never been a leader by being vocal; he's very quiet and shy. I felt good about our football team when I went to bed last night.''
Thomas provided a wake-up call for Virginia Tech's offense on the first drive. He ran the first eight plays and gained 43 yards. The drive ended with a missed field goal attempt. Still, the Hokies knew then that they could run on Miami, which had held them to minus-14 yards rushing a year ago.
Virginia Tech's 300 yards rushing were the most against Miami since Syracuse ran for 376 yards in 1979. Ken Oxendine, making his first appearance of the year after suffering a broken hand, gained 82 yards on nine carries.
``We watched the UCLA (vs. Miami) tape and saw UCLA crush 'em, and we figured, man-to-man, we're just as good as UCLA,'' Malone said. ``They're not the Miami they used to be, but they're still a good team. They walked into a bad situation; were were kind of (ticked) off.''
Miami was ticked off afterward. The Hurricanes (1-2, 0-1) had beaten 71 consecutive unranked teams, a streak that dated from 1984. That was also the last time Miami was unranked, which is likely to occur today when the new polls come out.
``We did enough poor things today to lose two or three games,'' Hurricanes coach Butch Davis said. ``We are not talented enough or experienced enough to overcome the negative things that happened.''
Virginia Tech had its share of negatives to overcome as well.
Bryan Still dropped one sure touchdown pass that was right on the numbers. In the fourth quarter, Tech blocked a punt and took over at Miami's 9, but only got a 20-yard Atle Larsen field goal out of it for a 13-7 lead with 10 minutes to play.
They were the only second-half points scored by either team. Tech led 10-7 at the half on a Thomas 1-yard run and a 44-yard field goal from Larsen.
Larsen was 2 for 6 on the day, missing from 25, 35, 48 and 42 yards.
``This game, to be honest with you, should have been over earlier,'' Beamer said.
But it wasn't over until the closing seconds. Miami had three more possessions after Larsen's last field goal. Miami stalled at Tech's 22 on the first one and was intercepted on the second one.
Larsen's fourth miss of the day came from 42 yards away with 2:08 to play, and the Hurricanes took over at their 25. Quarterback Ryan Clement, in for the injured Ryan Collins, marched the 'Canes downfield to a first down at Tech's 24 with 50 seconds remaining.
Clement threw incomplete on first down.
Tech defensive tackle J.C. Price sacked Clement for a 10-yard loss on second down.
Clement overthrew Syii Tucker on third down.
Twenty-three seconds left; Miami's last chance. Hokies cornerback Loren Johnson, a true freshman, knew what to expect.
``Everyone said, `Watch for the deep ball,' '' said Johnson, who hadn't played on anything but special teams in college until he started in place of the injured Antonio Banks on Saturday. ``I took a glance at the clock and said, `Yeah, they're coming my way.' ''
He was right. Clement lofted a pass to Yatil Green inside the 5. Johnson went up with him and they made contact before the ball arrived. Neither came down with the ball.
Miami's Davis said there was interference, but the officials didn't have the courage to call it.
``We bumped a little,'' said Johnson, who grew up in Miramar, Fla., just north of Miami. ``Antonio Banks came up to me and said he kind of thought maybe I got away with a little personal foul.''
There was a lot of contact on the field after Tech ran out the clock. Thousands of fans poured down from the stands. They tried to fell a goal post but were repelled by police. Some fans bounced on the bed of a truck holding a TV camera, which came perilously close to getting knocked over. Tech players and coaches hugged each other, many losing a battle with tears.
``When I was a little kid, I hated Miami and always thought about beating the (crap) out of Miami,'' Malone said. ``There's no words to describe it.''
Just like Friday, Thomas had the right words.
``This is the best feeling I've ever had,'' Thomas said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
ALAN KIM/Landmark News Service
Dwayne Thomas dives across the goal line for Virginia Tech's first
touchdown. Thomas ran for 165 yards in the win over No. 17 Miami.
Photo
MIKE HEFFNER/Roanoke Times World News
The Virginia Tech bench, except for coach Frank Beamer, erupts after
the Hokies took a 10-0 lead in the first half.
by CNB