Hokie ClubWilson on pace for school rushing mark: Tech tailback David Wilson rushed for 153 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns in the Hokies’ victory over the Cavaliers. The performance marked his 10th 100-yard rushing game this season and puts him on pace for the single-season record.
Wilson has 1,595 yards on the season. He needs just 61 more to pass Ryan Williams for the school record.
Perhaps more importantly, Wilson did not fumble in the game. In fact, the Hokies did not turn the ball over in the game.
Davis tops 100-yard mark: Tech receiver Marcus Davis started the season with a bang, catching three passes for 140 yards in the opener against Appalachian State. Since then, he had been quiet.
But he played loudly against UVa, catching five passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. He hauled in passes of 38 and 36 yards and his touchdown reception of 7 yards came in the fourth quarter. That one, set up by a J.R. Collins interception, gave the Hokies a 35-0 lead at the time.
“Coach [Kevin] Sherman has been preaching to us, ‘Just win.’ So that’s been my mindset,” Davis said. “I wasn’t expecting this, but I’m glad it came my way. I want to make the most of every opportunity I have.”
“That was good to see,” Beamer said. “He used his body, and he showed up out there. I’m glad for him and glad for us.”
Thomas closer to QB TD mark: Tech quarterback Logan Thomas scored on a 14-yard run in the first quarter to give the Hokies an early 7-0 lead. The rushing touchdown marked Thomas’ 10th of the season, putting him within one of tying the single-season record by a quarterback. In 1974, Bruce Arians rushed for 11 touchdowns.
Thomas threw two touchdown passes in addition to the rushing touchdown, winning the match-up against fellow Lynchburg, Va., native Michael Rocco, who completed 16 of 27 for 211 yards and two interceptions.
“I wanted to go out and play as hard as I could and as best as I could,” said Thomas, who has thrown 14 touchdown passes and just two interceptions since the Hokies’ loss to Clemson. “People were talking all week about me and Michael. Michael is a great player, and I think we will both progress as our careers go on. I wish him nothing but the best.”
“Logan is in control,” Beamer said. “I love that about him. Right before half, he threw that ball to Danny Coale, and I thought he [Danny] had his hand under the ball. But Logan said, ‘That’s my fault. I should have thrown a better ball.’ He takes blame, and he’s a great leader. He gets the job done, and he’s in control. He’s a great leader. I don’t think you could ask for anything better.”
Fuller, Tyler with big defensive play: Tech mike linebacker Jack Tyler and cornerback Kyle Fuller made the biggest plays for a Tech defense that pitched its first shutout since last season when it shut out BC 19-0 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
In the first quarter, UVa drove to the Tech 6 and faced a fourth-and-2. The Cavaliers went for it, but Tyler knifed in and stopped Kevin Parks short of the first down. That possession turned out to be UVa’s best chance at scoring.
“Obviously, we got a lot of momentum after that play,” said Tyler, making his second start of the season and the third of his career. “I was just fortunate to be in that situation and be able to help the team out.”
“I thought that was a big play,” Beamer said. “OT make a stop there and make a statement … I appreciate their [UVa’s] philosophy. They want to hammer it in there. But I appreciate our guys hammering back. Tyler did a great job, and I thought that was a big, big play.”
Fuller continues to make a bid for All-ACC honors, as he made one of the biggest plays in the first half and kept up his string of good performances.
The Cavaliers drove to the Tech 20 late in the first half and appeared on the verge of putting points on the board. But on second-and-4, Fuller blitzed and jarred the ball from the hands of UVa quarterback Michael Rocco. Tyler recovered at the Tech 33, thwarting the threat.
Tyler recorded six tackles in the game. Fuller finished with four.
Coale assume punting role vs. UVa: Tech receiver Danny Coale served as the team’s punter for the UVa game, and he punted four times for an average of 47.5 yards. One punt went for 52 yards and helped the Hokies flip the field, enabling them to gain field possession that led to a second-quarter score.
Coale’s other punts this season came in the Marshall game. In that one, he punted twice for 62 yards, a 31.0-yard average.
“I had been punting a little this week, but I really didn’t know where he [Beamer] going to go,” Coale said. “In pregame warm-ups, he said he was comfortable with me punting, and that’s the way it went.
“I don’t think my drop was right, and I’m not sure my steps were right. I just wanted to get it off. Fortunately, it turned out well.”
“[Michael] Branthover’s got great potential, but Danny’s been kicking well,” Beamer said. “You get in a game like this and you need some steadiness. You need some guys who have been in the battles. So we decided to go with Danny.”
Bonner, Collins with first INTs: Tech cornerback Detrick Bonner made his second career start, and it turned out to be a memorable one as Bonner made his first career interception.
The pick came in the third quarter after UVa quarterback Michael Rocco threw a nice pass to Kris Burd, but Burd bobbled it and Bonner picked it out of the air.
Also, Tech defensive end J.R. Collins intercepted his first career pass. Collins dropped in coverage early in the fourth quarter and picked off a Rocco passing, returning it to the UVa 4. That led to a Thomas touchdown pass to Davis.
Bonner and Collins became the 10th and 11th different Tech players to intercept passes this season.