Call Tech’s 41-23 victory over No. 23 Miami a statement game. It said a lot of things to a lot of people, in a lot of ways. The Jackets’ 472-yard rushing performance cemented them as one of the nation’s premiere rushing teams. Prior to the game, Miami had held Virginia and Virginia Tech to a combined 148 yards on the ground. In last week’s ACC showcase game, Miami made Darren Evans, a 253-yard star against Maryland, look average. Tonight the Hurricanes were owned by a Tech offense that ran well in games versus Florida State and North Carolina, but had trouble finishing games. Tonight was different.
The offensive statement was made emphatically and most importantly by quarterback Josh Nesbitt. Much of the praise for this game will be put on Jonathan Dwyer and perhaps Roddy Jones, but what Nesbitt did was critical. On a sore ankle, Nesbitt rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown. His ability to get yardage on quarterback keepers, make accurate pitches, and hold on to the ball set the tone for Tech’s long runs. “I’m really proud of Josh Nesbitt. He probably wasn’t 100 percent, but tonight he grew a lot as a quarterback.” said head coach Paul Johnson. “It wasn’t just physical ability. He was really dialed in.”
Along with Nesbitt’s 93 yards, Tech got 128 yards from Dwyer and another stunning sprint through the opposing defense for a 58-yard touchdown. The Jackets got 97 yards from Roddy Jones, 60 of which coming on the backbreaking, third-quarter drive that ended in the Nesbitt touchdown and a 34-10 lead. Lucas Cox even looked fleet of foot with eight carries for 78 yards and a touchdown. Much credit must also go to the offensive line. “I don’t think we had very many missed assignments,” said Johnson.
The defense made the statement that, after several shaky weeks, its swagger was back. The 41-23 win and Miami’s 338 yards of total offense don’t tell the whole story. After giving up more than 25 points per game in its last three outings, Tech’s defense set the tone throughout. The unit’s dominance started with Michael Johnson’s 26-yard interception return for a touchdown. From there, it held Miami out of the end zone until the midway point of the third quarter, when the game was arguably out of reach. Tech defenders also did the little things to hold Miami at bay, such as Rashaad Reid’s second-quarter interception, which ended a drive deep in Tech territory. Later in the quarter, Jacory Harris engineered a drive that put Miami on Tech’s 7-yard line but the Canes .
The biggest statement the Jackets made was to themselves and their fans. Expectations were low at the beginning of the season and they took a dip when the Jackets were blasted by North Carolina. However, in a big spot, they put together one of their biggest games of the season. Now they will sit and wait to see if Virginia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina fall, which would add to Tech’s magical season with a trip to Tampa. They will also prepare for game that means so much to their fan base. “It’s our No. 1 goal on our team to beat those guys in Athens,” said senior defensive tackle Darryl Richard. “I’m liking how we’re peaking right now.”
Crosskey can be reached at jcrosskey@scoreatl.com.
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