2011 Miami Hurricanes Football: Miami @ Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech Hokies don’t have any more margin for error in their ACC season. They already absorbed one home-field loss. If they experience another setback in Lane Stadium, their chances of defending their conference championship will be slim to none. A proud program has to answer the bell this weekend in order to get its season back on track.

Virginia Tech is coming off a humbling beatdown by Clemson that exposed the Hokies’ offense as being extremely one-dimensional when faced with a decent, athletic defense. It should be noted that Clemson doesn’t have a top-caliber defense, but the Tigers maxed out on that side of the ball when pitted against Tech.

The Hokies actually have a very balanced offense, with 999 passing yards on the season and 980 rushing yards, though they have many more rushing attempts than passing attempts (216 to 141). However, Tech had the luxury of rushing the ball a lot against below-average September opponents from Conference USA (East Carolina and Marshall). They tried the same against Clemson and were more or less shut down. Coach Frank Beamer didn’t alter his game plan and pounded away with 40 rushing attempts last weekend, but the Hokies averaged only 3.3 yards per carry and gained only 133 rushing yards against Clemson. Quarterback Logan Thomas was completely ineffective passing the ball downfield, so the Hokies were never able to stretch the Clemson defense. Thomas was a respectable 15 of 27 passing, but for only 125 yards, with the longest pass being 16 yards.

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New Tech offensive coordinator Mike O’Cain will need to find a way to flummox an equally athletic Miami defense, which will be without senior linebacker Ramon Buchanan. That loss will be somewhat tempered by the return of outstanding safety Ray-Ray Armstrong from suspension following the offseason sanction which nailed him for taking impermissible benefits from boosters. Miami linebacker Sean Spence will hold down the fort in Buchanan’s absence, and defensive tackle Marcus Forston will be expected to put pressure on Thomas to prevent him from having the time to go downfield, should Tech attempt to do so.

Miami is reeling after a lackluster win over 1-AA Bethune Cookman the week following a devastating loss against Kansas State in which the Hurricanes saw a game-winning touchdown get overturned in the final minute on 4th and goal. Unlike Tech, Miami didn’t play its first real opponent in the first week of October; the loss to K-State was preceded by a resounding 24-6 victory over Ohio State. Those games followed an ugly Labor Day loss to Maryland.

The defense is nowhere near being a “Miami” defense from the program’s halcyon days, but it’s the offense that’s really a mess. The Hurricanes average fewer than 200 passing yards and 30 points per game. The bright side for Miami has been a surprisingly solid running attack, led by workhorse running back Lamar Miller, who already has 76 rushing attempts for over 500 yards (511), for an outstanding 6.7 yards per carry. Unfortunately, Miami can’t win by rushing alone, and quarterback Jacory Harris has been Jacory Harris this season, with a solid completion percentage (69 percent) but a low yardage total (570 yards) in the three games following his suspension for the Maryland game. Harris has a bevy of solid receivers to throw to, including Travis Benjamin (13 catches for 170 yards), Tommy Streeter (12 catches for 213 yards), and Allen Hurns (13 catches for 176 yards). If Miami can run Miller between the tackles and Harris can throw the ball downfield without getting picked off, Miami can attempt to show that the Clemson game wasn’t a fluke and that Virginia Tech has taken a significant step back.

The Hokies, for their part, desperately need a win to prove to themselves and the rest of the ACC Coastal that they’re still king of the hill.

Miami Hurricanes @ Virginia Tech Hokies Football Preview