Va. Tech defense takes wind out of Hurricanes

Posted: Tuesday November 16, 1999 06:36 PM

By Jed Hurt
The Collegiate Times

Blacksburg, Virginia (U-WIRE) -- Coming into Saturday night's game, the Virginia Tech secondary had been called the weak link of the nation's third best defense.

Against Miami, the unit proved otherwise. The secondary surrendered only 183 yards through the air and was responsible for all six of the Hurricanes' turnovers.

Prior to the game, cornerback Anthony Midget said it was up to the defense to win. He heard the criticism and how the secondary was to face the most talented receiving corps in the Big East conference.

"We're not worried about what anybody says," Midget said. "We just come week in and week out and play good football."

The cornerback tandem of Midget and Ike Charlton recorded six turnovers in the game, with Midget intercepting three passes and Charlton recovering three fumbles.

Although the final score indicated a sound Tech defensive effort, the Hurricanes dominated the game's opening minutes. The first play from the Miami offense sucked the breath out of the 53,130 fans at Lane Stadium. Hurricane quarterback Kenny Kelly completed a 51-yard pass to receiver Reggie Wayne, who had slipped behind Tech safety Nick Sorensen. The pass set up a field goal for the 'Canes and added fuel to the fire surrounding Tech's questionable secondary.

The defense made up for its slip on Miami's next drive when Charlton recovered a fumble at Miami's 39-yard line. The Hokies were all too quick to return the favor with a fumble of their own on the ensuing drive. Unlike Tech, Miami capitalized on its opponents' turnover. Kelly made the defense pay again, this time connecting with wideout Andre King for a 7-yard touchdown pass and gave Miami a 10-0 lead.

The two scores marked the first time this year the Hokies trailed in the first quarter and it was also their largest deficit of the season. Despite trailing, the defense remained confident.

"(The Hurricanes) came out pumped up and we just had to hang in there and rally back and that's what we did," said Tech defensive end Corey Moore. "We put the clamps on them after that."

The Miami scoring ceased following the touchdown pass as the defense proved how dominating it can really be. The defense caused six turnovers in the game, which resulted in 23 points and changed the momentum of the game.

When it appeared Miami was set to blow the game wide open, the Hokie defense responded. With 2:21 left in the first quarter and the Hurricanes ahead by 10 points, Tech defensive tackle David Pugh forced a fumble on Miami running back Clinton Portis to give Tech an opportunity to get on the scoreboard. The Hokies capitalized on the turnover with a rushing touchdown about two minutes later.

The same result occurred early in the second quarter after Miami took the kickoff following the Tech score. After Kelly's 16-yard scramble, Miami looked to have the Tech defense on its heels. Midget then stepped in front of a Kelly pass to take the wind out of the surging Hurricanes. The turnover led to a Tech score, giving the Hokies a 14-10 lead -- a lead they would not lose.

When the fourth quarter came around, the defense did not let up as Charlton picked up a fumble caused by Moore and returned it 51 yards for the score and gave Tech a 23-point lead.

When the Hokie defense was not keying in on the ball, it was aiming for the bull's-eye on Kelly's back. Kelly was knocked out of the game three times by the blitzing Hokies before finally leaving the game in the beginning of the fourth quarter when he was sacked by Tech linebacker Michael Hawkes.

"Once we shut down their running game and forced them into their passing game, we knew we could get after them," Moore said. "We knew if we kept putting points on the board there in the third quarter, those guys were going to lay down."

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