Herbert runs wild, bedevils Duke
His 358 all-purpose yards help bring payback
DURHAM, N.C. — Maybe it wasn’t the lopsided, emphatic victory Virginia Tech wanted to avenge a frightful 35-point loss to Duke last season.
But with more than 20 players and two assistant coaches unavailable for the second consecutive week, the Hokies’ victory Saturday was more about survival than making a statement.
Khalil Herbert rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Braxton Burmeister threw for one TD and ran for two more in a 38-31 victory over Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Herbert became the first Hokies running back to gain more than 200 yards since Darren Evans’ 253 in 2008, and Herbert had 150 return yards to break Virginia Tech’s single-game record with 358 all-purpose yards.
Herbert’s impressive day helped offset some disappointing pregame news for the Hokies (2-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Virginia Tech announced an hour before the 4 p.m. kickoff that 21 players and two full-time coaches were unavailable to participate.
Defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton missed his second straight game after being among a group of 23 players, two assistant coaches and two staffers who
missed last week's opener against North Carolina State in Blacksburg because of various factors, including coronavirus issues and injuries.
The Hokies overcame those absences to beat N.C. State 45-24.
The players unavailable Saturday against Duke included four key players in the secondary: starting free safety Divine Deablo; Armani Chatman, a former star at Catholic High in Virginia Beach; Alan Tisdale and Jermaine Waller. Also out: cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith.
On offense, Hendon Hooker returned to uniform after missing last week's game, but Burmeister started behind center and played throughout. He finished 9-of-24 passing for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
But Herbert was the difference-maker on offense and special teams to put down Duke (0-4, 0-4). He became the first Tech back in Justin Fuente's five seasons to put together backto-back 100-yard rushing games.
Herbert, a 5-foot-9, 212pound graduate student in his first season at Tech after transferring from Kansas, had touchdown runs of 23 and 60 yards. His 60-yard scamper gave the Hokies a 38-28 lead with 2:20 left, and he also had an 85-yard kickoff return to set up a first-half touchdown.