Victory at Virginia Tech has Hurricanes optimistic
BLACKSBURG, VA. —They came to Blacksburg in dire need of a win and they left happy.
On Saturday night, the Hurricanes put together one of their better performances of the season, scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on solid field position to defeat Virginia Tech 38-14.
It was Miami’s first road win over a Power-5 opponent since the Hurricanes beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill in October 2017. It made the Hurricanes bowleligible. And it helped a team that has struggled mightily over the course of the past month exorcise some demons.
Miami coach Mark Richt made it clear after the game that one victory doesn’t mean everything is right in Coral Gables. But there’s no doubt players and coaches needed this. Fans too.
Here, a look at what we learned about the Hurricanes after their big night at Virginia Tech.
1. The Hurricanes avoided revisiting some ugly history: For all the success the Hurricanes have had in Mark Richt’s three-year tenure in Coral Gables — winning their first bowl game in a decade, claiming their first Coastal Division championship, ending a seven-game losing streak to rival Florida State — Miami has also had to endure two four-game losing streaks in that span. In Year One under Richt, that wasn’t necessarily terrible; in Year Three, when Miami was expecting much better, it was tough. Former players and fans loudly criticized the coach and his players, and the negativity got ugly. Imagine how much uglier things would have been had Miami lost five straight — something it hadn’t done since 1977. Miami avoided that fate and while everyone knows a win over a bad Virginia Tech team won’t solve all of the Hurricanes’ problems, Miami did avoid something it hasn’t done in more than four decades and late Saturday night Richt and his players looked as if the weight of the world was off their shoulders. That’s worth something. Now, can it be something to build on ahead of Saturday’s regular-season finale against Pittsburgh? 2. Miami will play in the postseason: The Hurricanes entered the season hoping to win their second straight Coastal Division title, play in the ACC Championship Game and maybe try to work itself into the College Football Playoff conversation. All of their championship dreams evaporated over the course of the last month. When they did, though, the Hurricanes insisted their season wasn’t over, that they were still playing for each other and their goal now was making sure they earned a bowl bid for their seniors. With the Hurricanes picking up their sixth win of the season, that bowl bid is now assured and Miami’s season won’t end Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium. Where the Hurricanes will end up isn’t known yet, but Miami’s players know they stand a much better chance of playing in a better postseason game if they beat the Panthers on Saturday. They say that’s their next mission.
3. N’Kosi Perry is starting to put it together: It took 11 games, but it appears Miami’s quarterback shuffle is over. Redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry, who has alternated starts with redshirt senior Malik Rosier for the better part of the season, finished out Miami’s loss against Duke, started and played well in an eventual loss to Georgia Tech last week and played well in an eventual win over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The quarterback, who has said publicly he’s taken a new approach to playing the position and is preparing differently, looked calm and poised against the Hokies, finishing 21 of 34 for 171 yards with two touchdowns. He ran for another 16 yards and a score. He didn’t turn the ball over and he spread the ball out to his receivers, connecting with 11 different players Saturday night. And Perry’s numbers would have been even better were it not for some drops. The Hurricanes are set to host Clemson graduate transfer QB Kelly Bryant this week for an official visit, but if the veteran doesn’t choose to play his last year with Miami, it seems the Hurricanes are starting to get what they hoped they would from Perry. That’s encouraging heading into 2019.
4. Speaking of drops...what’s going on there? Before the season started, Miami’s receivers corps was touted as one of the deepest, most talented units in the ACC. But the group has had its share of struggles as it has dealt with not only the loss of veteran Ahmmon Richards to a careerending neck injury, but the back-and-forth at the quarterback position. Miami entered the Virginia Tech game with just one receiver — Jeff Thomas — having topped the 500-yard mark through 10 games. And he’s endured some struggles too since being hurt in Miami’s Oct. 6 win over Florida State. While the group was solid on Saturday, there’s no doubt they left plays — and points — on the field. Dee Wiggins had a deep ball go through his hands when nothing but grass stood between him and the end zone. Veteran Lawrence Cager had a pass go through his hands that likely would have picked up a first down near the Miami sideline. And Travis Homer, a running back who has shown his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, also dropped a likely touchdown. Miami did a lot of things right against Virginia Tech, but the receivers, relieved as they were, know they could have done even better. Expect that to be addressed not just this week ahead of the Pitt game but over the course of Miami’s bowl preparations.
5. Cam Davis has the potential to be a force: Last week at Georgia Tech, freshman running back Cam Davis opened eyes with his first-half 22-yard touchdown run. And Richt said the young back had done enough to warrant more playing time. Davis got it against Virginia Tech, notching seven carries for a game-high 77 yards that included a spectacular 42-yard touchdown run. He caught a pass late in the third quarter that went for a 16-yard touchdown and sent a good number of Virginia Tech fans to the exits. Saturday’s game marked Davis’ fifth appearance of the season, meaning he won’t be able to take advantage of the NCAA’s new redshirt rules. But his play-making ability is something the Hurricanes could use against Pitt and in their bowl game. And for Davis, well, it’ll just help him gain valuable experience as he starts thinking about his sophomore year.