RUNNING GAME DISPLAYS SIGNS OF SUSTAINABILITY
BLACKSBURG — Lining up beside quarterback Josh Jackson in a shotgun formation Sept. 8 on the opening possession of Virginia Tech’s win against William and Mary, Terius Wheatley was almost immediately greeted by a running back’s best friend.
Open space — and lots of it. Wheatley, who was on Jackson’s left hip before the snap, took a first-down handoff at Tech’s 46-yard line and watched right tackle Yosuah Nijman pull all the way across the line of scrimmage to his left. Nijman’s movement drew W&M’s entire defensive front to the left of Wheatley, who didn’t have a defensive player within three yards of him as he ran around the right side of the line for an 18-yard gain.
“I had some pretty big holes,” Wheatley said after Tech’s 62-17 win, his eyes widening as he reflected on the green grass he repeatedly saw on the majority of the redshirt freshman’s seven carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. “A lot of running room to get through.”
Indeed, Wheatley’s 18-yard run was a sign of things to come
against W&M, and an extension of what No. 13 Tech (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has been able to accomplish in its running game thus far. Tech gained 305 rushing yards — just the second time since October 2010 it has had more than 300 rushing yards in a game — on 46 carries against W&M for an average of 6.6 yards per carry.
Early-season offensive numbers can be fool’s gold. With only two games’ worth of statistics to study — partially the product of Tech’s scheduled game Saturday against East Carolina being canceled because of the threat of Hurricane Florence — there remains uncertainty regarding how far the Hokies’ ground game has progressed.
Yet, the returns thus far have been encouraging. Running backs Deshawn McClease, Steven Peoples, Jalen Holston and Wheatley have combined for 346 yards on 63 carries (5.5 yards per carry), including 151 yards on 30 rushes in a 24-3 season-opening win at Florida State.
Last season, Tech had 63 carries for 10-plus yards (4.2 per game). Already this season, Tech has 15 such carries (7.5 per game).
Tech struggled to break off long runs last season, motivating coach Justin Fuente and offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen to try to make producing big gains on the ground a significant offseason priority.
Only seven Tech rushes last season generated gains of 20plus yards, fewest among all Power Five conference schools. Fresno State, Texas-El Paso and Western Kentucky were the only schools out of the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision programs that had fewer than seven 20-plus yard runs.
This season, Tech already has three runs of 20-plus yards, including a 69-yard touchdown by backup quarterback Hendon Hooker against W&M. Despite Tech’s success, Fuente wisely absorbs the rushing totals with a grain of salt.
“I think the key is adapting to the schemes that we see each week,” said Fuente, whose team averaged 173.4 rushing yards per game last season (54th-best in the nation) and just 3.86 yards per carry (13th-best in the ACC and 98th-best in the nation). “I just don’t feel like we’re just lining up and moving people out of the stadium. It’s going to be, canwe execute the schemes that are required versus the looks we’re seeing, continue to keep people off balance enough?”
Considering Tech used 11 offensive linemen against W&M, including three who played in their first college game, there’s even more reason for optimism that Tech’s revitalized rushing attack is sustainable.
That’s not to say all is perfect. McClease, who leads the Hokies with 23 carries for112 yards and a touchdown, learned that the hard way.
Fumbling the ball away one play after Wheatley’s big run on the opening possession against W&M, McClease didn’t see the field again until midway through the second quarter. He expected some kind of punishment after he put the ball on the ground.
“Oh, absolutely,” McClease said. “Coach made it clear early on. I knew whatwas coming.”
Wheatley, who has nine carries for 80 yards thus far, is just as prepared for Fuente’s wrath on the heels of a lost fumble. Fuente’s reaction can be summed up in the most basic of terms.
“Not good,” Wheatley said. With McClease, Peoples (19 carries for 99 yards and two touchdowns this season), Wheatley and Holston (12 carries for 55 yards), Tech has a collection of running backs with varying skill sets. McClease and Wheatley both offer speed in the open field, Peoples is a power running option with surprising quickness, and Holston is still developing as a player with ability to run between the tackles.
Stern tests await Tech’s running backs, with matchups against Duke linebackers Joe Giles-Harris and Ben Humphreys and Notre Dame linebackers Te’Von Coney and Drue Tranquill— all four experienced and strong tacklers — on the horizon in the next three weeks. Fuente realizes his offensive unit is barely scratching the surface on its potential.
“I’ve always believed in when you truly become dangerous is when you can throw the ball on running downs and run the ball on throwing downs,” Fuente said. “I’m not sure that we’ve gotten there yet, but when you can have a chance to run the ball on third-and-4 and the defense thinks youmay get it, it opens up a whole newworld for you.”
Wood can be reached by phone at 757-247-4642.
McClease, Peoples, Holston and Wheatley have combined for 346 yards on 63 carries.