Evans sharp again as Hokies beat Miami
BLACKSBURG, VA. >> Virginia Tech didn’t let a surprising loss five days ago linger, and they are once again atop the ACC’s Coastal Division race.
Jerod Evans threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third and the Hokies (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat Miami 37-16 on Thursday night, pulling into a tie with No. 22 North Carolina atop the division as they start the second half of the regular season.
Evans hit Bucky Hodges with scoring throws of 7 and 12 yards, and Travon McMillian ran for 131 yards for the Hokies.
“There were certain plays we put in this week that I had a feeling I was going to get the ball on, and the coaches just dialed it up,” Hodges said after leading the team with seven receptions for 66 yards.
Brad Kaaya threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes (4-3, 1-3), but he also was sacked eight times as they lost their third in a row. The Hokies limited Miami to 42 rushing yards on 29 carries thanks to the sacks, which cost Kaaya 55 yards.
“Obviously the key for us was we needed to stop the run and make Miami one-dimensional, and we were able to do that,” Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster said. “We really did a great job attacking the line of scrimmage, keeping the lanes and the gaps tight, keeping those backs in a phone booth, so to speak.”
Joe Yearby had a 41-yard run for the Hurricanes, but otherwise managed just 18 yards on his eight other carries.
“The defense was playing tough, stacking the box,” he said.