Sunday, November 09, 2008

Evans Career Day Vaults Hokies Past Terrapins

BLACKSBURG, VA -- After weeks of struggling offense, the Hokies dominated the Terrapins on both sides of the ball. The score, 23-13, does not tell the story of this game. RB Darren Evans set a school record with 253 yards rushing. QB Sean Glennon had a good game as well, converting 14 of 20 for 127 yards and one touchdown pass to TE Greg Boone. Speaking of Boone, Boone was listed on the depth chart as a quarterback to start the game. Boone took several snaps as QB rushing for 22 yards on six carries. Boone did set up for a pass on one play, but it broke down and was able to pick up a couple of yards.

Boone and Evans had two plays where they absolutely pummeled the tackler. The offensive line was able to dominate as evident by Evans career day. Even though Glennon was sacked three times, on most passing downs he had decent amount of time to look down the field and complete positive yardage passes.

The first quarter started slowly for the Hokies as they went three and out. The Terrapins were able to move the ball but fell short of scoring as place kicker Obi Egekeze missed a 46 yard field goal.

The Hokie offense took advantage, with solid play calling from the booth (yeah I said it). Mostly, the Darren Evans show as the Hokies marched down on the ground. Glennon completed the drive with a well placed pass to Boone in the end zone.

Maryland again was able to move the ball on the next drive, but again stalled and the result was a Egekeze 41-yard field goal.

Late in the second quarter the Hokies put up another touchdown again on the ground. The drive started with Evans longest run of 50 yards to the Maryland thirty-yard line. The drive also featured a bone crunching run by Boone into Alex Wujciak that gained the Hokies a first down. Again Evans and the Hokies punched it in with less than four minutes.

The defense stepped up and the Terrapins failed to convert for a first down. The offense again took advantage and marched down the field to within 17 yards with time running out. Led by Glennon's passing, the Hokies connected and was able to put three more points as Dustin Keys punched through a 35-yard field goal.

The second half opened with Maryland giving up the ball on the first play. Orion Martin sacked QB Chris Turner and Cordarrow Thompson picked up the fumble. Keys would pick up another field goal and the Hokies went up 20-3.

Maryland's only touchdown came on a well designed screen play that should have gone for eight to ten yards, but resulted in a touchdown. Turner hit Darrius Heyward-Bey on a screen. Kam Chancellor was caught out of position on the other side of two other defenders and missed the tackle allowing Heyward-Bey to have an open field for a 63-yard touchdown. Outside of this, and one other mistake by Stephan Virgil which was mentioned as the second key play in "Where's the Ice?"'s Three Key Plays, the Hokies defense played a near perfect game.

The Terrapins scored once more in the game and it game when Egekeze hit another field goal late in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Keys would punch in what would eventually be the last points scored with a 27-yard field goal. The score was 23-13 with 7:30 left in the game. Maryland was not able to move the ball and had to punt the ball. The Hokies successfully drove down the field on the ground while, more importantly taking precious time off the clock. Evans punched a twenty-nine yard rush for a first down as well as the school rushing record. All of this while his two year old son James slept through the entire game.

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