Hokies looks to muzzle James Madison in second game
By Rajan Nanavati
The Collegiate Times
(U-WIRE) BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech fans would probably like to consider this Saturday's contest against James Madison as an omen.
The last time the Hokies played the Dukes, also in the first week of September, Tech made the Dukes the first sacrificial lamb in their path to a birth in the national championship game.
In the 1999 season-opening 47-0 victory, Hokie fans and spectators were introduced to a phenom named Michael Vick, who slashed JMU for three rushing touchdowns. The scores came from a distance of 3, 7 and 54 yards, including a spectacular frontward flip into the end zone, a highlight forever linked with the legendary quarterback.
While the opponent traveling to Blacksburg, Va., may not pose as much a threat to the Hokies as Central Florida or a Big East Conference rival, Tech coach Frank Beamer sees this game as an opportunity for the entire football team to improve overall.
"This is an important week for us," Beamer said. "I think you make the most progress between the first ball game and the second. You've played someone else, you learn from that, and you improve."
In an ironic but disappointing twist within the Vick family, younger brother Marcus Vick will not be playing this Saturday's contest after being suspended on Monday for a violation of team rules.
After a crisp debut in the victory against Central Florida, the younger Vick will not be able to give nostalgic Tech fans a sense of dejà vu of the elder superstar. Linebacker Brandon Manning is also suspended for the game.
"They're great kids, they made a mistake, they'll be punished and we'll get on with it," Beamer said.
Tech has little to worry about from the position under center. Incumbent starter Bryan Randall looked very sharp in the Hokies' victory over the Golden Knights last weekend, shredding the Central Florida defense for 278 yards and three touchdowns and was named the Big East's offensive player of the week.
He remains firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback for the Hokies, displaying a strong knowledge and comfort level with the plays being called.
The Dukes are coming off a big victory last week, rolling over Liberty University 48-6.
Redshirt freshman Alvin Banks tore up the Liberty defense by running for 157 yards and a touchdown.
It's usually given that a Division I-AA school cannot match the talent of a major I-A college football program, but Beamer knows first hand, after his coaching experience at Murray State, that athletes from I-AA schools are highly motivated for major games like this.
"James Madison opened up with a great win, looked very good, played hard," Beamer said. "I know [they] will come in here very fired up, so we need to play hard as a football team."
"If we can win this football game, it counts as far as bowl eligibility," Beamer said regarding the fact the contest against the Dukes has little significance in Tech's schedule.
"If anyone thinks we're going to walk out there and win, that's a bad assumption. We need to go out there and play [well]. There's been a lot of I-AA's that have beaten [Division I teams]."
Running back Kevin Jones will also be fully ready to go during this Saturday's contest, despite suffering a bruised shin against the Golden Knights.
The coaching staff is working with him to gain more of a north-south mentality as a running back and not worry about always trying to create big plays on every down.
However, the staff was extremely pleased with the effort Jones had against the Golden Knights, highlighted by the fact that he officially broke 14 tackles in the contest.
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