Adversity common with Tech and LSU

BLACKSBURG, Va. — LSU knows all about dealing with adversity.

Two years ago, the Tigers tried to use its play on the field to help bring comfort to a region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. LSU did just fine, finishing 11-2, including an appearance in the SEC title game.

It’s Virginia Tech turn in 2007. The Hokies are trying to bring the same healing to a campus that is still reeling from last April’s horrific mass shootings that left 32 students and facility members dead.

“I think there are similarities between the two teams. It is a tremendous opportunity to rally for a cause. There isn’t any question that it is a motivating factor,” said LSU head coach Les Miles, who is 23-4 in his third season since replacing Nick Saban with the Tigers. “They will represent their state just like we felt obligated — and enjoyed doing — to represent ours in 2005.”

Big games are nothing unusual in the Southeastern Conference. They seem to occur every week. This game will be played at night in ‘Death Valley” where the Tigers have won 75 percent of their games. The game will be televised by ESPN, with kickoff slated for 9:15 p.m.

“We enjoy playing at home and our home-field advantage is a significant one,” Miles said. “Our guys play their best football in front of our fans. Every game is important, but the next one is always the most important.”

There’s little doubt this is a big game. LSU is ranked second in the nation, while the Hokies are ninth. LSU is coming off a 45-0 stomping of Mississippi State, while Virginia Tech earned an emotional 17-7 win over East Carolina.

A loss by either team could halt any national championship talk, but possibly only for a while. A defeat to a top 10 team could be forgotten by the time November gets here, moreso than a Michigan loss to Appalachian State.

“The year we played Southern Cal helped us be a good football team,” said Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, whose Hokies lost to the Trojans to open 2004, but wound up 10-3 and lost in the Sugar Bowl. “I think playing a team like LSU and starting out with East Carolina was certainly tough enough.

“Playing a team like this helps you become a good football team down the road.”

Beamer, whose Hokies are 1-4 against past second-ranked teams — winning over Miami in 2003 — admits that the Tigers might be better than any team they have played. Ever.

“We have played Miami several times on the road, Florida State a couple of times, plus Oklahoma in my earlier days,” Beamer said, “but we haven't played anyone any better than this crowd right here. They're athletic and they will light you up.”

Not only can LSU score, but the Glenn Dorsey-led defense is big, fast, and stingy. The Tigers intercepted six Mississippi State passes and recovered one fumble, and held the Bulldogs to just 146 total yards.

On the other side of the ball, LSU had no turnovers, and scored six touchdowns, three through the air and three on the ground.

“If you review the Mississippi State game, the most important statistic may be the turnover margin,” Miles said. “Defensively we were dominant and had seven turnovers and on offense we were perfect with no turnovers.

“If we look back on this year and we continue that strong play and it becomes a characteristic of our team, it will certainly reflect a very successful campaign.”

Virginia Tech is also known for its defense. It’s offense struggled mightily against the Pirates, but Victor “Macho” Harris picked off a second quarter pass and returned it for a touchdown to give the Hokies the lead for good, and East Carolina did little after that.

Much has been made that the result of this game will determine the better of a pair of stingy defenses. Hokies’ linebacker Vince Hall isn’t listening to that hype.

“We don’t really listen to outside talk that much, but we know what we did last Saturday was not our type of defense,” said Hall, whose Hokies allowed 142 yards on the ground and fell behind 7-3 early in the second quarter. “Come Saturday we’ve got to mix things up.

“We’ve got to execute everything that we’re supposed to do and make sure we’re in the right spots and make sure we watch all the little mental mistakes and we’ll be fine.”

Hall does believe that Virginia Tech’s offense, which ran for just 33 yards against the Pirates, will make some big plays against the Tigers.

“I have a feeling that the offense is going to pull off some real big plays,” Hall said. “When the game gets on, they’re all the time getting better.

“I don’t know if it will be early or later on in the game, but they’re going to come through.”

There may not be a tougher road venue in the nation than LSU at night. The home opener for the Tigers, LSU will also be unveiling Mike VI, a new Bengal tiger that serves as the team mascot.

“We are looking forward to being home. I know ESPN GameDay is coming and we are playing a great team,” Miles said. “This Virginia Tech team has dealt with some difficult issues as of late and we are very sympathetic to what they are going through.”

Miles is especially respectful of Beamer, now in his 21st season with the Hokies.

“Coach Beamer is a tremendous coach and has been for years....With great respect we look forward to playing Virginia Tech,” Miles said. “They beat a talented East Carolina team. When we looked at the film, you could see that East Carolina had a number of talented players.

“Virginia Tech really controlled the game from the beginning. Being 1-0 is reminiscent of a team that has won at least 10 games in four of the last five years.”

These teams have met once before, with Virginia Tech winning at Lane Stadium 26-8 in 2002. It’s taken five years, but the Hokies are finally returning the favor by traveling to Baton Rouge.

“I put this one off as long as it could. We played five years ago in what was supposed to be a home-and-home, but something came up,” Beamer said. “They asked me if I would mind putting it off and I said, 'Not a bit.'

“But eventually you have to pay your bills and eventually go there and this is the 'eventually go there' year. I think it's good for two parts of the country and TV, plus we're playing a quality team. There's no question how good this LSU team is. Overall, it's good.”

The coaches know it’s a big game. The players know it too.

“This is the biggest game I have ever played in,” Virginia Tech sophomore linebacker Cam Martin said. “I haven’t played that much here, but it’s our second game and we’re playing the No. 2 team in the nation, and one of the top defenses year-in and year-out so it is definitely going to be a big game.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Site Map

Contact Us