Hokies look to rebound

BLUEFIELD — Consecutive losses have put a huge dent in the Virginia Tech football team, which was ranked fourth in the nation, but have slipped to 22nd, and are now tied for third in the ACC’s Coastal Division.

The Hokies return to the field tonight, with plenty still to play for despite a defeat at Georgia Tech, and last week’s 20-17 upset loss to North Carolina in Blacksburg, which dropped Virginia Tech to 3-4 on Thursday nights.

They had been 11-0 in their previous 11 meetings on the week’s fifth day.

“We had a tough loss, but I think what we are playing for is pride in each other and pride in the football team, and we just have to go out and try to get a win,” Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer said. “That is what we need to think about right now.”

Virginia Tech (5-3) will try to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 2003 tonight by traveling to East Carolina (5-3), which has won two in a row, and currently sits on top of the Conference USA East Division standings. The game will be televised by ESPN, with a kickoff slated for around 7:45 p.m.

“There is an awful lot of buildup and excitement for this game, venue and atmosphere,” East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz said. “I think Greenville will come alive a little bit Thursday. We're really excited to not only play Virginia Tech, but to play the team at home, on Thursday night, in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with a national-television audience.”

Led by quarterback Patrick Pinkney, tailback Dominique Lindsey and receiver Dwayne Harris, the Pirates have scored at least 20 points in six of their eight games. Linval Joseph, Nick Johnson and Van Eskridge lead the defensive unit, while Matt Dodge is one of the nation’s top punters.

“I am really impressed with this East Carolina football team. It all starts with the quarterback Pinkney. He is a dynamic player. The running backs are really coming along, and this wide receiver Harris is a special player too,” Beamer said. “Defensively, they have eight seniors, they've got experience and they are very strong up front. They have a kicker that can kick it a mile.

“This is a really, really good football team that we are getting ready to face Thursday night.”

Holtz says the same about Virginia Tech. While the Hokies are 9-5 all-time against the Pirates, it’s last year’s game that most remember. A late blocked punt returned for a touchdown by T.J. Lee gave East Carolina a season-opening 27-22 win.

The Pirates know the Hokies still remember, adding even more intensity to what should be a competitive game that Virginia Tech will enter as a 12 1/2 point favorite.

“Leading up to the game with all the excitement you get pretty pumped up, until you watch the film and remember that we're actually going to have to play this football game,” Holtz said. “They are a very talented football team. I have great respect for Frank Beamer and the job he has done building this program.”

Holtz admits to trying to emulate the Virginia Tech program with his own.

“I've said this many times the last few years we've played them. Their program is kind of the blueprint for what we would like to do and how we would like to build this program,” Holtz said. “Twenty years ago, we were on very level playing fields and there was a great rivalry between the two schools.

“When you look at where coach Beamer has taken that program and the things he has done with it, that's where we want to go and where we aspire to be. I think this will be a great measuring stick for where we are right now.”

Beamer said the Hokies haven’t spent much time feeling sorry for themselves after the loss to North Carolina. East Carolina hasn’t allowed it.

“You have to move forward, there is no question about it, you have to move forward, and we have such a tough opponent coming up,” Beamer said. “It doesn't take long for you to figure out you had better forget about North Carolina and start thinking about East Carolina, because this crowd can play.”

Despite having their national title hopes dashed, Beamer has reminded his Hokies that they were also 5-3 at this point last season and still wound up in the ACC title game.

“I told them that we were in the exact same position last year as far as record. We had just lost two conference games, but we kept working and stayed together,” said Beamer, whose Hokies have lost consecutive ACC games in three of the last four seasons. “We kept getting better and we ended the season feeling pretty good about ourselves.

“That needs to take place now. I talked about some tough losses back in 1998. We lost three games (by 10 points) that were tough, tough losses. But we came back and won the next ball games. That is life, you get disappointment in life and you have to come back from it.

“That is part of football, you are going to have disappointment in life, and how you come back from it is what is important.”

Virginia Tech has made a pair of changes to its starting lineup, one of which is Lyndell Gibson replacing struggling Jake Johnson at linebacker. The Hokies’ defense is ranked an uncharacteristic 29th overall and 79th against the run this season.

Michael Via will start at center for an injured Beau Warren.

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

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