By BUCKY DENT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maybe it was the uniforms. Or maybe it was Maryland’s awful defense. Or perhaps it was Virginia Tech’s offense busting out of a two-game slump.
Whatever the case, the 20th-ranked Hokies proved to be good mudders on the sloppy track at Byrd Stadium Saturday, lambasting the Terrapins 36-9 in an Atlantic Coast Conference mismatch.
QB Tyrod Taylor threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 81 yards as Tech (7-3, 4-2) raced to a 27-3 halftime lead in front of an announced crowd of 51,514 which included a few thousand empty seats and at least 10,000 Hokie fans.
It was a stark contrast from the previous three games, which saw Tech score just 16 first half points as it failed to convert numerous opportunities in enemy territory.
“Execution,” RB Ryan Williams said. “Our line executed better, our skill position players executed better ... when you do that, you’re going to score a lot of points.”
Sporting their ballyhooed new uniforms designed for them by Nike, the Hokies trampled all over the squishy field and a Maryland defense which allowed more than 30 points for the seventh time.
Tech marched 71 yards to start the game, scoring when Williams (23 carries, 126 yards) plunged in from the 1. The TD came one play after Jarrett Boykin’s apparent 31-yard scoring reception was reversed via replay.
Taylor got in on the act less than six minutes later, flipping a 3-yard scoring pass to backup TE Andre Smith for a 14-0 lead. It was one of a handful of plays which the elusive QB kept alive by avoiding pressure.
“He gives us a chance to be successful every offensive play,” coach Frank Beamer said of Taylor. “I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Taylor added TD throws of 10 and 64 yards to Dyrell Roberts and Boykin, respectively, before the second quarter was halfway through, for an insurmountable 27-3 lead.
The junior QB averaged more than 20 yards per completion in the second-highest passing game of his career.
“I did all right, but there are still a couple of plays I’d like to have back,” he said. “I made a couple of bad reads. But it was good for the offense to score a lot of points early.”
While the offense finished with 484 total yards — its highest total since rolling up 605 in a September rout of Marshall — the defense held a talent-shy opponent to 236 total yards.
Sophomore QB Jamarr Robinson rushed for a game-high 129 yards in his first career start for the Terps (2-8, 1-5), but completed just 12-of-32 passes for 104 yards.
Robinson replaced senior Chris Turner, who sprained his knee in last week’s 38-31 loss at N.C. State.
Embattled Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, whose ninth year at the school may be his last, criticized his team’s early effort.
“I didn’t think we had a lot of energy in the first half,” we said.
Beamer, who served as an assistant coach with Friedgen at The Citadel from 1973-78 and then brought him on his staff at Murray State in the early 1980s, gave his close friend some encouraging words after the game.
“I told him to hang in there,” Beamer said. “He’s a good coach and he does things the right way.”
Despite the easy win, Tech saw its chances of a third straight ACC title officially expire with Georgia Tech’s victory at Duke.
The Hokies play their last home game Saturday against N.C. State. Kickoff time will be announced Sunday morning by the ACC.
