Boston College Athletics
Football Hosts ACC Rival Virginia Tech Saturday
September 22, 2010 | Football
Sept. 22, 2010
The Boston College football team hosts Virginia Tech in the ACC opener for both schools Saturday at noon at Alumni Stadium. The game will be televised by Raycom and TV38 in the Boston area.
The Eagles enter the game 2-0 with two weeks to prepare for the Hokies, who are 1-2. BC has used the extra week of practice well in the past, going 5-1 since 2005 after a bye week - including a 3-1 record against Virginia Tech.
Head Coach Frank Spaziani used the extra week of practice as a tool to evaluate more players and to see who else should be on the field. He called it a "spring practice in the fall."
"Coaches always want to get back to fundamentals," senior FS Wes Davis said. "It's a chance for them to evaluate guys a little more and mix and match things."
The turn of the week focused the Eagles' attention on the visiting Hokies who, despite their 1-2 record, are still a favorite for the Atlantic Division crown. After being down 24-21 to East Carolina at halftime, the Hokies returned to their old form and dominated the second half, eventually winning 49-27.
Virginia Tech's running game ranks 26th in the nation, but it could be without starting running back Ryan Williams. The Hokies have plenty of depth at the position though with Darren Evans and others, including the dangerous scrambler Tyrod Taylor. He leads the team averaging 63.7 yards a game. But he is also the 12th-most efficient passer in the country, going 33-for-54 for 509 yards, five touchdowns and an interception.
"A lot of people don't realize that Tyrod has a strong arm and he throws the ball deep," Davis said. "If you watch tape on Tyrod, he can throw the ball 60 yards down field. In years past, we have done the scrambling quarterback thing on the scout team and it's never the same. It's not possible."
