Barquell Rivers News

The Tech horde has descended upon Atlanta. After retreating to the sanctuary of my overrated Marriott Marquis hotel room about 1 p.m. today, I settled in for a good six or seven hours of keyboard hackery.

The Tampa Two defense is a version of a Cover Two zone, in which each safety covers a deep half of the field.

That's what Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Monday about his team's preparation to this point for Thursday night's Chick-fil-A Bowl matchup against Tennessee.

By the end of the day Sunday, voters for the All-ACC football teams have to submit their ballots.

Virginia Tech's season changed course during the past two games, from national-championship chase to trying to avoid becoming an ACC also-ran, partly because the Hokies' defense couldn't do something it usually does so well: get opponents off the field.

The 22nd-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies will attempt to avoid their first three-game losing skid since the 2003 season when they battle the East Carolina Pirates in non-conference action.

BLACKSBURG From the sideline, Virginia Tech linebacker Lyndell Gibson watched the first-team defense during practice, paying close attention to Jake Johnson, whom Gibson was backing up.

North Carolina running back Ryan Houston gets tackled by Virginia Tech defender Barquell Rivers in opening-half action at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have the unenviable task of playing the 14th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies under the lights in Blacksburg on Thursday night.

As Ryan Williams searched for the right words to describe how he perceives the rest of the season now that Virginia Tech has dropped out the national championship race, he struck on a theme that seemed to permeate throughout the team.

Georgia Tech had been managing to win in spite of its defense. Those guys finally did their part Saturday night.

Saturday's game against Georgia Tech may come down to how well Virginia Tech's defense can stop the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense.

In the postgame celebration Saturday after Virginia Tech 's 48-14 win against Boston College, it didn't take long for conversation to turn to this weekend's key Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division matchup at Georgia Tech.

Though Virginia Tech 's Barquell Rivers reveled in last Saturday's 31-7 win against Miami as much as the rest of his teammates did, one play caused his day to be less than perfect.

Maybe the wet weather causes some screwy turnovers and/or bounces. Perhaps Dyrell Roberts and/or Jayron Hosley expose Miami's shaky kick coverages.

Every time Virginia Tech cornerback Rashad Carmichael misses a tackle in a game or a practice, he said he hears the voice of his late father, Bernard, urging him to improve.

A huge top-25 showdown in the ACC is slated for this weekend in Blacksburg, as the 11th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies play host to the ninth-ranked Miami Hurricanes.

BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 21 -- Bud Foster has been Virginia Tech's defensive coordinator for 181 games. In that time, the Hokies have forged an identity with a defense so rugged it is symbolized by a lunch pail.

But with a career-high 169 rushing yards on Saturday, Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. became the third straight running back to rush for more than 100 yards against Virginia Tech. Alabama's Mark Ingram rushed for 150 yards and Marshall's Darius Marshall had 109.

The last time the Hokies allowed three consecutive 100-yard rushers was in 2002.

At the end of that second catch, rover Dorian Porch slung the receiver down out of bounds.

Zac Lee loves chicken? 9:40 a.m. It appears that at least someone in Virginia has heard of the Nebraska starting quarterback.