Oct 23, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson (8) runs for a touchdown as Virginia Tech Hokies defensive tackle Nigel Williams (95) and linebacker Derek Di Nardo (41) defend in the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
BLACKSBURG, Va. — University of Miami junior running back Duke Johnson broke off a couple of big runs in the first quarter Thursday night and knew something big was in store.
“You kind of felt it was going to be a good night,” Johnson said.
His premonition was right. The lightning-fast Johnson rushed for career-high 249 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading Miami to a 30-6 blowout of Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium.
The Hurricanes (5-3, 2-2) picked up a critical Atlantic Coast Conference victory, as they are trying to keep pace in the wide-open Coastal Division. Meanwhile, the Hokies (4-4, 1-3) severely debilitated their division title hopes with their third loss to a division opponent.
“You can’t expect things to magically turn around, but we’ll get it right,” Hokies defensive tackle Corey Marshall said.
Johnson became the first player to rush for more than 200 yards against the Hokies since North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard gained 262 yards in a 2012 game. Johnson, who had 29 carries, is the first Miami player to eclipse the 200-yard mark since Willis McGahee had 205 against the Hokies in 2002.
“When Duke Johnson is in the backfield, he’s going to make the plays,” Hurricanes senior center Shane McDermott said.
Hurricanes sophomore running back Gus Edwards rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Miami amassed 364 yards on 53 attempts, the highest rushing output allowed by the Hokies in Frank Beamer’s 28 seasons as head coach.
Miami’s defense narrowly missed pitching its first shutout since a 45-0 win over Florida A&M on Sept. 2, 2010, giving up a touchdown in the final minutes. The Hurricanes held the Hokies to 262 total yards, Virginia Tech’s lowest total since gaining 212 against Alabama in the 2013 season opener.
Virginia Tech sustained its worst home loss since a 41-7 setback to Florida State in 1989, Beamer’s third season as head coach.
“It wasn’t a pretty picture all night, but I saw some things we can certainly build on,” Beamer said.
Hokies freshman running back Marshawn Williams rushed for 100 yards on 21 carries. He came a yard away from scoring a touchdown in the third quarter, but he lost a fumble that Miami defensive back Deon Bush recovered. It was one of three Virginia Tech fumbles that Miami recovered.
Virginia Tech junior starting quarterback Michael Brewer completed 13 of 20 passes for 80 yards. Backup quarterback Mark Leal completed five of eight passes for 62 yards and a 14-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Isaiah Ford with 1:30 left.
That late touchdown kept alive Virginia Tech’s 251-game scoring streak. The Hokies’ last shutout defeat was a 16-0 setback to Cincinnati in 1995.
Johnson ran wild on the Hokies in the first half, accounting for 185 of the Hurricanes’ 255 yards. He scored on a 24-yard run and 22-yard reception in the second quarter, and Miami went into the locker room with a 24-0 halftime lead.
“That was one of the toughest running backs we’ve ever had to tackle,” Beamer said.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, struggled to move the ball in the first two quarters. The Hokies managed only 36 yards on 20 plays.
Miami took a 3-0 lead on Michael Badgley’s 28-yard field goal with 6:30 left in the first quarter.
The Hurricanes extended the lead to 10-0 on Edwards’ 3-yard touchdown run with 14:11 remaining in the second quarter.
The blowout was on when Johnson broke free for his first touchdown with 6:21 to go before halftime.
Johnson’s second touchdown came with three seconds left in the first half, on a 22-yard pass from quarterback Brad Kaaya.
NOTES: Virginia Tech’s 24-0 halftime deficit was its biggest since a 48-7 loss at LSU in 2007. … Miami RB Duke Johnson played quarterback in the Wildcat formation for the first time this season. He had a 15-yard gain on his first Wildcat snap in the first quarter. … Hokies RB Jerome Wright made his first appearance of the season. The sophomore gained 9 yards on three carries. … Two Virginia Tech redshirt freshmen, G Wyatt Teller and LB Andrew Motuapuaka, made their first career starts.
