Yes, Virginia, Tech has an offense: Williams runs for 164 as No 14 Hokies top Marshall 52-10

Hokie runaway: No 14 Va Tech tops Marshall 52-10

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Yes, Virginia, Tech does have an offense. At least it does when the other team is a three-touchdown underdog.

Freshman Ryan Williams ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns, and the No. 14 Hokies nearly quadrupled their offensive production from last week in Saturday’s 52-10 rout of Marshall.

Virginia Tech (1-1) managed only 155 yards in its opener against Alabama, but that tally was topped before the end of the first quarter against the Thundering Herd (1-1). Marshall barely laid a hand on Williams during his 57-yard scamper up the middle in the first quarter; he added scoring runs of 4 and 28 yards in the second as the Hokies took a 35-7 halftime lead.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor took a bit longer to find some rhythm. He started 0 for 4 with an interception in the end zone, but began to use his scrambling ability to find receivers open downfield. He certainly has an arm: He threw off his back foot and back across the field to hit Dyrell Roberts in the end zone for a 21-yard score late in the first half.

Taylor finished 9 for 16 for 161 yards and two touchdowns and was done for the day late in the third quarter. He also ran seven times for 58 yards, including a 46-yard run after a well-sold fake to Williams that fooled the entire Marshall defense.

David Wilson, performing mostly mop-up duty in the second half, actually outdid Williams by a yard, running for 165 and a touchdown, giving the Hokies two 100-yard rushers for the first time since 2005. The Hokies gained 444 of their 605 yards on the ground.

And, of course, with Frank Beamer as the coach, there was a special teams highlight. Jayron Hosley took a line-drive punt down the right side for a 64-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Marshall’s highlights came from two players who returned after serving one-game suspensions for drug arrests. Tailback Darius Marshall had a 61-yard touchdown run and finished with 109 yards rushing, and cornerback DeQuan Bembry had the diving interception in the end zone.

The Hokies sported an unusual look in their home opener — all-white uniforms and a throwback helmet with a white “V” below a red “T.” The helmet paid tribute to Frank Loria, a Hokies safety in the 1960s who later became an assistant coach with the Thundering Herd and died in the 1970 Marhsall plane crash.

Virginia Tech’s white uniforms caused another unusual sight. Marshall, according to school officials, wore all-green on the road for what was believed to be the first time in modern school history.

Virginia Tech ran its home non-conference winning streak to 31. It gets a tougher test next week when the Hokies get a visit from No. 22 Nebraska.