Like old times: Miami’s visit to Virginia Tech gives winner big edge in ACC’s Coastal Division

Key early matchup: No. 9 ‘Canes and No. 11 Hokies

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Miami already has one huge road win on its resume. With that in mind, why should Hurricanes sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris fear a visit to Virginia Tech for a key Atlantic Coast Conference game?

Harris seemingly spent the week downplaying the hype the Hurricanes’ rise in stature has prompted after wins at Florida State and against Georgia Tech. He says he welcomes the chance to live up to the buildup for Saturday’s game with the Hokies in a sold-out, raucous 66,233-seat stadium where the fans learned long ago to view Miami as an arch enemy.

“People say I’ll hear a lot of turkey noises, something that I probably won’t be used to,” he said. “It’ll be another hostile crowd. It’ll be loud. Who doesn’t want to play in front of a hostile crowd? Who doesn’t want to go out there and have fun?

“I’ll just go out there and be cool.”

The No. 9 Hurricanes (2-0, 2-0 ACC), led by Harris’ brilliant play, have rocketed to their first top 10 ranking since the final poll of the 2005 season. Virginia Tech got through a three-game, non-conference warmup for ACC play with a 2-1 record and plenty of questions.

The No. 11 Hokies will need to have those answers Saturday in a game that will make the winner the favorite in the Coastal Division.

“It’s a pivotal game from that standpoint,” Miami coach Randy Shannon said.

Virginia Tech has been less impressive than resurgent Miami, needing an 81-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor to set up the winning touchdown with 21 seconds to play against No. 25 Nebraska last Saturday.

This matchup still resembles so many between the teams going back to their Big East days, although then they usually met in December with championships in the balance.

It also looks like the toughest league game left on each team’s schedule.

“It’s definitely huge,” Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm said this week. “Now every game matters a lot, especially when a team like Miami comes to town to open up ACC play.”

It is a much different Hokies team, at least so far, that the Hurricanes will see. Typically one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, the Hokies are allowing 364 yards overall and 200 yards rushing per game. The latter ranks 107th nationally of 120 teams.

Poor tackling has been mostly to blame, safety Kam Chancellor said.

“Once you correct that, you get back to playing Virginia Tech defense,” he said.

The Hokies also have just three sacks in three games, and while defensive coordinator Bud Foster said his unit has put plenty pressure on quarterbacks, the need to be disruptive could prove critical against the ‘Canes. Harris has been sacked just once and has thrown for 328 yards per game behind an offensive line giving him ample time to throw.

He has already connected with a dozen receivers, too, and allowing him to find a similar comfort zone at Lane Stadium could be decisive.

Instead, the Hokies hope to force Harris to think fast, scramble plenty, and revert to the wide-eyed freshman briefly called to duty in Miami’s 16-14 victory in last year’s meeting.

“You know he stepped in a game last year against us and he kind of drooled down his leg so to speak, dribbled … and they played him one series and got him out,” Foster said.

“This year you just see a guy with a lot more confidence.”

Taylor has gotten good reviews for being cool for the Hokies, but the offense has been less popular with fans. They were so discouraged with the bland attack against the Cornhuskers that many heard the dramatic finish on their car radios after leaving.

And that was after they booed repeatedly as the unit floundered earlier in the game.

Feared as a running threat in his first two seasons, Taylor has run sparingly this season, making it easy for teams to load the line and focus on stopping the tailbacks.

Keeping Taylor healthy has been a primary focus for Virginia Tech, which doesn’t have an experienced backup. But his reluctance to run has backfired because of his inability to make teams pay by throwing the ball. Taylor is completing less than 48 percent of his passes.

Taylor’s approach might change now that the Hokies are into their ACC schedule, and going against a defense typically among the fastest and most aggressive they will face.

“If it allows me to run, I will run,” Taylor said.

How often and how effectively could go a long way toward determining who leaves Lane Stadium in the driver’s seat for an ACC championship berth.