University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Fall to Ninth-Ranked Virginia Tech
9/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Huskies Fall to Ninth-Ranked Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA (September 1, 2001)- The University of Connecticut continued its transition into Division I-A Saturday as it visited 9th-ranked Virginia Tech, which also began a new period with the loss of Michael Vick to the NFL, however, the Hokies never missed a beat in a 52-10 victory. The win gave VT head coach Frank Beamer, who became the school's winningest all-time coach in 1997, his 100th while in Blacksburg. Beamer's record now stands at 100-61-2 through 14 years at his alma mater.
"I thought there were a lot of positives that came out of this game today in terms of where we are with our program and what we are doing," UConn head coach Randy Edsall said. "But first, Virginia Tech is just an outstanding football team headed by a class individual. I hate to this, but I have to congratulate him on his 100th win. They are going to be well tuned to make a run at a national title this year."
UConn, now 0-1, did draw to within 14-10 following the opening period, but watched the Hokies rattle off 35 unanswered points and 606 total yards thanks in part to the offense scoring on every possession in the first half except its final one. The Hokies' defense, after some first-quarter miscues, shut out UConn the final three quarters. UConn finished with just 184 yards of total offense.
"I was impressed with our offense from the standpoint of handling a hostile environment," Edsell stated. "We only turned the ball over once. We had four false starts, but with all the noise that's not too bad coming into a situation like this. We could have run the ball better but that's just a credit to VT and the strength and quickness they have."
Virginia Tech wasted no time in claiming the lead as Andre Davis took a 47-yard strike on Grant Noel's first pass attempt of the game into the end zone with just under two minutes gone. UConn junior Marc Hickok (Gloversville, NY) held a 42 yard field goal true to make it 7-3 at 9:09 in the first. After Noel completed his second touchdown pass to J. Ferguson to cap a seven-play 63-yard drive, Husky quarterback Keron Henry (Fr., Brooklyn, NY) took it 15 yards to make it 14-10.
"I told Keron last night, 'Keron, I just want you to go out and have fun. Play one play at a time and use your athletic ability. Whatever comes natural to you let it happen.' He was good with most of his reads, I don't think he missed any checks at the line. I think he's a quarterback we can win with. He made a great decision on his touchdown. That's a play designed to be a handoff, but he makes a read on the defensive end. If the defensive end pulls hard, he pulls it out and nobody else knows it. I think Keron is just going to get better and better."
In the second period, Virginia Tech took over with tailback Lee Suggs bringing in a pair of touchdowns with one-yard and 49 yard runs. On the latter of the two, Suggs was gone by the time he reached the secondary and in doing so became the school's all-time career leader in terms of touchdowns and rushing TD's with 31. But the junior left the UConn game with a knee injury and is scheduled for a MRI on his left knee Saturday evening at Montgomery Regional Hospital. With 3:57 left to go until the half, Noel again hit Davis this time for 19 yards to make it 35-10 at intermission.
After the half, Keith Burnell broke the plane twice on short runs before Carter Warley connected on a 39-yard field goal to bring it to 52-10 as he went one for three on the day. Last season the Hokies attempted just nine field goals total (7-9). Also in the second half, Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall was inserted and he went five for ten for 56 yards and rushed for 30, as he became the first true freshman signal caller to ever play in a game for Beamer
UConn's home opener will be held Saturday, September 8, against Eastern Washington at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, CT. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET with the contest marking the first between the two schools.
