Showing posts tagged “Frank Beamer”
Joe Schwartz ·
20 Nov 2009, 12:15 PM ·
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N.C. State tries to play spoiler
N.C. State (4-6, 1-5 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2 ACC)
3:30 p.m., Saturday, Lane Stadium
ESPNU, WRAL 101.5 FM
N.C. State's dynamic duo of Russell Wilson and Toney Baker will face Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Key stats … There will be no late-season bowl run this year for Tom O’Brien’s club. Clemson’s dynamic C.J. Spiller put an end to those hopes last week. Now the Wolfpack travel north to the always hostile Lane Stadium where Frank Beamer’s 16th ranked Hokies sit waiting. Virginia Tech is out of the ACC Championship picture thanks to loses to Georgia Tech and UNC, but they still have a New Year’s Day bowl to play for. These two teams have squared off only twice since Virginia Tech joined the ACC six years ago, splitting contests in 2004 and 2005.
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ACC, Football, N.C. State Frank Beamer, Jamelle Eugene, N.C. State, Russell Wilson, Ryan Williams, Tom O'Brien, Toney Baker, Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
Jacob Swiger ·
28 Oct 2009, 7:56 PM ·
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North Carolina (4-3) at No. 14 Virginia Tech (5-2)
[7:30 p.m., Oct. 29, Lane Stadium]
Televised by ESPN
UNC faces a completely different style quarterback Thursday than FSU's Christian Ponder. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
Another Thursday night game, but this time North Carolina travels to Blacksburg to face an angry and bitter Virginia Tech team looking to stay in the Coastal Division race.
The past few games between these two schools have been closer than expected. An injury to UNC quarterback T.J. Yates cost the Heels the victory in 2008, and the season before the Heels lost by a touchdown despite outgaining the nationally ranked Hokies.
Key stats: 2001 — that’s the last time UNC won a road game against a ranked opponent, and the prospect of ending that streak Thursday night in Blacksburg looks slim.
Despite the poor second-half performance against the Seminoles, some are pegging UNC’s defense as the key for victory. Statistics back up the defense, but last Thursday showed that talented skill players and patient quarterbacks can pick apart Butch Davis’ secondary.
And Virginia Tech is no slouch on defense either. The Hokies allow more than 317 yards per game (No. 31 in the nation) and played a tougher first seven games than UNC did.
Another key aspect of this game is preparation. The Hokies had a bye week to prepare for UNC just like Georgia Tech, Virginia and Florida State did. It’s no coincidence that UNC is 0-3 in league play with such terrible ACC scheduling.
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ACC, Football, UNC-Chapel Hill Butch Davis, Frank Beamer, Ryan Williams, TJ Yates, Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
Mike Potter ·
1 Oct 2009, 3:14 PM ·
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Duke had a respectable non-conference portion of its season in September, although the opener against Richmond may long be thought of as “one that got away.”
Since there’s nothing the Blue Devils can do about that now, they have one clear assignment if they’re going to realize second-year coach David Cutcliffe’s dream of a quick bowl bid. They have to go at least 5-3 in the ACC - they have to finish with at least seven wins, since Saturday’s 49-14 victory in their historic first meeting with cross-town rival N.C. Central won’t count toward bowl qualification.
Saturday’s home game against No. 6 Virginia Tech isn’t one that absolutely has to go into the win column, but an upset that would have highlights running on national TV for the rest of the day certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Duke, which has dropped eight straight in the series, gave the homestanding Hokies a scare last season when they were competitive and lost only 14-3.
“There was some confidence gained from playing in that game,” Cutcliffe said. “(But) this is a better Virginia Tech team and I think our team knows that. We certainly need to be a better Duke team to have a chance in the fourth quarter to win the game.
“There’s some confidence you draw from a game like that, but you have to go out every snap and compete with them. There was a lot of pride displayed on that field that night.”
Tech coach Frank Beamer, who has taken his teams to 15 straight bowl games, said he’s not expecting an easy afternoon.
“You look at how they played us last year,” Beamer told The Associated Press. “They didn’t have their quarterback (Thaddeus Lewis, pictured) in that game. He’s back, and they are a better team.
“You have to bring a good game every week, and that’s a fact.” Continue reading »
ACC, Duke, N.C. Central Barquell Rivers, Blake DeChristopher, Connor Vernon, Davon Morgan, Demetrius Taylor, Desmond Scott, Dyrell Roberts, Frank Beamer, Greg Boone, Jarrett Boykin, Jarrod Holt, Jason Worilds, Jay Hollingsworth, John Drew, Johnny Williams, Kam Chancellor, Kyle Griswould, Leon Wright, Miami Hurricanes, Mitchell Lederman, Patrick Kurunwune, Randez James, Re'quan Boyette, Richmond Spiders, Ryan Williams, Sergio Render, Thaddeus Lewis, Tyree Watkins, Tyrod Taylor, Vince Oghobaase, Vincent Rey, Virginia Tech
Mike Potter ·
29 Sep 2009, 6:29 PM ·
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WALLACE WADE STADIUM/DURHAM It’s pretty easy for Duke football folks to be feeling pretty good about themselves right now.
The Blue Devils are 2-2 at the end of their non-conference portion of the schedule, and are coming off a 49-14 victory in their spirited new cross-town rivalry with N.C. Central in which Coach David Cutcliffe said his team might have taken some things up a notch - at least at times.
“Coming off the game we’re still looking for consistency,” Cutcliffe (pictured) said at his regular weekly press luncheon at the Brooks Football Building. “It was kind of three games. It was a 21-0 game, and then it was a 0-14 game and then it was a 35-0 game. We kind of showed in that regard what we’re capable of doing if we can put that consistently together.”
Yes, the Blue Devils definitely delivered a knockout punch in the rain against a scrappy and inspired but still outmanned opponent.
But the next assignment is going to get a lot tougher.
On Saturday at noon ACC favorite Virginia Tech (3-1) will visit Wade, sporting a No. 6 national ranking and an eight-game winning streak against the Blue Devils. It’s the first true road game for the Hokies, who ripped then-No. 8 Miami 31-7 on Saturday before eking out a 16-15 win over Nebraska the week before.
There is one thing on the positive side for Duke, and that was the success the Blue Devils had last season in Blacksburg as they shed their reputation as the conference doormat. The Hokies won that game 14-3, but needed a 23-yard interception return from Victor Harris to get a knockout punch. Continue reading »
ACC, Duke, N.C. Central David Cutcliffe, Frank Beamer, Kansas Jayhawks, Leon Wright, Marshall, Miami Hurricanes, Thaddeus Lewis, Todd Reesing, Tyrod Taylor, Victor Harris, Virginia Tech
