4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF DARLI KANSAN
TUESDAY DECEMBER 4 2007
things you should know about VIRGINIA TECH
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
The Orange Bowl features No. 5 Virginia Tech, an unfamiliar opponent for Kansas, which has a month to learn the Hokies' strengths and weaknesses.
Freshman Tyrod Taylor is a dangerous change of pace quarterback.
Junior Sean Glennon is a pure pocket passer.
possessions throughout the game. Taylor is one of the nation's most athletic quarterbacks and is comparable with former Virginia Tech quarterback standouts Michael and Marcus Vick. He has rushed for more than four yards per carry and six touchdowns this season.
The two quarterbacks
completing only two of 10 passes.
But Glennon has won the starting job back, and he threw for 174 yards and three touchdowns in last week's ACC Championship Game. Glennon is a pure pocket-passer who could be dangerous if he gets into a rhythm. Freshman Tyrod Taylor relieves him on select
For the first time this season, Kansas will be forced to prepare for two different quarterbacks on the same team. Junior Sean Glennon starts for the Hokies, but his play has been as unpredictable as a winter thunderstorm in Kansas. He was benched during the second game of the year after
The losses
Virginia Tech won the ACC with an 11-2 record. But most of the nation remembers the Hokies' two defeats much more than any of the victories. Their first loss came in Baton Rouge, La., when LSU thrashed them 48-7. The LSU running game demolished the Hokies' heralded defense, and Virginia Tech gained only 149 yards of total offense.
Virginia Tech won five straight after the fiasco, until it suffered a fourth-quarter melted against Boston College at the end of October. The Hokies shut out the Eagles for the first 57 minutes of the game, but Boston College's Matt Ryan engineered two late touchdown drives to put away Virginia Tech 14-10.
Its special teams
alone, the Hokies returned an interception for a touchdown and blocked two kicks, as well as an extra point, which they returned for two points. They rank ninth in the nation this season with a plus-13 turnover margin and are always a threat to block opponents' kicks. The one area of concern for the Jayhawks all season has been their woful special teams production. And if they don't fix it by Jan. 3, the Hokies will surely exploit it.
Hard-hitting defense
Beamerball
and Hall will be playing in the NFL at this time next year and have shown their superiority against offenses all season. Adibi leads the Hokies with 108 tackles on the season and was named an All-American this week. Hall has missed four games this season because of an injury but is still the team's second leading tackler and a lethal blitzing weapon. Virginia Tech also has a strong secondary featuring All-American cornerback Brandon Flowers and cornerback Kam Chancellor. They both serve as enforcers and hammer wide receivers over the middle.
Kansas might need a few extra bottles of Advil in its medicine kit in Miami because the Virginia Tech defense prides itself on serving headache-inducing tackles. It all starts with senior linebackers Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall. Adibi
Frank Beamer took over as coach in Blacksburg, Va., 20 years ago. Virginia Tech has scored more defensive and special teams touchdowns than any program in the nation since then.
Edited by Tara Smith
its special teams prowess earned the nickname "Beamerball" which has caught on nationally. Last week
Virginia Tech's defense loves to hit hard.
ALL PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Virginia Tech has made a name for itself by blocking field goals and punts.
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