Arts, Leisure and Sports
CHARLOTTESVILE, Va. (AP) — Braxton Burmeister threw for one touchdown, caught a pass for another and Virginia Tech ran for 320 yards and handed Virginia its fourth straight loss, 29-24 [Saturday]. Burmeister, who ran for 115 yards, hit Tayvion Robinson for a 61-yard touchdown and caught a 3-yard pass from Robinson on a double-reverse as the Hokies (6-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) won for the 17th time in the last 18 meetings. They also achieved bowl eligibility for the 28th time in 29 years.
J.C. Price hasn’t masked his emotions or love for Virginia Tech since he was chosen to replace Justin Fuente as the Hokies interim coach early last week. The former Hokies player was able to unleash them Saturday night, celebrating on the field with the Hokies, their fans and his family after a 29-24 victory at Virginia.
“I’m just so happy for these kids,” he said. “Yeah, somebody pinch me. I’m so happy, I don’t know whether to laugh, cry. It’s going to be a fun bus ride home.” “I told them this week that there was no moral victory. We’re either going to win or we’re going to lose, and the kids found a way to win,” Price said.
Virginia (6-6, 4-4), limited to three second-half points, drove to the Virginia Tech 9 after recovering a fumble with just over 3 minutes left, but Brennan Armstrong’s pass to Ra’Shaun Henry in the end zone on fourth-and 13 from the 14 with 35 seconds left fell incomplete, capping a wild final few minutes.
“A lot of times that’s what happens in a close game or a rivalry game, and the team that makes the plays is the winner,” Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall said.
Raheem Blackshear lead the Hokies ground attack with 169 yards on 18 carries, including a 50-yarder, and Burmeister got his on just 12, including a 71-yard burst. The Hokies had three plays that covered at least 50 yards.
The ending was up in the air until the final minute when Armstrong’s pass fell incomplete. He earlier lost the ball on a fourth down scramble, the ball rolling into the Virginia end zone where offensive lineman Bobby Haskins recovered, giving the Hokies a safety and the ball. Three plays later, Hokies quarterback Connor Blumrick was stripped by Nick Grant and Olasunkonmi Agunloye recovered for Virginia at the Cavaliers’ 36, setting up the final fruitless drive.
The last two weeks have seen Virginia lose 48-38 at Pittsburgh, ending their chances to win the Coastal Division, and then lose to the Hokies. Both teams will await bowl invitations.
(AP) J.C Price doesn’t want his second game as Virginia Tech’s interim football coach to be his last. The Hokies (5-6, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) play at Virginia on Saturday and need a victory to become bowl eligible. That’s just one of the many reasons the game takes on great importance, the former Hokies player said. [WFIR will air the game with kickoff at 3:45pm]
“We still have a chance to extend our season and we understand that coincides with a victory,” Price said this week. his second as coach after the school and Justin Fuente parted last week and Price was named the interim coach.
“This game is important within our state not just football wise, it’s important in recruiting. It’s important to a lot of people, as it should be. It’s a rivalry game. Every state has a rivalry game and this one is ours and it’s important,” he said. The Cavaliers (6-5, 4-3) have been bowl eligible since an Oct. 23 victory against Georgia Tech, but will come into the game having lost three in a row, all against ranked teams. They’ve also beaten the Hokies just once in the last 17 meetings.
Their most recent loss, 48-38 at Pittsburgh a week ago, was a must-win if they hoped to be Coastal Division champions, but coach Bronco Mendenhall said having the Hokies up next will make refocusing easier.
“When you invest as much as our program has to win the Coastal Division, the thought that now, okay, you just move on, yeah, that’s not realistic,” he said this week. “But knowing here comes the next really meaningful game that has just so much meaning to our program, certainly it will help.”
(From DrumstickDash.net) These last few days have been a whirlwind of conversations with Roanoke City Traffic & Engineering – then follow ups with our Race Director, Roanoke City Police Chief Sam Roman, the Sheriff’s Department and Police Chiefs from every surrounding locality and even friends who sprang into action to get certified traffic flaggers.
On the current race course in Downtown Roanoke, we need a police officer at every traffic light and major intersection. This requires a minimum of 13 officers and ideally 15-18 officers.
With the current staffing crisis with all Police Departments, the force is stretched so thin that they are unable to provide the level of officers needed to provide safety for the Downtown course.
The DASH must go on!
With lots of behind the scenes work, we have identified an alternative course utilizing areas around Rivers Edge and the Greenways. Our team is working diligently to set up this course with a level of excitement and fun that the Atlantic Union Drumstick Dash is known for.
Following the dismissal of Justin Fuente earlier this week, Coastal Carolina Head Football coach Jamey Chadwell has become one of the favorites to replace Fuente at Virginia Tech. However, Chadwell told reporters on Wednesday:
Following three consecutive losing seasons- two under Chadwell- Coastal Carolina has compiled a 19 and 3 record over the past two seasons, including a undefeated regular season in 2020.
Dan Bremner – Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs photo
The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs got off to a slow start but after two wins at home last weekend head coach Dan Bremner says things are looking better as they head to Evansville for two games this weekend. Hear the full length conversation with WFIR’s Gene Marrano below:
VT AD Whit Babcock
It will cost Virginia Tech $8.75 million to buy out the rest of Justin Fuente’s contract as the head football coach at Virginia Tech. That was the word from Athletic Director Whit Babcock this morning. Babcock also said he’s already working on a short list of candidates for the Hokies head coaching position.
Virginia Tech mutually parting ways with Head Football Coach Justin Fuente is not a surprise to the host of Greg Roberts Live, on our sister station WFIR. Co-Defensive Line Coach J.C. Price will take over as interim Head Coach for the Miami game this weekend and the final game of the year against UVA.