Nebraska will win close one at home

Nebraska has its first major test of the 2008 season Saturday night it plays Virginia Tech. The game is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln and will be televised regionally by ABC.

The Hokies are 3-1 on the year coming into this contest. Frank Beamer is 170-86-2 in his 22nd season as the coach of Virginia Tech. Nebraska has a 1-0 advantage in the series with a 41-21 win in the Orange Bowl at the end of the 1996 season.

Beamer is known as one of the solid coaches in college football with tough defenses and exceptional special teams on the field. Virginia Tech has struggled offensively this season. A pair of quarterbacks have seen action for the Hokies so far in 2008. Tyrod Taylor (6-foot-1, 206 pounds, Sophomore) will get the start. He is a dual threat with talent of running the football. His athleticism will give the Nebraska defense problems. Taylor also has in the past made mistakes from his youth and inexperience.

So far in 2008, Taylor leads the team averaging over 73 yards rushing per game and is 24 of 40 (60 percent) passing with two interceptions and no touchdowns. As a team, the Hokies are passing for only 99 yards a game. Taylor will hurt a defense more with his feet than with his arm. Sean Glennon (6-4, 224, Sr.) will also likely see some time at quarterback. He has more experience but less big-play potential than Taylor does. He is steady, but not spectacular. The quarterbacks need to play well if Virginia Tech is to win the game.

On the ground, the Hokies average 172 yards rushing per contest. Virginia Tech will use a pair of backs to try and wear down the Nebraska defense. Kenny Lewis (5-9, 200, Jr.) has 170 yards rushing this season with three touchdowns. His teammate, Darren Evans (6-0, 210, Fr.) may be a star in the making. So far, he leads the team with 264 yards rushing and four scores. The Hokies have been better running the ball than passing, but they have not been as powerful offensively as most of the teams in the Big 12 Conference.

The receiving corps for Virginia Tech has been unimpressive so far this season. Only two receivers have more than five catches in 2008. Lewis has the only receiving touchdown in his four catches. The top four wide receivers on the depth chart are all freshmen for the Hokies. Danny Coale (6-0, 203, Fr.) leads the team with eight catches on the year. He averages just over 10 yards per reception. The speed threat in the passing game is Dyrell Roberts (6-1, 183, Fr.), who averages nearly 20 yards per catch (6-119) this season. Tight end Greg Boone (6-3, 280, Jr.) provides a big target for the Hokie quarterbacks. Overall, this is not a group that is the strength of their football team.

The offensive line is the best unit for the Virginia Tech offense. With the speed of Taylor at quarterback, this group will not give up many sacks. The Hokies are led by left tackle Ed Wang (6-5, 310, Jr.). Left guard Nick Marshman (6-5, 339, Sr.) gives them a great deal of strength on the left side. Center Ryan Shuman (6-3, 293, Sr.) is also a leader for Virginia Tech up front. From tackle to tackle, the Hokies average 6-4 and 310 pounds per man. The offensive line must control the line of scrimmage if they are to be a factor in this game.

The Virginia Tech defense is a very talented group. It employs a 4-3 scheme. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster has long been known as one of the best defensive minds in all of college football. The Hokies allow 327 yards of total offense per game, which includes 143 yards rushing and 184 yards passing per game.

The Hokies big play man on the defensive front is end Orion Martin (6-2, 255, Sr.), who leads the team with six tackles for losses and two sacks on the season. The defensive line does a fine job of occupying the opponents offensive line, so the linebackers can fly to the football.

Two men lead the Hokies group of linebackers. Brett Warren (6-1, 237, Sr.) leads the Hokies with 35 tackles, while Purnell Sturdivant (5-11, 229, Sr.) is second on the team with 28 total tackles from his insidelinebacker spot. This group is the strength of the Hokie defense.

The secondary is aggressive. Cornerback Stephan Virgil (5-11, 186, Jr.) leads the team with two interceptions in 2008. Free safety Cam Chancellor (6-4, 224, Jr.) has outstanding size and is a hitter in the defensive backfield. This group will take some chances for interceptions against the Nebraska passing game.

For many years, Virginia Tech has made a name for great play on special teams. The Hokies block kicks better and more consistently than almost any team in college football. Sophomore defensive tackle John Graves (6-3, 282) has already blocked three kicks this season. Virginia Tech will look for a big play in the kicking game. Kicker Dustin Keys (6-2, 212, Sr.) is 5 of 6 (83 percent) on field goals in 2008. Punter Brent Bowden (6-3, 202, Jr.) has averaged 39.4 yards on 20 punts this season. The Hokies have not had a big play this season in the return game. Kenny Lewis has the talent to give the Nebraska kick coverage teams some problems however.

Nebraska will need to play a solid game to defeat Virginia Tech. The Hokies will not beat themselves. A very young offense for Virginia Tech in a tough Memorial Stadium environment will be a big edge for the Huskers. Nebraska will score just enough to pull out a 23-17 win over Virginia Tech Saturday night.

Jim Dolezal is a local Husker football fanatic as well as a part-time sports writer for the Telegram. He will analyze the Huskers’ opposition from a hometown perspective every Thursday throughout the season.