Incoming Virginia Tech DE Jimmie Taylor Profiled

In front of a sparse crowd at Shreveport’s Independence Stadium – a crowd that may have reminded Beamer of his first bowl win in 1993, in the same city, in the same event – the legendary coach led Virginia Tech to a 55-52 win over Tulsa to record the 280th victory of his career. But Tech tied the game on a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Brewer to Ford and grabbed a 17-14 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Joey Slye with 9:53 left in the quarter.

Virginia Tech (7-6) played in 23 consecutive bowl games under Beamer but had to defeat Virginia 23-20 in the 2015 regular-season finale to extend the streak and qualify for the postseason. “Usually when we score as many points as we did tonight, it’s usually a done deal”.

The Hokies won that game 45-20 over Indiana. Quarterback Thomas Sirk accounted for 318 yards and three touchdowns before getting hurt in overtime.

Coaches like Beamer only come around so often.

With 3:47 left, Tulsa scored on a 36-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 55-52, and after a defensive stop, the Golden Hurricane took over on their own 20 with two minutes to go and one timeout left. The Golden Hurricane became just the second team in Independence Bowl history with a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers. “But he said everything I fell in love with when I picked Virginia Tech is still going to be there”.

Washington 44, Southern Mississippi 31: Myles Gaskin broke a third-quarter tie with an 86-yard run and finished with a season-high 181 yards and four touchdowns to help the Huskies (7-6) beat the Golden Eagles (9-5) in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. To have hung around at one school and had the people around me, the administration, to be able to stay at one place in this business for 29 years, I’m amazed myself. The Virginia Tech offense is averaging 29 points and 367.4 yards per game and they have turned the ball over 19 times.

The Hokies slowed things down to start the second half. The first-team All-ACC receiver caught 12 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown. “Again I realize how fortunate I’ve been to have lasted this long at Virginia Tech and all I am is grateful and looking forward to the next step”, said Virginia Tech football coach, Frank Beamer. The 45 points were greater than the final score in 18 previous games and equaled the final score in the 2014 matchup between Miami and SC.

And if you insist on me picking just one, here’s Stroman’s 67-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Virginia Tech up 45-21 in the first half.

Junior wide receiver Keyarris Garrett hauled in 11 catches, second in Independence Bowl history, for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Tech ended the season at 7-6, while Tulsa fell to 6-7 to close out Philip Montgomery’s first season at the helm of the Hurricane program.

After the record point output in the first half, the two teams settled into a more mundane second half, scoring just 13 points after the break.

Taylor discussed how Frank Beamer’s retirement affected his recruitment, his goal to see the field as a true freshman, and new Hokies’ head coach Justin Fuente.