Pirates Stun Hokies 27-22 in Charlotte,
Glennon and Defense Shaky (Video Included)

ECU's Brandon Simmons breaks away from Virginia Tech defenders during their 27-22 upset over Virginia Tech on August 30, 2008.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRIAN SEWELL

The East Carolina Pirates pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, winning 27-22. The Pirates took the lead with 1:52 left to play after senior T.J. Lee blocked a Hokie punt and returned it for a score.

“They took it to us,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said after the game.  “It hurts to lose on a blocked kick at the end, that’s not very good.”

Virginia Tech never looked completely comfortable in the game.  Quarterback Sean Glennon, fresh off of being named the full-time starter, was picked off and sacked twice each.  Kicker Dustin Keys missed a PAT and had a 44-yard field goal attempt clang off the right upright.  Tech’s usually solid defense, minus an injured Macho Harris, managed to score on a fumble recovery but missed tackles on crucial third downs and faded late in the game.

“I think we as a defense, we need to tackle better,” Beamer said.  “They have some good backs that run hard, but we missed a lot of tackles out there today, a lot of tackles.”

The ECU players, on the other hand, came in with a confidence and swagger that energized them throughout the game.  Quarterback Patrick Pinkney turned in a strong performance by going 19-23 for 211 yards with touchdowns through the air and on the ground.  The Pirates also outrushed the Hokies 158 yards to 104.

“Everybody made plays,” Pinkney said. “That’s what the offense has to do; it has to execute.  Everybody did their job.”

Tech never managed to rattle Pinkney and did not record a single sack all day.

“I said (Pickney) was having a great camp,” ECU coach Skip Holtz said. “We gave him some time to sit back there.  He’s been throwing the ball accurately, he’s elusive, he’s been doing some great things to lead this team offensively.”

The Hokies scored the first touchdown of the game in the second quarter when Stephan Virgil picked up a dropped lateral and took it 30 yards to the endzone.  On the ensuing kickoff a Tim Pisano slip in mid kick resulted in an inadvertent squib that ECU’s Dalvon Mack mishandled and gave back to the Hokies.  Tech used the short field to its advantage and scored on a six-yard run by Kenny Lewis.

Later in the half the Pirates would have the chance to get on the board after Charlotte-native Nick Johnson intercepted Glennon at the 20-yard line and returned it to within one yard of the endzone.  Running back Jonathan Williams punched it in for the touchdown three plays later to make it 14-7 before halftime.

“It’s an awesome feeling to come back home and make a play to help change the game,” Johnson said.

On the first drive of the second half ECU marched 61 yards down the field and scored on an 11-yard pass from Pinkney to junior Jamar Bryant.  However, instead of tying the score at 14, the Pirates allowed defensive tackle John Graves to block the kick. Virgil, in the right place at the right time, picked the ball out of the air and ran it all the way back for a defensive two-point conversion, making the score 16-13.

Towards the end of the third quarter Glennon connected on a 60-yard strike to Dyrell Roberts that put the Hokies on the six-yard line.  Darren Evans opened the fourth quarter by finishing off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.  Tech suffered its own PAT mishap when Keys pushed the kick wide right, leaving the score 22-13.

The teams traded possessions for the next seven minutes before ECU mounted its comeback.  With 7:41 remaining in the game the Pirates moved the ball 73 yards on nine plays, capped off by a three-yard quarterback keeper by Pinkney to put his team within two.  The ECU fanbase, sensing upset, erupted into a frenzy of excitement.

On the next possession Tech only ran off four plays before being forced to punt.  That’s when Lee came full bore down the pipe for the block.  He scooped up the ricochet and went untouched into the endzone to complete the comeback.

Beamer felt the snap of the ball was “soft” and the kick “slow,” but punter Brent Bowden, who never had a punt blocked at any level, said the execution time of the play went as planned.

“I didn’t see (the block) until I heard it,” Bowden said.  By the time I realized it was getting blocked, it was too late.  When he picked it up, there was no way I was going to catch him.”

East Carolina sealed the victory by bringing tremendous pressure on Glennon, forcing Tech to turn the ball over on downs.

“You know the saying, defense wins championships and offense sells tickets,” said Quentin Cotton, who picked off Glennon’s first pass of the game. “Coach told us from the get go that it was going to be two battles of the defense and we just need the O to come along…Don’t get me wrong, Virginia Tech is a great team.  I give them the utmost respect as the ACC defending champions.  But we just came out and played hard and came out on top.”

The Pirates will have little time to savor the victory as they face West Virginia next week at home.  The Hokies will look to rebound with their next game at home against Furman.

Video by Ryan Call