Virginia Tech Football: Winners and Losers from Hokies' Win vs. Miami

Virginia Tech pulled out a thriller against the Miami Hurricanes late Saturday afternoon to remain in contention for the ACC crown.

In fact, if you look closely, you will notice that Frank Beamer's hair got a little grayer during the game.

The Hokies and Canes went back and forth throughout the second half, with Virginia Tech delivering the knockout punch on a 19-yard run by Logan Thomas late in the fourth quarter.

Tech players, coaches and fans alike are pumped to exit this nail-biter with a W in the win column. There are many positives to take from this game considering the Hokies were humbled the previous week against Clemson. 

At the same time, there are players who did not bring their best efforts against the Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon.

Like the game itself, let's take a glance at the ups and downs of Virginia Tech's performance against Miami...

Winner: Logan Thomas

Fans watching the game on Saturday witnessed firsthand the breakout performance of Logan Thomas.

Hear that faint noise?

That is the sound of silence for the critics who blamed Logan Thomas for Tech's performances early in the season.

Thomas answered the critics with a vengeance against Miami, completing 23 of 25 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. At 92 percent, that is the highest completion percentage of any FBS quarterback this season with a minimum of 25 attempts.

He also added two rushing scores, including the game-winning 19-yard touchdown run with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. Thomas accounted for all five touchdowns by Tech in the game.

The Hokie signal-caller will not perform at this level every week, but the signs are apparent that Thomas will make significant improvements as the season wears on.

Loser: Eddie Whitley

The Hokies made countless errors that kept Miami in the game, particularly in the second half.

Eddie Whitley was no exception when he gambled on an out pattern run by Miami wideout Travis Benjamin. Whitley attempted to jump the route and pick off the pass by quarterback Jacory Harris.

When he missed, Benjamin was home free for a 77-yard touchdown that shifted momentum toward the Canes in the second half.

Given the Hokies had a double-digit lead at the time, it was not worth the reward to jump the pass. If Whitley had played it safe, the Canes would have only netted a first down.

Instead, it was just one of many game-changing mistakes that gave Miami a chance to make a comeback.   

Winner: Jarrett Boykin

The Hokies desperately needed a wide receiver to make a statement and help out quarterback Logan Thomas.

Boykin succeeded in that endeavor on Saturday, catching seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

In a crucial sequence after Miami trimmed the margin to three points in the fourth quarter, Boykin turned the tide back towards the Hokies with a 60-yard reception from Thomas. Boykin was a reliable target, making key receptions and moving the chains for Tech throughout the evening.

Boykin was slated to be the go-to receiver for Thomas this season. Though he started slow due to a hamstring injury and inconsistency in the passing game, a performance like this just might turn his season around.

Loser: J.R. Collins

J.R. Collins is thanking his lucky stars that Virginia Tech squeaked out the victory on Saturday.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Collins sacked Miami quarterback Jacory Harris on 3rd-and-long to seemingly force a punt.

However, Harris taunted Collins after the play, baiting the young defensive end into an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Shortly thereafter, Miami scored a touchdown to cut the margin down to three points at 31-28.

If Collins had not committed the dead ball penalty, Tech would have had an easier time closing out the win. As it were, the Hokies had to sweat out a hard-fought victory despite giving the Canes second chances to stage a comeback.

I am just glad not to be in the shoes of J.R. Collins on film study day. 

Winner: David Wilson

Another week. Another 100-yard rushing performance from David Wilson.

Wilson rushed 23 times for 128 yards against Miami on Saturday afternoon. While his longest run was 19 yards, Wilson steadily gained chunks of yardage against the tiring Canes defense in the second half.

More importantly, Wilson was more involved in the passing game. He caught a season-high four passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. Clearly, having Wilson as a check-down option helped Logan Thomas to go through his progressions more effectively.

No matter the method, getting Wilson the ball 25 to 30 times a game is of paramount importance for the Hokies this season. 

Loser: Defensive Line

It has been a bad week for Virginia Tech's defensive line.

First, the Hokies lose defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins with a torn ACL.

Then, early in the first quarter against Miami, sophomore James Gayle leaves with a sprained ankle.

After that? Insult to injury. The Hokies reverted back to 2010 form in the second half against the Hurricanes.

Miami's offensive line overpowered Tech's undersized and undermanned defensive line in the second half, opening gaping holes for the running game. Miami running backs Lamar Miller and Mike James combined to rush for 231 yards on 28 attempts.

Virginia Tech's defensive line will have to become more physical in the future to prevent a repeat of last year's Hokie rushing defense, which was mediocre at best. 

Winner: Danny Coale

Danny Coale always seems to show up in big wins for Virginia Tech.

Against Miami, the steady Coale showed up in a big way, catching five passes for 91 yards and a long 40-yard touchdown pass.

Coale provides a safety valve for quarterback Logan Thomas. The sure-handed Coale possesses the versatility to make the difficult catch on the sideline and lull the defense to sleep with underneath routes.

Coale will be integral in the continued growth of Thomas going forward this season. 

Loser: Bud Foster

I would never say it to his face though.

Miami highlighted a significant flaw in the Virginia Tech defensive scheme on Saturday. Teams with size on the offensive line are able to physically dominate the smaller defensive line of the Hokies with run after run.

Remember the Stanford game? The Cardinal opened up the margin by over-loading the offensive line and playing smash-mouth football with the Hokies. Miami utilized a similar approach in the second half, gashing Virginia Tech with the combination of Lamar Miller and Mike James.

Tech's offense was able to bail the defense out this time around. In the future, however, the defense will not have that luxury and will need to figure out how to turn this trend around.