East Carolina University
Virginia Tech
ECU Overcomes Early Deficit To Defeat Virginia Tech, 35-28
September 26, 2015 | Football
Game Book 
l ECU Notes l ECU-VT Quotes l 
Highlights
Sounds of the Game: Summers' 41-yard TD run l Jones' 26-yard TD catch l Summers' 5-yard TD run l Brown's 11-yard TD catch
By Mike Grizzard,
ECUPirates.com
GREENVILLE, N.C. - For the 50,514 rain-soaked fans in sold-out Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Saturday's rivalry clash with Virginia Tech could not have started worse.
"It was probably one of the worst college football starts in history," junior wide receiver Isaiah Jones said. "But it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. I know it's cliché, but it's true."
And finish the Pirates did.
Down 14-0 after two turnovers less than eight minutes into the game, the Pirates roared back on the burly shoulders of backup quarterback James Summers to take a two-touchdown lead, then thwarted a last-gasp Hokie drive for a 35-28 victory.
Summers, stepping in for Blake Kemp with the score knotted at 14-14, rambled for the second-most yards by an ECU quarterback, finishing with 169 yards on 21 carries (Leander Green had 178 against Richmond in 1979). He also completed 5 of 8 passes for 110 yards and one score to go along with his two rushing touchdowns.
"I'm not surprised at all," Jones said. "He's a dual-threat quarterback and he's really good.
"We've got two quarterbacks who can move the ball well and score, but tonight obviously James took the lead, took over the team. He didn't hesitate. He wasn't afraid. He got the job done. I'm really proud of him."
So was senior linebacker Zeek Bigger
"He's confident," Bigger said. "I told him whenever he got his chance, make the best out of it, and he did what he's supposed to do."
ECU (2-2), coming off consecutive road losses to Florida and Navy, secured its fifth consecutive win over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent and put up its highest point total in the 20-game series with the Hokies (ECU got its first win in the series by a 32-23 count in 1987). It also gave ECU wins over Virginia Tech (2-2) in consecutive seasons and its first win over the Hokies at Dowdy-Ficklen since 1992.
"You learn something about your team every week," sixth-year head coach Ruffin McNeill said. "I like the way our team stayed dedicated to the mission and dedicated to the team concept, willing to play the next play, bouncing back from two tough losses on the road."
But it didn't start that way.
Five offensive plays resulted in two turnovers, and the Pirates trailed 14-0 with 7:13 still left in the first quarter.
On the Pirates' first play after taking the opening kickoff, Chris Hairston lost possession on a handoff, but Kemp recovered. But the next snap would not have a fortunate outcome with Kemp's pass being picked off.
Tech needed six plays to cash in with Trey Edmunds scoring from one yard out.
Another turnover on the next possession had the Hokies back in business. As Kemp cocked his arm to pass, he was blindsided by J.C. Coleman. The airborne ball was snatched by Mook Reynolds and returned to the 19. Another six-paly drive capped by Brenden Motley's 7-yard pass to Ryan Malleck made it 14-0 and had the home crowd squirming in their soggy seats.
But the Pirates didn't flinch.
"You can't even pay attention to the scoreboard," said sophomore inside linebacker Jordan Williams, who had a career-high 13 tackles and came up with a fourth-quarter interception. "You've just got to keep playing ball. When we got that first touchdown, it was like, `No doubt, we got it.'"
That first touchdown may have saved the day. Kemp suddenly found a rhythm, mixing passes to Davon Grayson (24 and 14 yards) and Bryce Williams (14 yards) with a couple of quarterback keepers on a seven-play, 61-yard drive. Kemp accounted for the final three yards, running in untouched to make it 14-7.
The Pirates tied it at 14-all on their next possession with Kemp flipping an 11-yard pass to Trevon Brown, who had a team-high four catches for 44 yards in his return after sitting out the first three games.
"Trevon's a playmaker," Jones said. "You have to respect his game. Having him back helped tremendously. When you see 88 on the field, you have to respect that man."
Summers then showed he was worthy of respect, taking over for the remainder of the game and bullying the Tech defense with a bevy of dazzling runs, including a 41-yard scamper that made it 35-21 late in the third quarter.
But he deflected credit as much as he did Hokie defenders.
"It was more of the team effort," Summers said. "They put me on their back and said they had my back. When I got it I just fed off their energy.
"Blake Kemp broke the ice for us," Summers said. "I just came in and stepped in the momentum and kept doing the game plan we already had. He had a rushing touchdown tonight. The game plan was always in. I just added a little bit more to it."
It was more than Virginia Tech expected - or could handle.
"Well number one, he ran better than we tackled," Hokies' head coach Frank Beamer said. "He's got ability. When you put him with the throwing guy (Kemp), it's a tough thing to prepare for. We had him several times, then missed a tackle. And like I said, he ran better than we tackled."
McNeill praised both of his quarterbacks. In his short stint, Kemp completed 9 of 12 passes for 118 yards and also rushed four times for 15 yards.
"I like the way Blake bounced back," McNeill said. "He had two tough series and came back and led us on the drive. James comes in and adds a little momentum to our team.
"I thought both of them helped win the game."
On his first series, Summers directed an eight-play, 77-yard drive, converting a third-and-9 with a 15-yard run and third-and-13 with a 30-yard toss to Quay Johnson. Summers followed with a 24-yard run, then scored from the 5 fro a 21-14 lead.
A missed 37-yard field goal by the Hokies' Joey Slye kept it at a touchdown margin going to the half.
Summers then built on his first-half performance, throwing a 26-yard strike to Jones for a 28-14 lead. Jones, who had double-digit catches in the last two games but was shut out in the first, made a spectacular one-hand, diving catch for his 12th career touchdown catch (ECU is now 11-1 in games Jones had a TD reception).
Tech answered to draw within 28-21 before Summers' 41-yard run, leaving a couple of defenders in his wake, stretched the lead back to a two-touchdown advantage.
But the purple-and-gold faithful would not head home without a bit of drama.
The Hokies marched 95 yards with Motley scoring from the 5 to close the gap to 35-28 with still 8:18 left to play. The Pirates would be forced to punt twice, with Worth Gregory responding both times to pin Virginia Tech inside its 10.
The Hokies failed on one fourth down from their 40 when an open Bucky Hodges dropped a pass that would have kept the drive alive.
Tech reached its 41 on its final drive, but Corey Seargent knocked down a last-gasp pass that would have been short of the end zone even if it had been caught.
"I'm very proud of my staff and my boys," McNeill said. "A lot of times, teams fall down 14-0, and you've just had two tough losses, think about it that way now. Tough losses, then you're down within the first two drives 14-0 and hung in there and believed in us and believed in the game plan. I'm proud of the fans. I know the weather was tough, but what a great environment."
