Virginia Tech @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 10, 2009 ) Boston College 14, Virginia Tech 48

Virginia Tech gave Dave Shinskie a rude welcome to college football a year ago, and the Boston College quarterback would love nothing more than to return the favor in Saturday's ACC opener for both teams at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill.

Shinskie, a former minor league baseball pitcher who was making his first road start a year ago, had no answers for a smothering Hokies defense and was helpless to prevent the 48-14 beatdown in Blacksburg.

He completed more passes on that day to Hokies defenders than his own receivers, going one of 12 for four yards with two interceptions.

Now a more mature 26-year-old sophomore, Shinskie has still been shaky at times, as evidenced by coach Frank Spaziani’s decision to yank him early in the 26-13 win over Kent State on Sept. 11. He bounced back, however, to throw a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes and finished the day 18 of 27 for 214 yards.

Boston College, which was idle last week, is 5-1 following a bye week since joining the ACC in 2005.

The Eagles will be challenged considerably more by a Hokies defense that regained some of its swagger in a come-from-behind 49-27 decision over East Carolina. Cornerback Rashad Carmichael picked off two passes, including one he returned 68 yards for a score, and redshirt freshman free safety Antone Exum added 10 tackles in his first career start to help Virginia Tech snap a two-game losing skid.

The Hokies have struggled throughout much of their first three games to establish their trademark power running game. That’s largely because sophomore tailback Ryan Williams, a first-team All-ACC pick a year ago when he ran for a school single-season record 1,655 yards, has not gotten untracked. He suffered a hamstring injury last week and it is unclear whether he will be available Saturday, meaning David Wilson and Darren Evans could again be asked to shoulder the load. Evans is still working his way back into form after tearing an ACL in the 2009 preseason and missing all of last year.

Whichever back has the ball will face a stout Eagles defense that ranks third nationally against the run, allowing 54 yards per game.

That means elusive Hokies quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who leads the ACC in passing efficiency, must continue making plays with his arm, as well as his feet.

Virginia Tech has dropped its last two games at Alumni Stadium, and hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown there since 2002.