GREENVILLE, N.C. — Virginia Tech put the game in Ryan Williams’ hands again. This time, he held on to it.
The freshman ran for a season-high 179 yards and the 22nd-ranked Hokies avoided their first three-game losing streak in six years, holding off East Carolina 16-3 on Thursday night.
Tyrod Taylor had a 13-yard touchdown run, Matt Waldron kicked three field goals and Williams atoned for his critical miscue last week against North Carolina by cracking the 1,000-yard mark for Virginia Tech (6-3).
“That fumble did something to me, mentally, last week,” Williams said. “I think the only person that was going to be able to overcome what happened last week was myself. . . . I realized that it happens to everybody; nobody can be perfect.”
Virginia Tech had a 379-277 advantage in total yardage, forced three turnovers and made enough plays on offense to rebound from losses to No. 10 Georgia Tech and the Tar Heels. The Hokies also avenged last year’s loss to the Pirates in Charlotte, N.C.
Williams, whose fumble in the closing minutes last week gave North Carolina a chance at a winning field goal on the final play, helped make Virginia Tech the third school to have freshmen rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive years after Darren Evans did it last year.
“I ran the ride pretty good today,” Williams said.
