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GREENVILLE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Slowing down Michael Vick is hard to do, stopping the special teams unit of Virginia Tech might be even harder. Led by a special teams unit that scored two touchdowns, ninth-ranked Virginia Tech passed its first test of the young season by building a big lead and coasting to a 45-28 rout of East Carolina. Known for their outstanding play on special teams, the Hokies lived up to that billing again tonight. Cory Bird returned a blocked punt nine yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Andre Davis brought back a punt 87 yards for a score in the second period, helping the Hokies (2-0) race to a 31-0 advantage. Since Frank Beamer became coach at Virginia Tech in 1986, his club has scored 21 touchdowns on special teams. "The chance to come out and play in a big game like this is a big step for our team," Beamer said. "Especially with a lot of new and young guys." One of the most exciting players in college football and a Heisman Trophy candidate, Vick completed 9-of-15 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. He was held to just 14 yards on the ground on six attempts. "There are 21 other players, not just Vick," East Carolina coach Steve Logan said. "They had speed on defense. They are a great football team." East Carolina (1-1) could not build on its season-opening 38-0 blanking of Duke, and fell to 4-8 all-time against the Hokies. "I think our emotions got too high before the game," East Carolina linebacker Pernell Griffin said. "In the second half there was less emotion and more focus." A blunder by the Pirates on special teams led the game's first score. Fresham punter Wes Herlocker dropped the ball after it came skidding back to him and the Hokies recovered inside the East Carolina 40-yard line. Robert Peaslee booted a 46-yard field with 7:41 remaining in the first quarter to give the Hokies the lead. Another big play by Hokies on special teams in the quarter, extended the lead. Running back Wayne Ward busted through the line and blocked Herlocker's punt. Bird scooped it up and returned it nine yards for a touchdown. Coming off a performance in which they surrendered 400 yards of total offense against Akron, the Hokies were much better tonight on defense and received a big play from that unit later in the first period. Freshman Nathaniel Adibi drilled quarterback David Garrard as he threw. The ball popped into the air and was intercepted by defensive tackle Chad Beasley, who returned it 10 yards insdie the Pirates' 20-yard line. Two plays later, Andre Kendrick scored on a 14-yard run to make it 17-0 with 2:18 left in the quarter. Less than three minutes into the second quarter, Jarrett Ferguson scored on a seven-yard run for a 24-point bulge. "It was very uncharacteristic play for this football program in the first quarter," Logan said. "Virginia Tech is a wonderfully gifted team Davis provided some more fireworks for the Hokies when he returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown with 9:15 left before halftime for a 31-0 advantage. Davis' punt return was the second longest in school history. Frank Loria ran back one 95 yards for a TD against Miami in 1967. Virginia Tech was outgained, 418-311 in total yards. But many of those yards came in the second half when the contest already was decided. The Pirates gained just 87 yards rushing on 39 attempts. The Pirates attempted to get back in the game in the third quarter. Garrard threw a four-yard TD pass to Corey Floyd and found Keith Stokes from 37 yards to cut the deficit to 31-14 left with 4:08 left in the period. Garrard finished 22-of-38 for 296 yards with two interceptions. But Lee Suggs, who carried 11 times for 122 yards, scored on a 56-yard run, just over one minute after Garrard's second TD pass. Vick provided a 45-14 advantage when he connected with Browning Wynn five seconds into the final period.
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