Jackets survive upset bid

The Jackets were finally able to exorcise their demons and "A 6-foot- 7 vision of doom," must have been what Maryland quarterback Sam Hollenbach was thinking before he took a seat on the turf. Michael Johnson, the vision of doom, had just sacked him on fourth and goal to end the game.

Running back Tashard Choice scored the go-ahead touchdown with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter as Tech avoided an upset. Choice also ran for 138 yards and scored another touchdown earlier in the game.

Coming off a big win at Virginia Tech, the Jackets looked to carry the momentum into a conference game against Maryland. The game began with Tech on their own 21-yard-line.

After a quick pass to Calvin Johnson, the Jackets ran the ball with Choice for seven yards. Two plays later, quarterback Reggie Ball ran 16 yards into Terps' territory for the first down. Yet another completion to Johnson set him up for a 10 yard touchdown pass into the corner from Ball.

The problem that has plagued Tech in the first two games finally caught up to them on the ensuing kickoff. Mohammed Yahiaoui kicked the ball into the end zone and Maryland returner, senior Josh Wilson, returned the ball through poor coverage 104 yards for a touchdown.

A Maryland personal foul would lead to Tech gaining possession at their 32 yard line after the kickoff. Unfortunately, the Jackets were unable to do anything with their field position and had to punt it away.

On the following drive, Maryland looked like a team on a mission. Lance Ball ran right through the Jackets defense for 17 yards. Sam Hollenbach followed with a pass to Darrius Heyward-Bay over the middle for 22.

A series of passes and runs set Maryland up at the Tech three-yard -line. But the Jackets were able to hold their ground and held the Terps to a field goal.

The next series was disastrous for the Jackets. After an illegal block in the back pushed Tech back to their six-yard-line on the kickoff, Ball's swing pass to Calvin Johnson on third down was fumbled and recovered by Maryland at the six. Three plays later, Maryland had a 10 point lead when Hollenbach found tight end Joey Haynos at the beginning of the second quarter.

Fortunately, Tech was able to keep the game from getting out of hand. Maryland forced Tech to run the ball by playing good pass coverage. Choice was ready for the challenge and responded well. He rushed three times for 34 yards to the Maryland 33.

Tech got tricky on the next play as Ball's handoff was flipped to Rashaun Grant on a reverse that picked up eight yards. Ball then rushed for 16 yards and set up first and goal. Three more Choice rushes put the Jackets in the end-zone and made the score 17-14 Terps.

Later in the quarter Maryland drove 48 down to Tech's 29-yard-line in just over three minutes. Tech kept them out of the end-zone by stopping the run and forcing them to pass. The Terps kicked a 46-yard field goal to take a 20-14 lead at the half.

"I was glad to see everybody stay positive when we were down," said defensive end Michael Johnson. "It never really crossed my mind that we were going to lose. We really felt calm even though we were down."

Early in the fourth quarter, freshman Tyler Evans returned Maryland's punt 14 yards to Tech's 38-yard-line. With good field position, the Jackets went to work. Two plays into the drive, Ball rushed four yards out of bounds when safety J. J. Justice committed a personal foul by pulling Ball to the ground after the play.

Tech was able to convert yet another third down opportunity when Ball passed to sophomore James Johnson for 11 yards. Choice's 17 yard run set up a first-and-goal opportunity for Tech. Ball faked the hand-off to Choice and ran the other way through an opening for eight yards and the touchdown.

Then fate struck as the handoff exchange between Hollenbach and Lance Ball was fumbled. Linebacker Kamichael Hall was alert and jumped on the ball for the recovery. Two plays later Choice ran 15 yards for the score and the lead. The next drive saw Maryland mount a short-lived comeback drive.

Three rushes by Lance Ball set the Terps up in Tech territory. But on fourth and two, Sam Hollenbach threw to his leading receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey. Kenny Scott saw the pass and ran in front for the interception.

On Tech's drive, they marched down the field with two long passes to Calvin Johnson. The drive set up a 31-yard Travis Bell field goal that hit the right upright and missed.

Maryland's final drive kept the crowd on their feet while Tech's defense had two lapses. The first was a third and seven play that the Terps converted. The second was two plays later, when Hollenbach passed to Heyward-Bey. Jahi Word-Daniels missed the tackle and Heyward-Bey took off with no defenders in front of him. Jamal Lewis came in from the side and missed the tackle, but slowed down the receiver enough so that Avery Roberson was able to make the tackle inside Tech's 10-yard line.

Two plays later a star was born. Hollenbach dropped back, looked to the right and missed seeing a figure that was flying at him as fast as possible. M. Johnson took Hollenbach to the ground and induced an intentional grounding penalty that set up fourth-and-goal for the Terps.

The very next play ended almost the same way. Unfortunately for Hollenbach, both Darrell Robertson and M. Johnson were running at him from both sides. M. Johnson arrived first and delivered the game-ending sack.

"Anytime you can win a conference game like this without your "A" game, that speaks to a lot of heart of this football team, a lot character," Head Coach Chan Gailey said.

Reggie Ball is expected to rest this week and start practice next week. Safety Djay Jones also hurt his leg during the game. Both are expected to start in next week against Clemson in Death Valley, pitting the two highest-ranked ACC teams. Tech has won the last two games against the No. 12 Tigers.