When Virginia Tech quarterback coach Kevin Rogers, then the Notre Dame offensive coordinator, traveled to Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Va., to see Bryan Randall play two years ago, he wasn't impressed.

"I didn't think he could be a college quarterback," Rogers said.

After Rogers arrived in Blacksburg and first laid eyes on Randall throwing in spring practice, the coach said, "I wasn't sure then, either."

	Virginia Tech's success against Miami may depend on how well QB Bryan Randall plays.

Fast forward to Saturday, when the No. 14 Hokies' hopes to upset to end the No. 1 Hurricanes' 33-game winning streak will depend in large part on whether Randall, a sophomore, can direct a mistake-free football game.

"He has improved as much as any quarterback I've ever coached," Rogers said. "When we started, he was about as raw as any quarterback I've ever coached. He has a tremendous belief in himself. He went out every day and got visibly better."

Under Rogers, who tutored Marvin Graves and Donovan McNabb at Syracuse, Randall has become the Big East leader in passing efficiency, ahead even of his counterpart at the Orange Bowl on Saturday, Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Dorsey of Miami. Randall, who took over the offense in the second game of the season when senior Grant Noel's knee problems put him on the sideline, has completed 125-of-199 passes for 1,792 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

That 1:1 ratio of scores to picks highlights Randall's inexperience. He's the only quarterback among the top 50 in passing efficiency whose ratio is so low. Randall threw his most costly interception with 21 seconds left in the West Virginia game, with Virginia Tech trailing, 21-18. From the Mountaineers' 11-yard-line, Randall scrambled to his left and threw into a crowd in the end zone, where defensive back Brian King made the game-saving interception. The Hokies never got the chance to kick a game-tying field goal.

"He blamed himself for the loss," Rogers said. "But the coaches named him the player of the game. The kid rushed for 125 yards and threw for 170. He accounted for nearly 300 yards of our 411 yards of total offense."

That said, against a defense with the speed and depth of the Hurricanes, Randall's ability to play error-free football is paramount. The Hokies' running game will be the strongest it has been since Kevin Jones tweaked a hamstring against Pittsburgh on Nov. 2. It's no coincidence that Jones played little or not at all while Virginia Tech lost three consecutive close games in November.

In Jones and senior Lee Suggs, the Hokies have two of the best tailbacks in the nation. They have combined for 2,035 yards and 26 touchdowns. The Virginia Tech coaches are well aware that Florida State took Miami to the last play in October because the Seminoles' power running game produced 189 yards and a touchdown from tailback Greg Jones. They saw West Virginia spread the field and rush for 363 yards in its 40-23 loss.

More importantly, Jones and Suggs will be able to take significant pressure off of Randall. When he lines up before the 75,000 or so screaming Miami fans and watches the 'Canes shuttle eight defensive linemen, seven of whom have NFL potential, on and off the field, Randall will see things he has never seen before.

Rogers wants his quarterback to repeat the Hippocratic oath taken by all doctors. "First, do no harm." As far as Randall has come, Rogers feels good that the heart of the offense lies seven yards behind him, at tailback. "I'm not sure we're good enough in the passing game," Rogers said.

Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN.com. E-mail him at ivan.maisel@espn3.com.