Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993 TAG: 9308010063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Between running and trying to set records in the weight room - and stepping on some uneven ground during a light passing workout three weeks ago, he said - DeShazo developed tendinitis in his left knee.
DeShazo, whose mobility is a key to Tech's offense, said the knee bothers him most when he's not moving - for example, it stiffens when he's sitting in class.
"If we had to play today, I could play with it," DeShazo said. "Sometimes it bothers me, [and] I come in and get treatment.
"[But] I make all my times running."
Tech trainer Eddie Ferrell said team doctors have prescribed some anti-inflammatory drugs, but he called DeShazo's injury an "overuse thing. I don't look for it to be a problem."
DeShazo said he was loading up on the squat lifts, trying to see how much he could do, and that may have contributed to the soreness.
DeShazo has amassed quite a medical history since leaving Bassett High School to attend Tech, beginning with a sore throwing wrist during the summer of 1990.
He also has proven resilient. He played in Tech's '91 spring game four days after spraining his right ankle; sprained his left knee during fall practice last year but scrimmaged two days later; didn't start but played a week after suffering a hip pointer last year against North Carolina State; and played against Syracuse last year despite fighting a viral infection the week before the game.
DeShazo has sprained his left knee twice since enrolling at Tech, but Ferrell said the tendinitis is unrelated.
The junior from Stuart completed 101 of 215 passes for 1,504 yards, with 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 1992. He also rushed 100 times for 206 yards and two scores as the Hokies compiled a 2-8-1 record.
\ SMITH GONE: Offensive tackle Mike Smith, a Roanoke Times & World-News Top 25 selection as a senior at Covington High School, has left Tech and won't play this year. Smith, a 6-foot-6, 269-pounder who would have been a junior this year, finished spring practice even with sophomore Bill Conaty in the battle for a starting spot.
Smith did not return phone messages left at his parents' home in Covington.
J.B. Grimes, the Hokies' new offensive line coach, is comfortable with Conaty - sort of.
"I feel good about his athletic ability," Grimes said. "I don't feel good yet about his experience.
"He's got a lot of power in his hips, good feet, runs well and he's a tough kid."
Grimes has overseen some movement along the line since arriving in Blacksburg. Sophomore Mike Cox has moved from tight tackle to Smith's old spot, split tackle, where he'll compete with Conaty; junior Damien McMahon has moved ahead of Jared Hamlin, who was hurt during much of spring practice, at tight guard; and sophomore Mike Bianchin, who missed spring practice with a shoulder injury, has been moved from split guard to tight tackle, where he'll compete with redshirt freshman Jay Hagood to back up Chris Barry.
No. 2 center Jim Petrovich, Grimes said, also is the No. 2 split guard behind Chris Malone.
\ TICKET SALES: Tech's tortuous 1992 season hasn't been reflected in season-ticket sales. Ticket manager Tom McNeer said the Hokies have sold "a little over 10,000" tickets, the second-best total in school history. McNeer said this year's tally isn't likely to reach last year's record figure of 12,000, however.
\ LAST WORD: DeShazo on Tech opening against Bowling Green, a Division I-A team that counts toward the minimum six I-A victories necessary to qualify for a bowl, instead of Division I-AA James Madison: "I love that. When you play JMU, it's like a pass-fail class. If you pass it, you don't get credit [for how well you did]. If you fail it, it goes against you."
by CNB