Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408300027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tranquill, who has taken over what was Virginia Tech's best-ever offense in 1993, watched the Hokies execute unevenly - ``at times pretty well, at times like junior high,'' he said - and commit a bunch of penalties in what he called a ``sluggish'' scrimmage Thursday. With 22nd-ranked Tech's opener against Arkansas State a week away, he says it's time to pare back the offense.
For weeks, Tech has been practicing just about all of its new coordinator's multiple-set offense, including running several plays in the scrimmage Tranquill knew wouldn't work against the Hokies' defense.
``It's more a matter of deleting everything we've thrown at them and trying to pick out the things we can execute best, cut down what we go into a game with,'' Tranquill said after watching scrimmage films Friday.
What Tranquill doesn't want is yellow flags. Quarterbacks had two illegal-procedure penalties for pulling away early from under center, the second-team offensive line had three procedure penalties and there was a holding penalty and two flags for offensive pass interference.
In between those mistakes, Tranquill said he got on film some screens (``A couple of them looked pretty good,'' he said), sprint-outs and ``tricks'' he wanted to see. And he got a better feel for how much of his offense these Hokies will be able to use.
Last year's Hokies gained 2,671 yards rushing and scored 28 touchdowns on the ground, while averaging 201.3 yards passing per game and scoring 24 times through the air. The offensive line has been under watch because of graduation losses, and Tranquill said before the start of fall practice this unit would have trouble matching last year's numbers.
``I really think we'll be able to run the ball,'' Tranquill said. ``And we have enough diversification in the passing game that I don't think anybody's going to be able to say [quarterback] Maurice [DeShazo] is going to be here or there to throw.''
Other offensive notes:
nFreshman quarterback Al Clark probably will be redshirted but is advanced enough to play if necessary. Tranquill indicated Clark may have moved ahead of third-stringer Cody Whipple, a redshirt freshman, but the offensive coordinator wants to save Clark's eligibility this year.
``If a game's on the line and something would happen to the other guys and I had to use him, I think I'd do it,'' Tranquill said of Clark. ``Everything he does he does without any wasted effort, wasted motion. He's picked up a lot of things very quickly. He showed me through practices that he has poise.''
nTranquill didn't name a starting tight end. The choice is between sophomore Bryan Jennings and senior Kevin Martin, whom Tranquill said ``really had a good scrimmage.''
nReserve offensive linemen, probably including sophomore T.J. Washington and his brother, freshman Todd, will be counted on to contribute. ``I don't see us being able to play any of those [starting] five, with the exception of [center Billy] Conaty, a full football game,'' Tranquill said.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB