THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070568
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
For J.C. Price, Bryan Still and their fellow seniors, past Virginia Tech season openers have been little more than dress rehearsals, with a few missed lines and false moves forgivable.
Tonight at 8 on ESPN, it's showtime when Boston College visits Lane Stadium.
The Hokies had better be on their marks. The Eagles, nationally ranked in the preseason and picked to finish ahead of Tech in the Big East, are a much stiffer test than past Tech openers against James Madison, Bowling Green and Arkansas State.
The Hokies, ranked 20th by The Associated Press and 22nd by USA Today-CNN, don't seem to mind.
``I prefer to just jump right into it,'' Tech defensive tackle Price said.
``I would rather open with a game like this,'' flanker Still said. ``We'll really know where we stand after a game like this rather than beating up on a not-so-good team.''
Boston College got beat up by Ohio State on Aug. 27 in the Kickoff Classic, 38-6. With Michigan next on the schedule, the Eagles could be staring at an 0-3 start if they falter on their first-ever visit to Blacksburg.
``You've got to win in the conference to go to bowls,'' BC coach Dan Henning told reporters this week. ``You don't want to leave it in others' hands and get left out, like Syracuse did last year.''
Ninth-year coach Frank Beamer called the BC game the most important opener during his tenure with the Hokies, who have won seven consecutive Big East home games - a streak that dates back to game seven of the 1992 season.
``It will go a long ways toward determining the outcome of our season,'' Beamer said.
BC plucked seven high school prospects out of Virginia last year. Beamer said the outcome of one game should not have a great impact on where a player goes to school.
``I don't think Boston College can continue to come down here and do that,'' said Beamer, who already has six verbal commitments from high school seniors. ``They did have some good success. But unless you're around the metropolitan areas, I don't think most kids from the state of Virginia want to go up to a city like that. We're going to battle them hard to keep good players in the state of Virginia.''
Henning, a William and Mary graduate who was Virginia Tech's offensive coordinator in 1971 and '73, has strong Virginia ties. But even he doesn't expect to continue mining Virginia talent like he did last year. ``People will build the fences a little higher down there next year,'' Henning said. by CNB