THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 17, 1995 TAG: 9509170203
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Wrong place, wrong time.
The better story is in Blacksburg, agreed the commiserating scribblers and minicam mechanics on hand Saturday for Virginia's routine whipping of Georgia Tech.
It's bigger news when Virginia Tech is embarrassed by nondescript Cincinnati than when U.Va. wins another ACC game.
The best you could say about the Cavaliers' dismantling of the visitors was that it was, in fact, amazingly routine.
Quarterback Mike Groh was as cool as a surgeon, and Tiki the Tailback turned in another tour de force as the Barber of C'ville. And when it was over, U.Va. had danced between the raindrops for a 41-14 victory that wasn't that close.
Or dramatic. Or any more memorable than dozens of Cavaliers victories.
For sure, the more interesting story was in Blacksburg. A train wreck is more exciting than a clinic.
And yet, therein lies the success story of U.Va. football under George Welsh, now in his 14th season on the job at Scott Stadium.
The Cavaliers entered the game ranked 16th in the Associated Press poll. They will move up a notch or two this week.
Top 15 for U.Va. football? Ho hum.
Another quick start out of the gate? Sounds familiar.
A rout of an ACC opponent? Been there, seen that.
``There wasn't anything special today,'' said Welsh, trying, as always, to downplay success.
Welsh, of course, has allowed Cavaliers fans the luxury of thinking that victory in football is not so special.
Some of us thought we'd never see the day.
Had U.Va. not choked away the game at Michigan, the Cavaliers would be undefeated and ranked possibly as high as sixth or seventh.
They would be overranked, in other words. The truth is that this Welsh team is not guaranteed to hold up over the length of the season. Not with a visit from Florida State and road games at Clemson, North Carolina and Texas still to come.
A U.Va. football team has never won at Clemson. The Cavaliers are not expected to re-write history come Saturday. Welsh is a coach, not a magician.
What U.Va. fans will count on, though, are another eight victories. Maybe nine. Tough schedule or not. Fairly or not.
This is the influence of George Welsh at work. His success has created expectations that would have been unheard of in the early '80s.
Last year, U.Va. boosters were not impressed when the Cavaliers finished 9-3 after slumming at the Independence Bowl. It's a fortunate football fan who can find reason to be dissatisfied with nine victories. It is an amazing coach who can create a climate at U.Va., of all places, where victory is taken for granted.
``We're a pretty damn good team,'' quarterback Groh was saying Saturday. ``People tend to underestimate us.''
Actually, no one - not even the U.Va. coaches - feels qualified to say how these Cavaliers rate. Or what to expect next.
``We haven't played well in the second half until today,'' Welsh reminded people.
Virginia Tech should have such problems. It's difficult to imagine a Welsh team losing at home to Cincinnati. But at this point in time, no one defeat can alter his legacy. Not after the last eight seasons in which the Cavaliers have won at least seven games each year. It's only the second time in ACC history that a school has managed this feat.
Let that be a reminder for anyone who would allow the ho-hums to drown out the hosannas.
For another football Saturday, U.Va. was the right place at the right time. by CNB