Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990 TAG: 9006150607
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB McLELLAND CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Dudley has broken numerous school offensive records and has won many Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and national honors. He has at least 30 plaques and trophies to show for his feats. His bedroom and basement at his home on Andrews Road Northwest are overflowing with them.
The honors he has gained are not just the everyday feats. They include such awards as Hampton's most valuable player and top offensive player, CIAA offensive player of the year, Football Writers Division II All-American, second in the voting for the Jake Gaither Award as the outstanding black college player in the nation, Golden Helmet awards for being voted Hampton's top player in 10 of the 20 games over the two years, Associated Press Division II All-American and Sheridan Black College All-American.
His awards for academics have pleased Dudley the most, he said.
Dudley also has broken many Hampton records, including most touchdowns per game (five), most touchdowns per season (17), most points per season (120), best average carry in one game (13.6), best average carry per season (7.2) and total yards in one game (234).
He gained a total of 1,063 yards as a sophomore and 1,178 as a junior for a total of 2,241. The school career record is 3,120.
Dudley accomplished all of these honors while maintaining a lofty 3.2 scholastic average out of a possible 4.0. He also has been a resident assistant at Hampton.
What's ahead for the 22-year-old Roanoker in his senior year?
"My main goal this season is to do all I can to help us win the conference championship and make the NCAA playoffs," Dudley said. "I have been fortunate and lucky to win some individual honors but I would trade them all for one conference championship."
Hampton had a 7-3 record when Dudley was a sophomore and was 8-1-1 last season when he was a junior, but the Pirates did not win a CIAA title.
Dudley is highly regarded by his teammates and coaches. Mel Rose, Hampton's assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, is one of Dudley's most ardent supporters.
"I have had the pleasure to have coached many outstanding players," Rose said. "But I cannot remember one who was more dedicated to improving himself. Tim is always doing those little things that will help him.
"Tim has great natural moves for a runner. As for his speed, he is as fast as he has to be. We have never seen anyone catch him. He has outstanding strength; he might be the strongest on the team. He has good hands and would make a good receiver, but we don't throw to him that much. He also would be a top kick returner, but we don't want to use him there. He might get hurt.
"Tim is a leader by example and that's why we coaches made him our captain for his senior season."
Rose said he already has received many inquiries about Dudley from pro scouts. If things go as expected his senior season, Dudley will be much in demand at NFL draft time next spring.
The route Dudley traveled to arrive at Hampton is a story in itself.
Dudley first won acclaim as a sandlot star, earning the nickname "T.D.," for "Touchdown." He went on to start three seasons at Patrick Henry High, where he was president of the senior class and all-state in football. His running ability made him the top choice of many major colleges. He picked Virginia Tech, which he entered as a 17-year-old in 1985.
He lost little time in proving his running ability and was one of only two freshmen to win a varsity letter. He picked up more than 500 yards.
But during spring practice his freshman year, Dudley got into off-field trouble. He and some Roanoke friends who were not Tech students were arrested for breaking into cars on the Tech campus.
The result was that Dudley was dropped from school and placed on probation. He said his experience at Tech taught him a good lesson and he is now much wiser. He is more dedicated to proving himself and justifying the faith his mother, Dorothy Dudley, and others had in him.
"If I have any advice for other young people," Dudley said, "it would be to be very careful about your friends. Do not let any of your peers talk you into anything that you know is wrong. My mother stood by me all through my trouble. I know what I did must have killed her more than it did me. Now I want to do things that will make her proud. I want to let her know that I really care for her and the others who helped me out when I needed them."
After working around Roanoke for a year, Dudley became more determined to get a college education and to continue his football. He turned to Oscar Craggett, a Roanoke friend and admirer. Craggett knew all about Dudley's past and of his football ability. He also had a brother-in-law, Lou Irvin, who had been a football star at the former Carver High and at Virginia State and a former coach at Hampton.
Irvin, who is to be inducted into the Virginia State Hall of Fame this month, is now a top school administrator in Hartford, Conn.
While Irvin was visiting Craggett in the summer of 1987, Dudley and his mother came over for a talk. Irvin was impressed and arranged for Dudley and his mother to visit Hampton.
"The first time we met Tim and his mom, we were impressed with them both," said Rose. "I told Tim that if he came to Hampton and behaved himself and worked hard the year he had to sit out [to gain his NCAA eligibility after transferring from Tech], that we would take care of him. He took us up on the offer and the rest is history. Tim has been a model student in all areas."
Dudley said the year he had to sit out was most testing. "It was really tough sitting in the stands and watching the team play and not being able to help," he explained. "It was tough enough the year I was working in Roanoke, but being at school and not being able to play was tougher. But I just kept telling myself that I was getting a second chance through the efforts of a lot of people and I just couldn't let them down.
"All the things I went through those two years I was out of football were tough but I think they made me a stronger person."
Another person who has helped Dudley is Bob Bennett, owner of Roanoke Auto Service Center on 13th Street Southwest. Dudley has worked there the past two summers and when he is home for the holidays. Bennett said he didn't know of Dudley's Tech experience and really didn't care when he hired him.
"Tim and I became friends when he used to bring his car by for service," Bennett said. "We talked a lot about most everything and when he asked me for a job, I hired him. But before he came to work, he told me all about his past.
"I told him that we all made mistakes and that we would start off like nothing had ever happened. He has been all I could ask and then some. I don't know when I have had an employee who got more compliments than Tim. I might have been good for him but he has been even better for me."
As Dudley approaches his senior year, he has a mature and realistic outlook on his future.
"I would really like to play in the pros," he said. "But it sure isn't any life-or-death proposition. I have been preparing myself for a career in business - probably in accounting. I feel I am ready for whatever might come my way."
by CNB