Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 9, 1992 TAG: 9201090385
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACHES IN LIMBO
Now is not the best time to be an assistant football coach in college, even for somebody with 20 years of experience and a mile-long list of references.Head-coaching changes at Maryland and Georgia Tech have caused veteran assistants George Foussekis and Pat Watson to consider other jobs, although Virginia assistant Mike Archer was breathing easier Wednesday as the result of developments at the NCAA convention in Anaheim, Calif.
Head coach George Welsh said Archer came to UVa under a one-year agreement because of proposed NCAA legislation to reduce staffs from nine to eight full-time assistants. However, the ninth full-time assistant was restored by a convention vote.
Archer, who coached the UVa linebackers this year after four seasons as the head coach at Louisiana State, said this week that he is interested in talking to East Carolina about succeeding Georgia Tech-bound Bill Lewis as head coach.
Lewis announced Wednesday that he will take six assistant coaches from East Carolina, and is holding a position of co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks open for Steve Logan, who is in the running to succeed Lewis at East Carolina. Lewis has retained two members of coach Bobby Ross' staff: Danny Smith (running backs) and Brian Baker (outside linebackers).
Watson, who went to Georgia Tech after nine seasons at Virginia Tech, could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but it appears he will land on his feet. New Illinois head coach and former Virginia Tech colleague Lou Tepper is interested in Watson, as is new Texas coach John Mackovic.
Less certain is the status of Foussekis, who has completed 20 years at Maryland, where head coach Joe Krivak resigned under pressure after the season. Foussekis and the other members of Krivak's staff will be paid until July 15 or until they get a job, whichever comes first.
"I didn't go to the coaches' convention [in Dallas]," Foussekis said. "I hadn't been in 25 years, when I had a job, so why change now? I'm not actively pursuing another job, but there's a coaching network out there. People know if you're doing a good job."
Foussekis has heard he might be retained at Maryland, but he hasn't spoken with new coach Mark Duffner.
"I'm not one to badger anybody," he explained. "I would say it would be unlikely. I understand they've already hired four assistants. For every opening, there's probably 1,000 guys who are interested. It's a sad state."
Foussekis said he has talked with Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, a former Hokies teammate, but Tech is looking to drop a coach. Foussekis almost joined Beamer's inaugural Tech staff in 1987.
"I wanted to go back then, but Joe had been loyal to me and we'd seen the program through some hard times," Foussekis said. "In hindsight, who knows? Maybe I should have done what was best for me."
\ Sonny Utz, Virginia Tech's leading rusher in 1964 and a member of the school's athletic hall of fame, died Dec. 31 at 49.
Utz, who operated a used-car dealership in Warrenton, was playing tennis with three friends when he had a heart attack, Tech fund-raiser John Moody said. Utz, a Washington, D.C., native, was buried in Madison Mills.
Utz is 13th on Tech's career rushing list with 1,605 yards and 10th in career scoring with 122 points from 1962-64. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 1965 National Football League draft.
Contributions may be made to the Sonny Utz Football Scholarship, Fauquier High School, Warrenton, Va., 22186.
\ Andre Gilbert, the private-school football player of the year in the Washington area, told his coach Wednesday that he will sign a letter-of-intent with Virginia.
Gilbert, rated one of the top 25 prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, played quarterback as a senior at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, where he accounted for 19 touchdowns - 11 rushing, six passing and two on returns.
Gilbert, 5 feet 10 and 170 pounds, canceled planned visits toVirginia Tech, Syracuse, Illinois and James Madison.
Dick Allanson, coach at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., said UVa is the likely choice of his son, Scott, a 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker. The Cavaliers also are in good shape with linemen Jonathan Ogden (6-9, 320) and Jeremy Akers (6-6, 260) off the same team.
Ogden was selected the offensive player of the year by The Washington Post.
In other football recruiting:
Coach Jerry Carter of Deep Creek High in Chesapeake says 6-6, 300-pound offensive tackle Quincy Wynn has made a "tentative decision" to sign with Pittsburgh. Wynn, who also visited Virginia Tech, was selected to the Roanoke Times & World-News Top 5.
Two players from Group AA powerhouse Tabb have made commitments: Two-time all-state running back Simeon Tucker is headed to Northeast Oklahoma Junior College, and defensive back Robert Barnes will sign with Wake Forest.
\ Oak Hill Academy, ranked fourth in the nation among boys' high school basketball teams by USA Today, will make its only Roanoke-area appearance when it plays the Roanoke College junior varsity Jan. 22 at 5 p.m.
Brian Thompson, signed by Florida, leads the Warriors (20-1) in scoring at 19.4 points per game, and Kansas-bound Chris Davis averages 18.8 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds.