Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 23, 1993 TAG: 9308230039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
They'll have to wait.
Harrison, expected to start at right tackle, suffered a leg injury in the Cavaliers' scrimmage Saturday that will cause him to miss the entire season.
"He was a very good player right now - by far the best right tackle," UVa coach George Welsh said Sunday on the ACC media tour. "We're going to have to consider a move."
Harrison suffered a compound fracture when another player rolled onto the back of his right leg.
"I heard something that sounded pretty awful," defensive end Mike Frederick said. "I got up right away and said, `Somebody get out here.' You knew it was really bad.
"I know everybody was trying not to let Chris look at it. All I know is, there was blood dripping through the sock. I turned away. I was so upset; Chris probably is one of the best-liked guys on the team."
It was reminiscent of the injury that ended the career of former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, although Harrison has another year of eligibility and told Welsh on Sunday that he planned to return.
"He's [Harrison] the kind of kid who gets the job done and he doesn't tell you about it," offensive guard Mark Dixon said. "He's going to win his wars. It hurts. He's incredibly talented.
"You lose Chris Harrison and you'd be lying to say it's business as usual. It's not. There's a sense of urgency. Somebody's got to step up, [but] these guys are on scholarship, too."
Harrison, 6 feet 3 and 285 pounds, was redshirted as a freshman in 1990 and played defense until moving to offense last year during the preseason. He started three games at left tackle when regular Jim Reid was injured.
The return of Reid freed Harrison for a move to the right side, but earlier this week Reid underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee for the fourth time.
To make matters worse, Bill Edwards, the projected starter at right guard, has not practiced. Edwards broke one of his legs while playing basketball in the spring, but he and Reid are expected to be ready for the season opener Sept. 4 at Maryland.
"I'd like to leave Edwards at guard," Welsh said, "but Edwards can play right tackle. We're not going to be two-deep, but hopefully, we can have eight people ready for the first game."
Welsh said he is considering moving Edwards to right tackle and center Bryan Heath to right guard, which would leave fifth-year senior Peter Collins, a career back-up, as the starting center.
Welsh could move Edwards to right tackle, leave Heath at center and promote redshirt freshman Jeremy Raley to first team at right guard. Or, he could move back-up left tackle John Slocum to the right side.
Slocum played on defense last year as a true freshman, "but he's a first-year player as far as we're concerned," offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien. "We haven't started a redshirt freshman on the offensive line since 1986."
Harrison's injury shifted the focus only momentarily from the quarterback situation, which remains unresolved less than two weeks before the opener. The candidates are sophomores Symmion Willis and Mike Groh and redshirt freshman Tim Sherman.
"There's not much to choose from," Welsh said. "It's amazing that one of the guys hasn't done as well or two guys haven't gotten way ahead, but it doesn't seem to be the case this year.
"For the team's sake, we've got to get a quarterback. We won't have a quarterback ready for the opener if we keep going like this. You're hoping for somebody to be real sharp, but they haven't been."
Welsh said he hopes to choose two quarterbacks early this week, then pick his starter after the Cavaliers hold their second scrimmage Thursday.
\ NOTES: Welsh called it "pretty definite" that freshman Tiki Barber from Roanoke will play this season; however, he does not want to waste a year's eligibility and will not use Barber as a return man until he has played from scrimmage. . . . Redshirt freshman Will Brice has emerged as the frontrunner for the punting job.
by CNB