Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, September 7, 1993 TAG: 9309070011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Army. Now, there's a team that would get his blood stirring.
UVa hasn't played the Cadets during Welsh's 12-year tenure, and the teams aren't scheduled to meet anytime soon. On the other hand, Welsh will face his alma mater for the ninth time when Navy visits Scott Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday.
"I'd rather not play 'em," said Welsh, who played quarterback for the Midshipmen and led the nation in passing in 1955. "I'd rather play somebody else, but it's hard to get the schedules changed."
Some might think, coming off a 53-0 rout last year in Annapolis, Md., that Virginia would be inclined to play Navy through eternity.
"I've been trying to get Army instead of Navy, even though I hate . . . I hate the wishbone is what I mean to say," said Welsh, inter- rupted by laughter at his weekly news conference. "I think Army would draw here. They must have 30,000 officers in Washington. You'd probably get 5,000 West Point graduates. We would draw well in New York, I think. At least our New York alumni keep telling me that."
Army has not played Virginia since 1979, although the Cadets have played Duke and Wake Forest three times each since 1989 (counting Duke this season).
"They don't want another [ACC opponent], and I guess they figure they have a better chance against Wake and Duke," said Welsh, failing to mention that Army played North Carolina in 1991 and '92.
Virginia is scheduled to visit Navy next year before the Middies drop off the schedule for an undetermined period.
"I think it would be better for us to go somewhere else to play rather than Annapolis," Welsh said. "Take the team into New Jersey or go to Boston College. We've got enough games in the South. Rutgers is coming on the schedule, [but] I hear they want to get out of it now that they're in the Big East."
\ ABBREVIATED DEBUT: Welsh said center Peter Collins, a fifth-year player making his first career start, was one of the Virginia players least likely to be ejected Saturday at Maryland.
"I've had better days," said Collins, thrown out of the game for fighting after only 16 plays. "I was shocked. I think people would tell you I'm one of the nicest guys on the team. I never lose my temper. I've never been in a fight in practice."
Collins said he pushed one of the Maryland players with palms open and his hands bounced into the player's headgear. Welsh, furious at the time, said replays did not show the confrontation from either of two angles.
"The referee said [Collins] punched [the Maryland player] and he had no choice other than to throw him out," Welsh said. "Observers told our coaches this morning that Collins shoved the guy and knocked the referee down. If that prompted an ejection, I think the referee was wrong."
Welsh said the loss of Collins left the Cavaliers without five offensive linemen who were projected to play this season, four of them injured. Junior Bryan Heath played every snap on offense, the last 63 after moving from guard to center.
\ A NEW WAY: UVa fullback Charles Way, leading the ACC in rushing and scoring after one week, had five gains of 11 yards or more Saturday. That was contrasted with last year, when 17 of his last 24 rushing attempts resulted in gains of 3 yards or less.
"I don't know why that was," Welsh said. "Maybe he was nicked [injured]. He's bigger and he's faster, but he's always been a pretty good runner. There are some more plays in for him right now."
\ PRECISION UNEXPECTED: One of the most pleasant surprises for Welsh on Saturday was the early effectiveness of sophomore quarterback Symmion Willis, who was 5-for-5 on the Cavaliers' first drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jerrod Washington.
"If you would have told me we would have four long drives for touchdowns, I would have said, `No way,' " Welsh said. "We hadn't done it in spring. We hadn't done it in preseason. The key for us that game was having [Jim] Reid back at left tackle. See how the Redskins do without [Jim] Lachey."
\ NOTES: A school-high 18 ex-Virginia players made opening-day National Football League rosters, including 10 who were on the UVa team that was ranked No. 1 for three weeks in 1990. . . . Virginia entered Saturday's game with 25 position players who had started at least one game in their college careers, 21 of whom had started more than once. . . . Redshirt freshman Kyle Kirkeide, 5-for-5 on extra points in his college debut, has received a scholarship.
by CNB