Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 26, 1993 TAG: 9309260078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Inspired by a benches-clearing brawl after the first play of the fourth quarter, 22nd-ranked UVa posted its second football shutout in as many home games this season, 35-0.
"Somewhere some hockey player is going to be watching the highlights tonight and saying, `Look at those football players,' " said Virginia defensive end Mike Frederick. "It's the most fun I've had in quite awhile."
The fracas began when UVa quarterback Symmion Willis, intercepted for the first time in two games, leveled interceptor Sean Thomas along the sideline in front of the Cavaliers' bench.
Almost instantaneously, an official's yellow flag flew into the air and the Duke team was on its way across the field. There was much pushing and shoving, a few kicks and a punch or two dozen.
"I don't think that was me; you must have seen somebody else," said UVa defensive tackle Mark Krichbaum, when asked about his involvement. "I wouldn't say it was fun, but I think it got everybody fired up a little."
When calm finally was restored, two players from each team were ejected and Virginia was assessed a 15-yard penalty that gave the Blue Devils possession at the Cavaliers' 44-yard line.
The crowd, almost lifeless to that point, awakened and - along with the UVa defense - fed off a series of miscues that ultimately found the Blue Devils facing fourth-and-58 from their 8-yard line.
"Never seen that before," said UVa's George Welsh, in his 21st season as a college head coach. "I think they're [the Blue Devils] a good offensive team, so that's a pretty good outing by the defense."
Duke (1-3 overall, 0-2 ACC) had scored 80 points and amassed nearly 1,000 yards in total offense in its two previous games, but something happens to the Blue Devils when they play Virginia.
The Cavaliers (4-0, 3-0) have outscored Duke 232-59 in the last five years and have handed Barry Wilson his only shutout losses in four years as the Blue Devils' coach, including a 59-0 rout in 1990.
"This game is always heated," Wilson said. "I told our guys we should be mad at the way they beat us, not about individuals yakking in the paper and all that malarkey that takes place."
Players from both teams said there was considerable talking before the brawl, and the flags resulted not from Willis' hit but from his actions once Thomas was on the ground.
"He [Willis] was on top of him, wouldn't get off him and baited him verbally and by pointing at him," referee Rod Dailey said. "That's when everything broke loose."
Freshmen Johannes Brugger from Duke and Joe Williams of Virginia had the dubious distinction of being ejected without playing. Also tossed were running backs T.C. White of Duke and Kevin Brooks of Virginia.
"I heard one official say to another, `Give me some numbers,' " Brooks said. "I hadn't done anything. We were just there when they started looking for numbers."
The Cavaliers led 28-0 at the time thanks to a three-touchdown second-quarter blitz that included a 9-yard run by Brooks and two Willis touchdown passes.
Willis, who completed his first eight passes for the second game in a row, finished 24-of-34 for a season-high 246 yards and three touchdowns. He didn't deny pointing at Thomas after the tackle.
"I don't know; maybe I did," said Willis, who was sidelined for the last seven games of the 1992 season after a hit late in the Cavaliers' 55-28 victory over the Blue Devils in Durham, N.C.
"Words were said, but it was going on between both teams the whole game. I was trying to take him out [of bounds]. I wasn't trying to be dirty, but he had intercepted me and I was trying to make a statement."
Charles Way's 18-yard touchdown run with 8 minutes, 5 seconds to play put UVa ahead 35-0 on its first possession after the brawl. That was the last appearance for Willis, who was replaced by Mike Groh.
The Blue Devils got as far as the UVa 12-yard line in the closing minutes, but Krichbaum returned for fourth down and rushed Joe Pickens into a hurried pass that fell short of its intended target.
Pickens replaced starter Spence Fischer, who was intercepted three times and didn't come close to a third consecutive 300-yard passing day. All told, UVa had five interceptions and limited the Blue Devils to 221 yards, 27 on the ground.
"Duke came back on us last year [after trailing 41-7 at the half]," Frederick said, "and Welsh told us, `That will not happen again.' He also brought up [UVa's collapse against] Clemson.
"That's a pretty elaborate passing attack Duke has and to shut them out any time is an accomplishment. There at the end, we had fought too hard to let them get a touchdown on us."
The choice of verbs was most appropriate. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB