Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 30, 1993 TAG: 9309300203
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
That has turned out to be correct, although it happened later rather than sooner.
Cornell Wesley transferred to Radford a year ago as a junior but started out with the Blue Demons, for whom his brothers Jerome and Demond had starred.
It took a while for Cornell to get settled in the new system, but once he did, he's become one of the reasons for a Bobcats turnaround this year.
Wesley had the pleasure last week of showing the Blue Demons the direction in which his education has proceeded. Among the stakes that Wesley drove into the chest cavity of the Blue Demons in a 24-14 Radford victory was a total of 68 yards rushing in 10 hauls as a tailback, a 91-yard scoring return with the second-half kickoff that put the Bobcats ahead for good, and 17 tackles - eight unassisted - in his first-ever deployment as a Radford linebacker.
"He was up for this game," Radford coach Norman Lineburg said. "But he's played well for us all year."
Just getting comfortable, really.
"When I got here, the things they did were completely different than what we did at Christiansburg," Wesley said. "But the coaches took the time working with me and that made the difference."
Just learning the plays was a trial, especially as Radford was struggling to an unheard-of 1-9 finish - including a loss to Christiansburg.
Radford's system is more complicated than most. Defensively, Wesley started as a Radford noseguard, which wasn't so difficult. But neither was the recent switch to linebacker.
"When I played linebacker at Christiansburg, I was getting blocked a lot more than I am here," he said. "The linemen keep the blockers off me and that gives me the chance to go to the football. Really, without the linemen, linebackers here can't do anything."
Wesley can do plenty, but so could his brothers. Jerome was a standout football player and wrestler. Demond was a 1,000-yard rusher and splendid all-around track star. Losing the younger Wesley certainly hurt Christiansburg.
Wesley's big plays pained the Demons last week, none more so than the kickoff return.
"When I got the ball, [blocker] Larnelle Lewis cut in front of me and got one of the sprint men and Jon Duncan got the other one," Wesley said. "After that, I was able to get to the sideline and I knew I could go with it."
Wesley did break a cardinal rule of kick returning when he glanced over his shoulder to check out the pursuit.
"All I could see was one of our blockers," he said. "When you see that, you know you're either running too slow or the pursuit has given up."
Clearly, he wasn't running too slow.
Other performances of note:
Blacksburg linebacker Tony Wheeler was in on 22 tackles in a 7-6 loss to Northside.
Giles reserve running back Kevin Slusser ran 12 times for 131 yards and seven players scored nine touchdowns, including a pair by another reserve, Chris Fields, in a 65-18 demolition of Auburn.
Narrows running back Whitey Blankenship ran 14 times for 100 yards and scored three times,one on a 26-yard pass from quarterback Jeff White, and Brett Mosley added 114 yards in 16 carries in a 27-6 rout of Glenvar.
Four Floyd County players scored touchdowns and the Buffaloes held Shawsville to 159 total yards in a 28-6 win. Shawsville penetrated the Buffs' 20 twice in the fourth quarter but were repelled without scoring.
by CNB