Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 2, 1993 TAG: 9310020011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
For sure, a Hokie is welcomed there like coal miners greet a scab during a strike. But on its last two trips, Virginia Tech's football team has broken through the lines and beaten the Mountaineers. Tech never has won on three consecutive games in Morgantown, where it plays 25th-ranked West Virginia at noon today in the Big East Conference's television network game of the week (WSLS Channel 10).
"Going into Morgantown, you know they hate us, the fans hate us," Tech safety Stacy Henley said. "What the coaches told me when I was a freshman [was] that was one of the greatest places ever to play. Seeing all that yellow in the stands, it's just an emotion I can't really explain. The atmosphere of the game is unbelievable."
Stories passed down from old players to young include a warning: Don't incite the fans.
"The crowd . . . is very intense," backup fullback Brian Edmonds said, when asked what he's been told before his first trip to Morgantown. "[We need to] stay focused, stay away from off-the-field gestures and mouthing off."
Said Henley: "I took a [recruiting] visit there. That place is ugly. It looks like an old mining town. They have a nice stadium, though."
It's there that Tech and West Virginia meet for the 39th time in a game that will affect the national rankings (Tech is 28th in the Associated Press poll) and the Big East standings.
WVU officials expect a crowd of about 60,000 at 63,000-capacity Mountaineer Field. Tom McNeer, Tech's ticket manager, said Tech sold about 1,725 tickets, but he said some Hokies fans bought tickets through WVU and he expects 2,000 to 2,500 Tech supporters to attend the game.
"There's probably more excitement around the ballgame than probably any game we've had so far [this year]," said Frank Beamer, Tech's coach.
That's not the only sideshow today.
Hokies quarterback Maurice DeShazo had the worst outing of his career in Tech's 16-7 loss to the Mountaineers in Blacksburg last year. WVU's home losses to Tech in 1989 and '91 had extra flavor: In '89, WVU was ninth-ranked and unbeaten; in '91, a lightning storm interrupted play for 50 minutes, then Tech held WVU on four plays inside the 5-yard line to preserve a 20-14 victory.
Both teams have scribbled bold offensive numbers against poor defenses. Only Tech has faced a strong defensive team - Miami - and the Hokies' offense was shut out. WVU leads the Big East in rushing defense and is second in scoring defense; Tech leads the league in rushing and total offense and is the only Big East team converting more than half (54.6 percent) of its third-down tries.
"The jury's still out on our team," said WVU coach Don Nehlen. "We're not positive if we're any good or not."
Each team has a quarterback - DeShazo and Jake Kelchner - who is having his best season. Last year, WVU's inconsistency may have had roots in Nehlen's flip-flopping of Kelchner and Darren Studstill. It's Kelchner's offense now.
"Jake is a talented guy, playing within the offense," Nehlen said.
Virginia Tech's defense isn't as gracious as it was last year, when it gave up 405 yards and 25.6 points per game. The numbers are down to 388.5 and 21.5 in four games - but the Hokies haven't played a physical, run-oriented offense such as the one WVU possesses.
The Mountaineers have passed fewer times than any Big East team, and their 231 yards rushing per game ranks third in the league.
"It's going to be a different game from what we played in the past this season," Henley said. "They knock your teeth in every play."
by CNB