Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 2, 1993 TAG: 9310020226
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The Indians, long-known as one of the more pass-happy high school football teams in Timesland, used the ground game to score four touchdowns as they ran over Tazewell 38-6 in a non-district game.
Tucker LaForce and Tony Wheeler took turns carrying the ball for Blacksburg (2-3).
Wheeler got the Indians' running game going. On their second play, Wheeler went around the right side for 16 yards. He finished with 45 yards on eight carries - all in the first half - and helped set up a couple of touchdowns and a field goal along the way.
LaForce picked up where Wheeler left. He rushed 23 times for 92 yards, scored on runs of 3, 1 and 2 yards, then served as a decoy on the Indians' last touchdown - a 2-yard sweep by Jay Safford.
LaForce's contribution was especially valuable since starting running back Nick Burroughs sat out because of a shoulder injury.
"I wanted to get my first touchdown tonight, I didn't expect to get three," LaForce said. "The line got the job done. I thought we were going to pass more tonight with Nick Burroughs out. Instead, we just kept running the same play - off-tackle - over and over again."
The change in offensive tactics caught the Bulldogs (1-3) off guard.
"We knew they were a real good passing team . . . " said a near-speechless Tazewell coach Dave Litz. "We didn't play real physical or do a good job taking the running game away from them."
By building their reputation as a passing team, the Indians have caused other teams to forget they have produced good running backs over the years, along with quarterbacks and receivers.
"We like to run the football," coach David Crist said. "The offensive line coaches have been working with the line. Their efforts are starting to show."
Also keeping Tazewell off guard was the Blacksburg defense. Excluding the Bulldogs' lone touchdown - a 77-yard run by Curtis Johnson - they had just 97 yards of total offense. And 76 of those came in the last minute of the half or the game.
"Basically, it was the down lineman and the middle linebacker," said defensive end Bobby Collins, whose fumble recovery in the second quarter set up a LaForce touchdown run.
"The whole line played together and played very well. It seemed like they wanted to come in here and mess up our homecoming. We didn't want to let them upset us."
Added Wheeler, who doubles as Blacksburg's middle linebacker: "The defensive line was slanting. That opened up the games for [the linebackers] for stunts."
That tactic enabled the Blacksburg defense to create two turnovers and throw the Bulldogs for a loss of 10 or more yards three times. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB