Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 3, 1993 TAG: 9310030169
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Unbeaten and 21st-ranked Virginia pounced on the Bobcats early and breezed to a 41-7 victory Saturday in its last tuneup before visiting No. 1-ranked Florida State in two weeks.
"They tell us, `Don't look ahead, don't look ahead,' " said UVa offensive guard Mark Dixon, a preseason All-American, "but you know who's around the corner, whether you want to admit it or not."
Although the Cavaliers (5-0) gave up their first touchdown in three games this year at Scott Stadium, the offense scored so quickly that the defense hardly had time to rest.
Sophomore quarterback Symmion Willis took advantage of a defense stacked against the run and tied a school record with five touchdown passes, including an 87-yarder to Larry Holmes that made it 28-0 at halftime.
"Even with all the success we've had, there was one little thing missing," said Willis, who did not return after a 49-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Jeffers with 9:44 left in the third quarter.
"We really want to get the deep pass into the offense. The deep ball is one of the greatest feelings you can have as a quarterback and I'd overthrown a few."
Willis had to settle for a share of the individual UVa record with Bobby Goodman, who threw five touchdown passes against Navy last year. However, the Cavaliers set a team record with six touchdown passes, the last by back-up Mike Groh.
Neither team scored after Groh, who was 5-for-5, connected with walk-on Patrick Jeffers on a 7-yard touchdown pass to end the third quarter. Jeffers and Tyrone Davis each had two touchdown receptions.
"I don't think there's any team in the country who can guard our receivers one-on-one," said Willis, who has 13 touchdown passes in five games.
He might wait until after UVa plays Florida State before he says that too loudly, but there's little question Ohio was mismatched against the Cavaliers' passing attack.
"I guess, if they wanted to play us [man-to-man], they can," said Jeffers, who had six catches for 87 yards, "but it didn't seem like the smartest thing to do."
The Bobcats, whose 14-game losing streak is the longest in Division I-A, were ranked 105th out of 106 teams against the run and seemed determined to change that.
"We had to take chances with different blitzes and zones and we got hurt," Ohio coach Tom Lichtenberg said. "If you take away the big plays, we are in the game."
Not really.
The Bobcats went 66 yards for their fourth touchdown of the season, but the biggest chunk of yardage resulted from a roughing-the-passer penalty on UVa linebacker Randy Neal.
"The official said, `You're up 34-0; ease up on the quarterback,' " Neal said. "Then, he threw the flag. I was like, `He's on full scholarship, like me. He's got full pads on. This isn't a practice out here.' "
The Bobcats passed sparingly after quarterback Bubba Lichtenberg, the coach's son, was intercepted by Carl Smith on Ohio's second series. They finished with 198 yards in total offense, 138 on the ground.
Virginia had its season-low rushing output, 153 yards. Sophomore Kevin Brooks led the way with 60 yards on eight carries, although 32 came on one third-quarter burst.
"What hurt the running game in the first half was all the long passes," Dixon said. "We never got into a flow. I love to score, but you want a chance to do your job. I would have liked to pound it a little more."
The Cavaliers, averaging more than 75 offensive plays a game, had 49 Saturday. The Bobcats' time of possession was 37:17 - almost 15 minutes more than the Cavaliers'.
"They had the ball more than I would have liked," said Welsh, meeting a Mid-American Conference opponent for the first time in his 12 seasons as UVa coach. "They just didn't have the skilled people to score touchdowns."
Welsh admitted that breakdowns may have resulted from injuries that kept defensive tackle Mark Krichbaum (back) and linebacker Jamie Sharper (knee) on the bench for most of the game.
The Cavaliers already were without three injured regulars: linebacker P.J. Killian (knee), tight end Aaron Mundy (ribs)and safety Percy Ellsworth (shoulder). Mundy and Ellsworth dressed and could have played in an emergency.
"This has been a key stretch for us," Dixon said. "I think this team has questioned itself more early in the season than any [UVa] team I've been on, which is why it was so important to get the five wins under us.
"Of course, we never came out and said it, but I was wondering what we were going to have this year. We've held up our end of the bargain so far." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB