Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 13, 1993 TAG: 9310130073
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
That's not the predicted final score of Saturday's game at Lane Stadium. It's the tally of rookies each team has among its top 22 players, and it's about the only thing Temple has more of than Tech.
The Owls are one of Division I-A's worst teams. The Hokies, however, can claim accelerated benefits from their freshmen.
Four - end Cornell Brown, tackle Waverly Jackson, free safety Antonio Banks and cornerback Larry Green - start on a defense that has improved from last year and is second in the Big East Conference in rushing yards allowed per game. Banks is tied for the Big East lead with three interceptions. Jackson is the only redshirt freshman in that group.
Three more - tackle Billy Conaty, fullback Brian Edmonds and tailback Tommy Edwards - have made significant contributions to an offense that has shredded weak defenses in Tech's three victories. All three have redshirted.
"[They] have been in some pretty good ballgames already and haven't flinched yet," Tech coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday at his weekly news conference.
Freshmen have pitched in on other Beamer teams (Vaughn Hebron, Jim Pyne and Tyronne Drakeford, to name a few), but not in such quantity and with the success enjoyed so far by Tech.
Tech's two most recent recruiting classes have received generally higher marks from recruiting analysts than previous classes under Beamer. That may not always matter.
"Different people come in and they react differently," Beamer said. "Sometimes you can't predict how people are going to do it. These people have been pretty impressive.
"The last couple years [recruiting] has been upgraded a little bit."
Jackson, at 6 feet 3, 288 pounds, is Tech's biggest lineman. Mobility, however, has helped him tie for fourth on the team in tackles (27) and earn him six quarterback hurries and one sack.
He is a former fullback and middle linebacker at Park View High in South Hill - not known as a football-producing area. Jackson said being recruited was a surprise at first, but his ascent has not surprised Tech's coaches.
Jackson said playing linebacker, fullback and being on the basketball team "helped me out a lot, being able to move, being flexible." At Tech, his learning curve continues.
"Miami, we had them third-and-six. I was over top of the center in a goal-line defense," Jackson said. "I was really trying to anticipate what the play was. I got my shoulder pads up and they took me back. I learned from that."
Said Beamer: "I think you see a better player each week. He's got all the ingredients to be a great player, and he works at it."
\ REVISIONISM: Tech's sports information department, after consulting with the coaches, took great pains Tuesday to explain how Jim Pyne's streak of consecutive snaps without allowing a sack remains intact, even though the defender Pyne was blocking on a second-quarter play Oct. 2 against West Virginia did sack Tech's Maurice DeShazo.
Tech's coaches determined that noseguard Barry Hawkins was not Pyne's assignment on the play, and Tech's All-America center was covering for a teammate's blown assignment. So, even though Pyne allowed the sack, he did not officially allow the sack. Tech considers his streak alive at 2,194 snaps.
\ UPS AND DOWNS: Tech averaged 50.3 points and 600 total yards against Bowling Green, Pittsburgh and Maryland. Against WVU and Miami, Tech's numbers are 7.5 and 245. Why?
"When you're playing a team that's 1-3 or 1-4, one mistake out of 11 can be overlooked," tight end John Burke said. "When you're playing these better teams, you need all 11 guys clicking on the same cylinder. When you score 55 points, you think everyone is clicking on the same cylinder. It's not until after a game like [Miami or WVU] that you realize not everyone was on the same page. I think guys realize that now."
\ WIDE TIGHT END: Occasionally, Burke becomes a third receiver, lining up in a slot between one wide-out and the offensive tackle. It's not because Tech is trying to go deep to its not-fast, 6-3, 245-pound tight end. Asked why he's out there instead of another receiver on a three-receiver set, Burke said it's to pair an opposing cornerback with "a guy who's been blocking all his life" if Tech runs.
"It's either a corner or a linebacker. Either way, I consider it a mismatch," Burke said.
\ INJURIES: Beamer said cornerback Scott Jones, whose kneecap was injured during the Miami game, is doubtful for this week. Linebacker Vernon Dozier's sore shoulder makes him questionable, Beamer said. Linebacker George DelRicco (sore shoulder) will see limited practice time but should play; tailback Dwayne Thomas (sprained ankle) is fine.
\ ETC: Tech's offense remains the Big East's best on third-down conversions (50.7 percent). Next is Syracuse (47 percent). The Hokies' defense is second in preventing third-down conversions, allowing three successes out of 10 . . Tech leads the league in rushing offense (279.2 yards per game); Temple's defense allows a league-worst 339.2 yards rushing per game . . . Tommy Edwards is second in the Big East in scoring; he has 48 points to 54 for Darnell Campbell of Boston College.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
Memo: ***CORRECTION***