Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 25, 1993 TAG: 9310250018
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
But Bill Bailey was stuffed on a dive as the Hokies won an important guessing game to preserve their four-touchdown lead. Tech needed all of that to hold on for a 49-42 Big East Conference victory, and on Sunday the Hokies entered the USAToday/CNN coaches' poll at No. 24.
Rutgers coach Doug Graber said Saturday had his team been farther from the end zone, the play would have been different.
"Even if it's on the 1-yard line, we probably don't do that," he said. "I kind of half-thought they might be playing pass anyway."
Nope. Tech was blitzing - but it was a blitz against the run, linebacker DeWayne Knight said.
"I thought, `They may come back and try to stick it right in there,' " said Frank Beamer, Tech's coach.
One other defensive story for Tech (5-2 overall, 3-2 Big East) was its adjustment after Rutgers scored on its first drive. Linebackers coach Bud Foster said the Scarlet Knights used a double-tight end formation.
"We had seen it before. We hadn't seen it this year," Foster said. "Once we got settled in and knew what they were doing [we were OK]."
Rutgers (4-3, 2-2) didn't score again in the first half, and Tech took a 35-7 lead into the locker room. Two second-half touchdown passes by Maurice DeShazo, the Big East's offensive player of the week, helped the Hokies hang on.
Tech is ranked during the season for the first time since it was No. 19 in the United Press International (coaches') poll after going 7-0 in 1967. The Hokies are four spots out of the Associated Press Top 25, which Tech hasn't cracked during a season since the 1954 Hokies climbed to No. 14 when the poll was the Top 20.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB