Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 28, 1993 TAG: 9310280064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
Used to be, Virginia Tech's football studies never included homework labeled "Tyronne Drakeford." The Hokies' all-star cornerback was a gimme.
Now, Tech and Drakeford are at the blackboard, stomachs in knots, staring at an unfriendly set of head-scratchers, no teachers' edition textbook in sight.
Drakeford wonders about his pro prospects, and how his broken right ankle will heal, and how Tech will fare without him. Tech wonders about its Tyronne-less secondary, and whether its successful season can survive Drakeford's season-ending injury.
Drakeford's NFL future seems an easier call than whether a Hokie secondary staffed by five freshmen, a sophomore, junior and senior will prosper. He's been told that once the broken bone heals, it'll be "like nothing ever happened."
"When I think about it, it kind of like motivates me," he said. "I'm going to do better once I get well - improve my speed, get a little stronger.
"I feel if I hadn't gotten this injury, I would look forward to being a high draft choice. Now, I just want to get a chance."
James Harris, former NFL quarterback and current New York Jets' assistant general manager, has seen Drakeford in practice this year, and the Jets have scouted at least one Hokie game.
"He's a legitimate prospect," Harris said. "He's one of the guys we would be monitoring the rest of the year."
Tech's secondary will be scrutinized, too. Although the Hokies' pass defense is rated No. 2 in the Big East Conference, Tech has allowed the most passing yards and the second-most yards per game.
That's with Drakeford for all but six quarters of the season. In two of those quarters - the second half against Rutgers - Tech allowed 35 points, two touchdown passes and 197 yards in the air. Drakeford bothered Rutgers enough that the Scarlet Knights threw long against him (incomplete) early in the game, offensive coordinator Stan Parrish said, "to let him know he wasn't going to dictate the terms [of play]."
"When they lost him, it was a lot easier for us," said Parrish, who added he thinks Drakeford was the Big East's best cornerback. "We had people running free up the field.
"It's a confidence thing, too. He's obviously the leader of that group. They're going to miss him immensely."
Drakeford, a preseason All-Big East pick, said most opponents didn't challenge him. Parrish said Rutgers was hoping Tech would stick Drakeford on receiver Chris Brantley regardless of which side of the field Brantley lined up on. Tech didn't, but Parrish said that would have allowed Rutgers to try to exploit Green on the open side of the field.
"They give him a lot of freedom. He almost takes [his] guy out of the game," said Parrish.
That means, among other things, that free safety Antonio Banks could cheat away from Drakeford and toward helping the other cornerback, true freshman Larry Green or senior Scott Jones.
"Now, I have to more or less stay in the middle of the field," Banks said.
Banks, and Tech coach Frank Beamer, forecast a rain of leather in the secondary. This week's opponent, East Carolina, throws 30 times a game. Next in line are Boston College's Glenn Foley, whose 179 attempts are most in the Big East; Heisman Trophy long shot Marvin Graves of Syracuse; and Virginia's Symmion Willis, ranked eighth nationally in pass efficiency.
"[Tyronne] was a guy that could man-up and you'd feel good about the matchup out there," Beamer said. "I think our two corners have got to expect more balls coming at 'em. They're going to be tested.
"It's a hard place to hide back there."
Drakeford never wanted to. When he learned last year that Tech was switching to the 4-3 defense, his happiness was reserved until he learned he would be playing the "field" cornerback - the one with the most ground to cover.
"I figured most teams will go to the field. Most teams will have their best receiver going to the field. I want that challenge," Drakeford said. "I see that as an opportunity. Most of the time when a team sees a DB one-on-one, they might challenge you. It's an opportunity for me to get an interception."
Drakeford had one of those this year, but the chances will remain for Tech's cornerbacks - Green, Jones, walk-on freshman Danny Osborne and redshirt freshman Okesa Smith - because Beamer said Tech's philosophy won't change. Tech blitzes often have left the defensive backs on their own.
"If you're going after them and manning up, you'd better go after them and man-up, or at least pick your moments," Beamer said.
Drakeford had 16 pickoffs in his Tech career, two short of tying the school's all-time record. That's not the only reason, or even the main one, NFL scouts like him.
At least twice in a telephone interview, Harris finished quickie evaluations of Drakeford with the refrain: And he's got speed.
"He's a [kick-] returner. That helps," Harris said. "He has man-to-man coverage skills, and playing that position, you like speed. He has speed. If a guy can't run back there, it won't be long before the kicker starts warming up."
Except for video, pro scouts have seen all they'll see of Drakeford this season. He probably would be healthy if the Hokies make a bowl game, but even if they don't, Drakeford has one more chance to perform under game conditions at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. in January.
In the meantime, Drakeford has to make the best of it. He doesn't want his teammates to see him depressed over the injury or to feel like they have to perform to cheer him up.
He might help by giving pointers to his secondary friends, although there's one problem.
"I would be glad to do that but with these crutches, they're terrible. I don't think I'll be walking out to the practice field," he said. "I've told them some things - don't worry about me being absent; go out there and keep doing what they've been doing."
by CNB