Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 13, 1993 TAG: 9312130046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Neither DeShazo nor Frederick made first or second team on the 1992 Division I all-state team picked by the Roanoke Times & World-News.
"Really, that goes off a team's record, what the school does," said DeShazo, a junior from Bassett. "I struggled, but I didn't play so bad where we couldn't win ballgames."
This year, DeShazo played so well most of the time that the Hokies couldn't lose, staging one of the biggest turnarounds in the country in going from 2-8-1 in 1992 to 8-3. DeShazo passed for 2,080 yards and 22 touchdowns.
It was not an easy choice for the sportswriters who cover college football for the paper. DeShazo's chief competition came from Tech center Jim Pyne, a unanimous All-American, and William and Mary quarterback Shawn Knight, who shattered the NCAA Division I-AA record for passing efficiency.
DeShazo was the first player from Tech selected as Division I offensive player of the year by the paper since Chris Kinzer in 1986. Virginia had furnished the past four, including tailback Terry Kirby last season.
The Cavaliers traditionally have had fewer stars on defense, although All-American Chris Slade was the state defensive player of the year in 1992. For his first two years, Frederick was recognized as UVa's "other" end as Slade prowled opposing backfields.
"You mean Slade didn't get it again?" asked Frederick, who made a name for himself this year with 21 tackles for loss and 10 1/2 sacks, including sacks in UVa's last eight regular-season games. "Truthfully, I expected a lot with Slade leaving and started a little slowly.
"I began to press a little bit and had a couple of meetings with [defensive coordinator Rick] Lantz. He told me to stop analyzing myself and go out there and have some fun. I took some risks the second half of the season. I made some mistakes and got chewed out a number of times, but for the most part it paid off."
DeShazo was one of seven first-team selections for Tech, headed to the Independence Bowl to face Indiana on Dec. 31 in Shreveport, La. UVa, which plays Boston College in the Carquest Bowl on Jan. 1 in Miami, also had seven first-team choices. Tech had a 5-3 edge in second-team selections.
William and Mary, which reached the Division I-AA playoffs before finishing 9-3, had nine players who were recognized, four on the first team and five on the second.
Five players repeated as first-team selections, including Tech defensive back Tyronne Drakeford, a rare three-time choice. Named for the second year in a row were Pyne, James Madison wide receiver David McLeod and offensive linemen Mark Dixon of Virginia and Tom Walters of William and Mary.
Kodak All-American Emerson Martin from Hampton was one of six two-time choices on the Division II-III all-state team, five of them Pirates. The other Hampton repeaters were offensive guard Jason Jones, kicker Ethan Pitts, defensive lineman Chris Williams and defensive back Melvin Crawford.
Williams was named CIAA defensive player of the year after recording 23 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks. The Pirates, who won 12 consecutive games before losing to North Alabama 45-20, finished in the top five in Division II in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense.
Williams is the choice as Roanoke Times & World-News Division II-III defensive player of the year over Emory & Henry defensive back Ricky Webb, who led Division III in interceptions with eight in eight games.
Another ODAC player, Bridgewater running back Ronnie Howard, merited serious consideration for Division II-III offensive player of the year. The choice was quarterback Gregory Clark, who led Virginia State to a 10-1 record, up from 3-7 in each of coach Lou Anderson's first two seasons. Clark passed for 3,437 yards and 38 touchdowns and ranked third in Division II in passing efficiency.
Clark and Williams are seniors, but DeShazo and Frederick will have a chance to repeat as Division I state players of the year in 1994. Remarkably, neither player made first-team all-conference, and DeShazo didn't make second-team in the Big East, where Glenn Foley of Boston College and West Virginia's Jake Kelchner were picked in front of him.
"OK, whatever; it's not like I'm not doing all I can," said DeShazo, who still gets labeled as an all-purpose quarterback, with scant respect for his passing ability. "They're still going to say it, [but] I want to be in both categories."
by CNB