Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
No sooner was Bill Stewart named VMI's head football coach, however, than he learned his wife was expecting their first child - two days after the Keydets' season opener.
``We didn't want to believe it at first,'' said Karen Stewart, who did not see a doctor until she arrived in Lexington. ``Our reaction was, `After all these years! It can't possibly be.'''
Karen had a doctor's appointment Tuesday and was told that the baby probably would not arrive before its Monday due date. Her sister, Debbie, will arrive Friday just in case there are any sudden developments.
The Keydets entertain Richmond at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Alumni Memorial Field.
``We're not going to get him off the field,'' she said. ``I figure, If the baby's not here by 11, it better not get here until 6.''
Karen Stewart plans to be at the game, with a front-row parking lot and emergency-services personnel at the ready. Fortunately, Stonewall Jackson Hospital is a five-minute drive from the stadium.
``We could walk if we had to,'' she said. ``Let's hope we don't.''
The Stewarts hope the baby won't come too late because after an open date Sept.10, VMI goes on the road for three weeks. To that end, Bill Stewart asked his wife Tuesday if she wanted to wash his truck.
``He was hoping to induce labor,'' she said, ``but I told him I didn't think it was a good idea for me to be up on a ladder. I told him that maybe he should stop by the carwash.''
TOUGH BUSINESS: Georgia Tech quarterback Donnie Davis accounted for more than 2,000 yards last year as a sophomore but was unable to keep his job. Junior-college All-American Tommy Luginbill, son of former San Diego State coach Al Luginbill, will start tonight against Arizona.
``Had Donnie been healthy, yes, that would have been surprising,'' Georgia Tech coach Bill Lewis said, ``but you have to understand the circumstances. There was so much uncertainty as the result of Donnie's second [shoulder] operation. Not only did he miss 15 days of spring practice, but he was not cleared for the fall until the middle of June.''
THURSDAY MANIA: The Arizona-Georgia Tech game is one of 16 being played tonight, including North Carolina State's opener against Bowling Green, which requested that the game be moved to Thursday from Saturday, when it was scheduled originally.
``They said they wanted extra time to prepare for a big conference game the next week,'' said coach Mike O'Cain, whose Wolfpack meet Clemson on Sept.10. ``That wasn't an issue for us. We just felt it would be good from an attendance standpoint because a lot of our students might be going to the beach for the weekend.''
WARE LOOKING: Ex-William Fleming and University of Virginia football standout David Ware is unlikely to rejoin the New York Jets, who put him on waivers Tuesday. Ware, a fourth-round draft pick in 1993, is looking at other NFL opportunities through agent Allen Herman.
There will be 16 former Virginia players on opening-day NFL rosters, not counting rookie free-agent linebacker P.J. Killian, waived by Cleveland and then reclaimed by the Browns for their practice team. Ten ex-Virginia Tech players will be in uniform this weekend, including rookies Tyronne Drakeford, John Burke and Jim Pyne.
LOADED AGAIN: Division III power Rowan College, which serves as the opposition for Ferrum College in Dave Davis' debut as head coach, has 35 transfers on its roster. Thirteen of the transfers are from Division I programs, including one-time Maryland quarterback hopeful Greg Lister, who also spent time at Pittsburgh.
POWELL TRANSFERS: Mike Powell, a freshman guard whose free throws with one second left gave Virginia a 63-61 basketball victory over Coppin State, has transferred to Loyola of Baltimore.
Powell, who played only 102 minutes and would have been redshirted had he remained at UVa, will rejoin new Loyola coach Brian Ellerbe. Ellerbe was an assistant at UVa for the past four seasons and was responsible for recruiting Powell.
The departure of Powell leaves Virginia with 10 scholarship players, three under the NCAA limit. The Cavaliers have six scholarships available for 1995-96, seven if Cory Alexander elects not to return for his final year of eligibility, as appears likely.
MORE CASUALTIES: Darryl Faulkner, who averaged 10.4 points and had a team-high 88 assists for VMI as a freshman, has been declared academically ineligible but is taking courses at Prince George's County (Md.) Community College in hopes of returning for the second semester.
First-year coach Bart Bellairs said the Keydets will miss Faulkner's scoring from the point-guard spot, as well as his experience. ``He's already had a year of being thrown to the wolves,'' said Bellairs, who mentioned returnees Bobby Prince and Howard Byrd as possible replacements.
nClemson is down to 11 scholarship players after spring signees Andre McCollum and Raul Haggins failed to graduate from Anderson (S.C.) Junior College. Earlier, 6-foot-10 Frank Tomera had transferred to Creighton, leaving the Tigers with no returnees taller than 6-6.
GROWING RESPECT: The men's soccer team at Roanoke has been ranked sixth in the preseason Division III poll, the highest ranking in the history of the program. The Maroons play Chowan at 8 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Domino's Classic at the River's Edge Complex.
by CNB