Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409070072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
``I thought it gave our schedule some balance,'' Welsh said, ``but when you're looking a team like Florida State in the eye, you'd like to think you could have found an easier opponent.''
The Cavaliers, who have gone 5-0 to start three of the past four seasons, will be 19-point underdogs today when they visit the defending national champions at 3:30 p.m. in a game that will be televised regionally by ABC (WSET channel 13 in the Roanoke viewing area).
Many teams prefer to open at home, against a non-conference opponent that is either building or rebuilding. That is the case with 21st-ranked Virginia Tech, which entertains Arkansas State at 4 p.m. at Lane Stadium.
In other games of local interest, Bill Stewart will make his head-coaching debut when VMI plays host to Richmond at 1:30 p.m. With any luck, Stewart will not be interrupted by the birth of his first child, expected Monday.
The post-Hank Norton era officially begins at Ferrum when Dave Davis leads the Panthers against 1993 Division III runner-up Rowan College. Davis previously was an assistant under Norton, who retired last year after 34 seasons.
Virginia will be making its second trip in as many years to Tallahassee, where then-No.1 Florida State raced to a 30-0 halftime lead last season against a UVa team that was unbeaten and ranked 14th.
``We just freaked out,'' Virginia center Bryan Heath said. "We believed we could beat 'em. We prepared well and we played hard, but we just made stupid mistakes.
``I've watched the film five or six times and it was just ridiculous. They'd just beaten Miami, there was a lot of electricity and we just got caught up in the excitement. We were hitting people; they were just the wrong people.''
A pair of third-quarter touchdowns allowed Virginia to close the gap before losing 40-14. That matched the lowest victory margin over an ACC opponent last year for Florida State.
That FSU team featured Heisman Trophy winner and two-time ACC player of the year Charlie Ward, but Welsh expects little dropoff now that junior Danny Kanell has taken over as the Seminoles' quarterback.
``I don't think they lose anything in the pocket,'' said Welsh, acknowledging that Ward was a superior scrambler. ``If I were in Bobby Bowden's shoes, I would not be afraid to have Kanell in the pocket 20 times against us.''
Florida State might be concerned about Kanell's protection after the suspension of three offensive linemen, including two starters, but the offensive line is an even greater concern for UVa.
``I remember coming up to [assistant] coach [Danny] Wilmer after a scrimmage and saying we weren't getting any better,'' Heath said. ``He said, "Listen, son. It's not as bad as it looks. I'm just glad nobody got hurt.'''
Heath is the only UVa offensive lineman starting at the same position he played last year. The Cavaliers are counting heavily on right tackle Chris Harrison, an injury victim in 1993 who could not walk at this time a year ago.
In some late personnel decisions announced Friday, Welsh said that redshirt Ronde Barber from Roanoke would start at one of the cornerback spots and that sophomore Rafael Garcia had won the kicking job from Kyle Kirkeide.
The Virginia Tech starters could have a short afternoon against 36-point underdog Arkansas State, which finished 2-8-1 in its first season under John Bobo, who took over when former NFL coach Ray Perkins resigned.
Arkansas State, a member of the far-flung Big West Conference, was one of two opponents Tech originally had scheduled for today. When the conflict was discovered last spring, Tech elected to pay a fee for dropping Division I-AA James Madison.
Tech replaces Florida on an Arkansas State schedule that also includes Mississippi State and Memphis. The Indians tied Mississippi State last year and closed with a victory over bowl hopeful Nevada, which was 7-3-1 at the time.
``They were a great Division I-AA football program for many years,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ""They're going through some growing pains. They want to show they can play Division I-A football.''
Beamer said films show that Arkansas State should have beaten Mississippi State last year; however, the Indians scored 11 offensive touchdowns all year and recently were ranked 104th out of 107 Division I-A teams by Sports Illustrated.
Tech, ranked 22nd by The Associated Press in the preseason, jumped ahead of Illinois before either team had played a game. It was the first time the Hokies' football program had been ranked in the preseason.
``It's a goal for Saturday: "Let's move up,''' Beamer said. "I like it a lot. It's part of our goal, [so] we're halfway home. I hope we have the same respect at the end of the year.''
For the Indians to have a chance at an upset, they will have to contain Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo, who completed 129 of 230 passes for more than 2,000 yards last year.
``Their quarterback is Randall Cunningham the second,'' Bobo said. ``He's one of the best I've seen. I'd be shocked if at the end of the season he's not ranked high on the Heisman Trophy list.''
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.
by CNB