Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409190010
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ANNAPOLIS, MD. LENGTH: Medium
First-time starter Groh connected with Davis on touchdown passes of 2, 9 and 5 yards Saturday night as the Cavaliers routed Navy 47-10 before a crowd of 25,463 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.
``They haven't said anything to us about getting the ball to Tyrone, but I know Coach Welsh has said some things in the paper,'' Groh said. ``At his size, we need to be getting Tyrone five or six catches a game.''
Davis, listed at 6 feet 5 and 225 pounds, became the first UVa receiver since Ken Shelton to catch three touchdown passes in a game. He finished with nine receptions for 119 yards - one week after catching one 5-yard pass against Florida State.
``He's [Groh] supposed to throw to the guy who's open,'' Welsh said. ``We called a lot of passes tonight when Davis was first in the progression. We called his number a lot against Florida State, too.''
The Cavaliers squared their record at 1-1 with their fifth victory in five years over Navy, Welsh's alma mater. The Middies leave UVa's schedule this year - at least until the next century.
Navy, coming off a 56-14 pasting by San Diego State, hung with Virginia for most of the first half and trailed the Cavaliers in total yardage only 418-361 for the game.
The game turned in the closing minute of the first half, after Virginia defensive back Ronde Barber trapped a Will Brice punt at the 1-yard line - one of two punts downed by UVa inside the 5.
The Middies, operating without an offensive coordinator since Greg Briner was fired Tuesday, elected not to run out the clock and suffered the consequences.
On second-and-10, Navy quarterback Jim Kubiak tossed a pass in the direction of tailback Michael Jefferson, who never turned around. The ball hit Jefferson in the heel and bounced into the arms of diving linebacker Jamie Sharper.
``If Jefferson turns around, it might be the longest play in Navy history,'' coach George Chaump said. ``We felt we had to pass. They had two timeouts, so we knew they would come after a punt.''
Virginia, ahead 13-3 at the time, took possession at the 14-yard line with 44 seconds remaining and needed only three plays to score - on a 2-yard pass from Groh to Davis.
Groh, pressed into service after regular quarterback Symmion Willis injured a hamstring Tuesday in practice, had run 2 yards for a touchdown and completed 26 of 35 passes for 257 yards in three quarters of work.
``I would've put [Willis] in the game if I had to,'' said Welsh, who will start Willis in next week's home opener against Clemson. ``I feel good about Groh now, [but] nobody loses his job because of injury.''
Said Groh: ``I didn't know until I got on the bus Friday that I would be starting. It was nice to be the guy to go out there every series. I'm not sure it's sunk in yet.''
The Cavaliers took a 3-0 lead on the first of two first-half field goals by Rafael Garcia and led 10-0 before Ryan Bucchianieri kicked a 26-yard field goal for Navy's first points against the Cavaliers in 11 quarters.
Virginia, which had won its previous four games with the Middies by a combined score of 164-24, repeatedly penetrated Navy territory in the first half but bogged down near the end zone.
The Middies stopped UVa on three plays to start the second half, but the Cavaliers quickly broke the game open when Percy Ellsworth blocked a Brian Schrum punt and the Cavaliers recovered at the Navy 26.
Groh's second and third touchdown passes to Davis put the Cavaliers ahead 34-3 before Tiki Barber, a sophomore from Roanoke, Va., took a Schrum punt and was not touched on a 74-yard return for a touchdown.
At that point, Groh gave way to sophomore Tim Sherman, who directed the Cavaliers to their final touchdown following an interception and a 32-yard return by sophomore Sam McKiver.
It was 47-3 before Navy fullback Monty Williams plunged 1 yard for a touchdown with 15 seconds left. Kubiak threw 36 passes in the second half and finished 25-of-55 for 298 yards.
``No way!'' Welsh responded when asked if he had thought UVa was capable of scoring 47 points. ``We haven't scored 47 points against the scout team, but when you get an interception near the goal line, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown, that's what happens.''
by CNB