Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 2, 1994 TAG: 9401020157
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: Medium
When asked Friday about predictions of a BC rout, Lantz said the Eagles had "won a game and played six lousy football teams."
Lantz did not say Boston College had beaten six lousy football teams, as was originally reported, but his remarks were still the topic of much conversation Saturday.
"They made me eat my words," said Lantz, whose defense allowed 557 yards. "BC played a hell of a lot better than I thought they would, and they kept playing better as the game went on."
Lantz wouldn't identify BC's six lousy opponents, in his opinion, but the general consensus was that he was referring to Northwestern, Temple, Rutgers, Army, Tulane and Pittsburgh.
"I will say my comments were based on film study and were not made off the top of my head," he said. "And, I still think the ACC is better than the Big East."
Nevertheless, Virginia, which tied for third in the ACC, lost to the third- and fourth-place Big East teams in Boston College and Virginia Tech.
\ UH-OH: Lantz blamed himself for calling a blitz that left linebacker Tom Burns in single coverage on wide receiver Keith Miller, who caught a 46-yard pass for the touchdown that made it 24-13.
Lantz said Burns would have been best-served to tackle Miller, coincidentally a former teammate at Bishop McNamara in Forestville, Md. The result would have been a 15-yard interference penalty.
\ PICKED ON: Sophomore cornerback Joe Crocker, starting in place of academic casualty Greg McClellan, was the victim on touchdown receptions of 78 and 12 yards by Clarence Cannon.
Head coach George Welsh refused to point a finger at Crocker, noting that UVa's other cornerback, Carl Smith, gave up a 20-yard reception on a third-and-21 play before BC's final touchdown.
\ CROWD SLIM: The announced attendance of 38,516 at 74,913-seat Joe Robbie Stadium was the lowest in the bowl's four-year history and represented the third straight decline.
A total of 47,194 tickets was sold, but 8,678 were returned to the bowl and not distributed. The actual crowd was no more than 30,000 and possibly closer to 20,000.
Virginia, desperate for a bowl bid after the Hall of Fame Bowl used its ACC tie-in to pick N.C. State, committed to 14,000 tickets but brought barely 4,000 people, including school officials and parents.
\ EXTRA POINTS: Glenn Foley's 391 passing yards were the most against Virginia this season. Only Florida State's Charlie Ward, with 322, had surpassed 300. . . . Foley set bowl records for passing yardage, touchdown passes (three) and completions (25). . . . UVa's leading receiver, Patrick Jeffers, played sparingly in his return from a broken collarbone and had one reception for 7 yards. The Cavaliers had vowed to look for Larry Holmes, who had eight catches for 93 yards.
by CNB