Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200101
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Sources at the school indicated that Reynolds, a redshirt freshman from Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, was playing football in the snow when he sustained a blow to the back of the neck that displaced several vertebrae.
There is no word whether the original diagnosis of a broken neck was in error; however, the prognosis for Reynolds' recovery apparently has improved since first reports. He is expected to undergo surgery to stabilize the neck this week.
Reynolds, listed in serious condition in the intensive-care unit of Cabell Huntington Hospital, started at cornerback this past season for the Thundering Herd, runners-up in Division I-AA.
\ RECRUITING: Quinton Waller, an All-Richmond Metro wide receiver from Matoaca, has made an oral commitment to Virginia Tech. Waller, who had 37 receptions for 666 yards, is expected to play cornerback for the Hokies.
"We play a lot of man-to-man, which is one of the things that attracted Tech to him," Matoaca coach Pat Manuel said. "He's got tremendous speed and is extremely tough. A lot of people are going to be upset they didn't get a hold of him."
Manuel said he is optimistic that Waller will meet NCAA academic standards when he takes the Scholastic Assessment Test on Saturday. Tech was the only school he visited.
Manuel said he has been "frustrated" in the lack of interest in All-Group AA quarterback Craig Akins, whose only firm offer is from Duke, although he is waiting to hear from Penn State.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback passed for more than 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns this past season and set three playoff records. He ranked sixth in a class of 136 after his junior year and had a grade-point average in excess of 4.0.
"I think somebody's making a huge mistake," Manuel said. "I really don't understand it. It seems that the trend now is toward the [mobile] Charlie Ward mode, but this kid can do more than throw the football. He can play."
Virginia has received a football commitment, its ninth, from 6-foot-4, 230-pound Kirk Willett, a defensive lineman from Jesuit High in Tampa, Fla. Willett considered Boston College, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech.
\ MORE RECRUITING: Timesland defensive player of the year Randy Dunnigan from Pulaski County has called a news conference for 2 p.m. today to announce where he is going to college. Dunnigan said in December that he was leaning to West Virginia.
Patrick Henry quarterback Shannon Taylor says he has narrowed his choices to Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse, with Maryland an outside possibility. Taylor, who favors UVa, acknowledges he may have to go to prep school unless he raises his SAT scores. Taylor was at Fork Union Military Academy this past weekend to take an SAT seminar.
Georgia Tech has added quarterback Tom Luginbill, a junior college All-American who is the son of Al Luginbill, who was released as San Diego State coach after the season. Tom Luginbill provides a backup for starting quarterback Donnie Davis, who may require shoulder surgery this spring.
As expected, 1993 Virginia Tech signee Jim Baron will enroll this semester. Baron, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end from Maywood, Ill., graduated from Triton (Ill.) Junior College and completed additional work required by Tech at New River Community College.
\ TRANQUILL LEGACY: Gary Tranquill, being courted by Virginia Tech to fill its offensive coordinator vacancy, is best known for his offensive wizardry, but he was an underrated recruiter during four years at Virginia (1987-90). Tranquill signed five players who started for UVa in the Carquest Bowl: defensive ends Mike Frederick and Matt Mikeska, tailback Jerrod Washington, fullback Charles Way and offensive guard Peter Collins.
\ COACHING HOTLINE: Tech might have been able to keep former offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle if new South Carolina coach Brad Scott hadn't been rejected by quarterbacks coaches Mark Richt of Florida State and Steve Entsminger of Georgia.
Richt subsequently was appointed offensive coordinator at Florida State, succeeding Scott, and the Seminoles took another predictable step by hiring Ronnie Cottrell as a full-time coach. Cottrell had served as recruiting coordinator, a position that was eliminated by the NCAA.
Virginia Tech graduate assistant Scott Whittier, a former Maryland linebacker, has taken a full-time position at Southern Illinois.
Boston College quarterback coach Gary Crowton has been hired as co-offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech with holdover Steve Shankweiler.
New Duke coach Fred Goldsmith has retained defensive-line coach Rod Broadway, now working for his fifth Blue Devils regime. One-time Ferrum assistant John Zernhelt, who talked with Tech last year, followed Goldsmith from Rice.
\ TIGERS EYE PURNELL: Sources say Clemson has its eye on Old Dominion basketball coach Oliver Purnell as a possible successor to Cliff Ellis, who recently announced his resignation. Purnell, previously the head coach at Radford, developed a familiarity with the ACC while an assistant at Maryland.
\ WOMEN'S HOOPS: Konecka Drakeford has registered for second-semester classes at Virginia, although there is no indication when - or if - she will play basketball for the Cavaliers again. Drakeford, a freshman, was UVa's second-leading scorer when she was arrested Dec. 17 for credit-card theft.
\ OK IN THE CAA: Corey Stewart, who played sparingly in two seasons at Virginia, is the second-leading scorer for North Carolina-Wilmington (10-4). Stewart, a 6-foot-8 forward, is averaging 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds and hitting 42.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Timmy Basham from Roanoke scored a career-high 13 points in only 14 minutes for East Carolina in its Colonial Athletic Association opener against American. Basham is averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds for the Pirates (9-3).
George Mason sophomore Troy Manns, who played with Basham on Patrick Henry's state championship team in 1992, already has more than 100 assists for the Patriots (5-9).
\ LOCAL UPDATE: Former Cave Spring guard Mike Fayed, a junior at Winthrop, had started 61 consecutive games before he was sidelined by the flu against Louisiana State. Fayed has shared starting duties since his return.
Another former Knight, Roanoke College senior Kay Caldwell, needs two points tonight against Emory & Henry to reach 1,000 in her career.
by CNB