
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 10, 1994                   TAG: 9404100148
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

HASKINS SHINES FOR VMI

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and VMI was guaranteed to win. What more could Bill Stewart ask for in his inaugural game as the Keydets head football coach?

"You couldn't ask for a better day," said Stewart, after the red squad rallied to beat the white squad 23-17 on Saturday in VMI's spring football game.

"This is what it's all about," he said. "Some people don't view spring football as important, but it's really when you start to mold next year's team."

Sophomore back Thomas Haskins rushed for 140 yards on 12 carries for the red squad (first team), including a 38-yard touchdown run up the right side that tied the score at 17-17 with 7 minutes, 45 seconds left in the game.

The red squad had taken a 10-0 lead in the second quarter after Geoff Goff nailed a 42-yard field goal and defensive end Chris Strock returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown.

But the white squad made it 10-3 by halftime when Goff, who played for both teams, converted a 32-yard field goal. Jason Ross, a sophomore running back, tied the score 10-10 in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle.

Ross also threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Craig Lutterbie to give the white squad a 17-10 lead with 2:37 left in the third quarter.

Senior Spike Johnson played quarterback for the red squad, completing four of 10 passes for 27 yards. His longest pass - a 55-yard touchdown bomb to Eric Reynolds - was called back because of holding.

Rick Mattoso relieved Johnson in the third quarter and provided the final margin by engineering a reverse to Reynolds who threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to junior Marlon Anderson. Reynolds moved to wide receiver this spring after playing quarterback last year for the Keydets, who finished 1-10.

Jason McCoy, a freshman from Spring, Texas, made his VMI debut as quarterback of the white squad. He completed two of four passes for 23 yards. Ross was the white squad's leading rusher with 38 yards on eight carries.

For the first time in five years, VMI fans did not see the Wishbone at Alumni Memorial Field. Stewart dropped the trademark offense of Jim Shuck, who was fired in December, and installed a multiple I formation.

"[The players] trusted us and I think they're excited about the change," Stewart said. "Now there are others to help relieve the burden on the quarterback."

Stewart also tinkered with the defense, using an attack strategy instead of a pure drop-and-read system.

by CNB