Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 15, 1994 TAG: 9404150017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
All-America center Jim Pyne and starting tackle Chris Barry are gone, and there are new faces at three positions. Drills are fine, Grimes says, but he can't wait for the spring game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Salem Stadium.
"The thing these kids need more than anything else is to play the game," Grimes said. "This offensive line has a chance to be a real good offensive line. There's so much youth in it, though."
Starting right tackle Mike Bianchin has missed several practices with a sprained ankle but may play Saturday, Grimes said. That's important; Grimes said he wants to keep the first and second units together. Last year, the same five players accounted for all but one starting assignment (Bianchin started one game when Barry was injured).
If healthy, Bianchin would start alongside center Billy Conaty (a starting tackle last year), tackle Jay Hagood and guards Chris Malone (11 starts there last year) and Damien McMahon (11 starts there last year).
First-year players Gennaro DiNapoli and Anthony Kapp, from Milford (Conn.) Academy, haved moved into second-team spots. Tackle T.J. Washington, guard Jared Hamlin and center John Matesic are getting second-team work.
Grimes said McMahon and Hamlin, both right guards who hover around the 300-pound mark, need to slim down to improve their quickness.
Conaty, Grimes said, is working out well at center.
"He's a natural, instinctive football player," Grimes said. "That's important. That may be one of the most overlooked things there is."
\ CONTRACT: Tech coach Frank Beamer has moved closer to a contract extension, having received a proposal from Tech athletic director Dave Braine. An agreement and announcement may come during the weekend. "Let me see if we're going to do this" before discussing it, Beamer said. "It's not any big deal."
\ TIGHT ENDS: Replacing '93 starter John Burke will be difficult because Burke played such a key role in the success of Tech's running game. That's one reason former Parade All-American Bryan Jennings hasn't won the job outright. Fifth-year senior Kevin Martin's consistency and blocking and redshirt junior Rhasheyd Williams' speed and athletic ability have them in the hunt, too.
The spring game probably will give tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring his pecking order.
Stinespring said Jennings had improved "vastly" in run-blocking until tendinitis in a knee got in the way. Jennings' pass-catching ability, Stinespring said, is "as good as advertised."
\ ON DEFENSE: Selected spring observations from defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian:
On highly recruited Korey Irby at "whip" linebacker: "It's a position he should be comfortable in; he played it in high school. I'm hoping that's a position he can grow into."
On defensive tackle Jim Baron, a 1993 junior college recruit who was not admitted to Tech until this semester: "He's really shown some outstanding capabilities to perform, he's a great kid, a beautiful person with a work ethic and has talent."
On linebacker Ken Brown, the team's leading returning tackler: "He's having an outstanding spring, showing great senior leadership."
\ ETC: Count on seeing Tech recruit Tony Morrison playing behind surprise '93 star Torrian Gray at rover next season. "He's got to prove to us he's not ready," Elmassian said of Morrison. "He's on the two-deep. That's a done deal." . . . Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School athletic director Bert Harris said James Crawford, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver/defensive back, intends to enroll at Tech. Crawford likely will arrive in January 1995.
by CNB