Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 12, 1994 TAG: 9408120079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Keydets have new yellow-gold pants to go with their new coach, Bill Stewart, who is seeking to restore more of what used to be fashionable at VMI than just fashion.
He describes the pants as ``McKenna's Gold,'' not referring to an old flick but to the days 40 years ago when coach John McKenna guided VMI teams that were unbeaten much later than in preseason practice.
VMI, which also will wear gold helmets, hasn't had a winning season since 1981. And Stewart's media day remarks Thursday at Alumni Memorial Field did awaken at least a couple of echoes.
For preseason openers, Stewart sounded much the same as his two immediate predecessors, Eddie Williamson and Jim Shuck. They were rookie head coaches, too, and to people who know them, despite their records, they certainly aren't losers.
Shuck's five years ended stunningly just after he was given a contract extension because he told VMI's hierarchy what it didn't want to hear - that the job was pretty much impossible. The friction on the post was obvious, and the alumni grousing was growing.
Stewart came here after four years at Air Force - that was his 10th coaching job - and to some came off as a pigskin preacher. And if the power of positive thinking means anything, the Keydets will be in the Division I-AA playoffs.
Perhaps the task ahead has tempered Stewart somewhat, but he's sincere in thinking he's the man for the toughest job in the shadow of Stonewall Jackson's statue. And his seat-of-the-pants humor will be needed in the latest VMI building project.
Those who expect VMI to experience women in uniform before it has another winning football season aren't few in number.
``I'll be honest with you,'' Stewart said. ``This job, this school, is not for everybody.''
He hopes it is for an increasing number of Virginia's high school players. Sixteen of Stewart's 23 recruits are from the commonwealth. Getting them may have been difficult, keeping some of them will be more so.
``Attrition,'' Stewart said when asked what the 26th head coach at VMI can't afford. ``If we can't keep 'em, we can't build a program. You can't keep coaching Rats [freshmen] and win.''
In the seven months since he signed a five-year contract for a base salary of $62,000, Stewart has proven to be a persuasive politician. He has smoothed the football program's relations with the administration, and has sold himself and his staff to some doubting players, too.
Still, there are about 30 fewer upperclassmen in the program - for football and other reasons - than there were in December. The Keydets are starting over - again.
At the Southern Conference Rouser, VMI was a unanimous 26-ballot pick for last place this season. It's a once-proud program that has won only 13 of its past 69 league games, and only six of its past 74 games away from Alumni Memorial in a dozen years.
``I've seen them win here before,'' Stewart said. ``I was at Marshall and William and Mary and we came in here and these people handed our fannies to us.''
That was just as VMI was dropping in I-AA, however. That was before the Southern Conference became I-AA's toughest football league. That was when VMI not only played against Virginia Tech and Virginia, but could - and did - beat them.
Stewart knows all of that. He can recite VMI history, and not just because he's memorized it to wow alumni. He wanted to play for coach Bob Thalman, a fellow West Virginian, in the early '70s, ``but I wasn't good enough to get a scholarship here.''
So, he took a circuitous route to a job and a place he said always has intrigued him. Then, he started selling the institute. He not only housed visiting prospects in the barracks, he had Rats as their Friday night hosts.
``People said I was crazy,'' Stewart said.
He'd heard that before - when he went after the job.
``We're not hiding the negatives,'' Stewart said. ``I'll address the negatives, but I'm going to stress the positives.''
On Labor Day weekend, Stewart is scheduled for his first game as a head coach. He and his wife, Karen, are expecting their first child two days later.
No doubt, long-suffering Keydets alumni are expecting Stewart to deliver even more.
He should be given the chance to do that. After all, he only has what might be the toughest coaching job in college football.
``This is the greatest job in the country,'' Stewart said. ``No one thinks we can win except us.''
He seems to have struck gold.
Write to Jack Bogaczyk at the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, 24010.
by CNB