Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 13, 1994 TAG: 9408160064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers are down to 76 scholarship players, well under the NCAA limit of 85. Moreover, of that 76, four are walk-ons who received scholarships after coming to UVa.
``If you take a look at our third-, fourth- and fifth-year players, we're really only two-deep,'' Welsh said, ``and that's not good.''
Offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien conceded that the Cavaliers, a preseason choice for third place in the ACC, are an injury away from disaster at three positions.
The shortage is a relatively recent development attributable mostly to academics. Since the end of the spring, three players with remaining eligibility - Antonio Prosise, Greg Powell and Andre Gilbert - have been placed on academic probation.
Also, big-play receiver Larry Holmes elected not to return to school, although it is uncertain whether he would have been eligible academically.
One of UVa's signees, Maurice Anderson, did not meet NCAA eligibility standards. Neither did two players who committed but did not sign, Shannon Taylor and Tony Dingle. A fourth recruit, Tyrone McGill, did not survive UVa's summer Transition Program.
Finally, the Cavaliers held a scholarship for Academic All-American Tom Burns, who was rejected by the NCAA in his appeal for an extra year of eligibility.
Virginia already had been limited to 83 scholarships for the second year of its NCAA probation.
``The thing about those numbers is, that's a maximum,'' Welsh said. ``You don't want to tell somebody who has a grant or who has been signed to a grant that he doesn't have one. You have to very careful. Usually, nobody is at the maximum.''
This is the second year in a row that UVa has had 14 scholarship freshmen - well under the one-year NCAA limit of 25.
``We're going to have a lot of grants next year,'' Welsh said. ``If this program's going to get better, we have to have a lot of quality people in next year's class. The numbers have to be up and the quality has to be up.''
WALK-ONS: Sophomore Rafael Garcia may be awarded one of UVa's vacant scholarships if he retains the kickoff job that he won at the end of last season. ... Five freshman are among the 17 walk-ons practicing with the team, including defensive back Matt Bressan, whose father, Bob, played defensive tackle for the Cavaliers from 1968-71. Another walk-on, Stu Greene, was a first-team All-Group AAA wide receiver for Thomas Jefferson in Alexandria.
EX-BULLDOG ABSENT: Former Martinsville High School linebacker Bobby Spencer, who did not play in a game in his two seasons with UVa, did not rejoin the Cavaliers for the start of spring drills. Team officials said Spencer has an interest in transferring to an Ivy League school.
by CNB