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

DATE: SATURDAY, August 13, 1994                   TAG: 9408310010
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                 LENGTH: Long

HOKIE PLANS TO MAKE HIS NAME KNOWN IN '94

Preseason publications swooning over the Hokies' 1994 chances usually tick off Tech's defensive stars: Brown, Brown, Banks, maybe DelRicco, Gray and ...

``It's all right,'' Lewis said Wednesday during Tech's media day. ``It makes me want to work even harder to show them there is a Lawrence Lewis on this team.''

At least Lewis is valued by his Hokies family. Strength coach Mike Gentry said the Kecoughtan High School graduate ``may be the spirit of our football team'' in part because of his lively interaction with teammates on and off the field.

``I make sure we're out there together having fun,'' Lewis said. ``It seems like every time we have fun, we achieve more.''

And, the junior symbolizes Tech's 1993 defensive changeover to a faster, more active scheme. The average weight of offensive tackles among Tech's seven Big East Football Conference opponents is 293 pounds; in a clench, the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Lewis might be worked over.

But put him ``in space,'' as Tech's coaches say - in a position that forces a tackle to block Lewis away from the line and expands the ground the blocker has to protect - and Lewis' quickness (a 4.7-second timing in the 40-yard dash) is evident.

Lewis won a starting job late last season and had 35 tackles and three sacks. His numbers could grow this year, although he and the rest of the Hokies earnestly dismiss personal goals lest they forget about their won-lost record.

There is one mark Lewis remembers: 2-8-1, Tech's '92 record.

``I remind [teammates] about what we want to do, where we came from,'' he said. ``Don't forget about that. This year, everyone knows: Don't gas your head up about what happened last year.''

Lewis and Tech coach Frank Beamer also have put behind them Lewis' April arrest in Blacksburg on disorderly conduct charges, a misdemeanor offense for which he was fined $50 by Montgomery County General District Court in July. He's on probation with Beamer, who's not worried about a repeat.

``He's into being successful,'' Beamer said. ``He's kind of what makes coaching worthwhile.''

Added Lewis: ``I'm here to better the team, not to hurt the team.''

TROPHY THOUGHTS: Big numbers (and big Tech victories) early in the season would help Maurice DeShazo become a prominent Heisman Trophy candidate, but Beamer said he won't leave DeShazo in a lopsided game just to pad his statistics.

``Our deal would be to get that second quarterback as much experience as you can,'' Beamer said. ``I want Maurice to have a great year and have great stats, but [if the team wins] the awards will go with it and come up just fine.''

PARKED AT FB: Former Salem High School star Marcus Parker agrees with his move to fullback for the Hokies, where he' will compete with one-time Spartans teammate Shaine Miles for the No.3 spot behind Brian Edmonds and Ranall White, moved from tailback.

``I would just like to move in and play where I can play the quickest,'' said Parker, whose recent 4.5-second 40-yard dash has Tech coaches convinced he has not been hindered by knee surgery performed during his senior year at Salem.

KICKS: Beamer expects returner Ryan Williams (6-for-11 on field-goal attempts last year) to be his place-kicker, but he wants a new kickoff man because of Williams' limited mobility. The kickoff guy could be either freshman scholarship recruit John Thomas, walk-on freshman Jeff Haug or junior Atle Larsen, who transferred from Morehead State when that program cut scholarships. ``He'll definitely figure into our kicking situation,'' Beamer said.

COACH SWITCHES: Defensive coaching assignments have changed, including Rod Sharpless from defensive ends to outside linebackers, which he coached under Jerry Claiborne at Maryland from 1977-81; Todd Grantham from tackles to down linemen; and Bud Foster from outside linebackers to inside linebackers. Sharpless also will coach the linebacker-like rover position, formerly under coordinator Phil Elmassian's guidance.

``What was happening last year, the weakside linebacker kind of got left out in the cold,'' Beamer said. ``[Now] everyone will receive proper attention on defense.''

ETC.: As many as 30 players, including starters such as Dwayne Thomas, will miss some of the first six practices (three days of two-a-days) because of conflicts with summer school, for which exams began Friday. ``They're missing a lot of installation, really,'' Beamer said. ``We put in the whole offense and defense [in the first three days].'' ... Tech started two freshmen in its defensive secondary last year (Antonio Banks and Torrian Gray) and probably will play two rookies this year, Tony Morrison at rover and Quinton Waller at cornerback. ``Our defense is simple enough that we can play freshmen,'' Elmassian said, ``and Waller will be one of 'em.''... Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School graduate James Crawford, who was expected to enroll at Tech in January, is practicing with the Hokies as a safety and is on scholarship. ... Tech's new graduate assistants are Rick Cruze, a Rocky Mount native who spent five years as a VMI assistant but was not retained when Jim Shuck was fired last year, and Brian Crist, son of Blacksburg High School football coach Dave Crist.