Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410050016
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SYRACUSE, N.Y. LENGTH: Medium
Ken Oxendine put some juice in Virginia Tech's offense, but he couldn't suck dry the Syracuse Orangemen.
Oxendine, a heralded freshman playing more because starter Dwayne Thomas missed the game with a sprained ankle, put the Hokies ahead by six points Saturday with a 62-yard touchdown run - his second long scoring dash of the year.
The Orangemen, 1-1 in late-game score-offs (they lost 30-29 to Oklahoma and beat Rutgers 37-36) overcame Oxendine's offering.
``We didn't want to get ourselves in another ruckus,'' Syracuse defensive back Bryce Bevill said. ``We played hard and well, especially the last two minutes.''
Before that - before Syracuse secured its 28-20 Big East Conference victory before 47,365 at the Carrier Dome - Oxendine came straight out of a Tech fan's fantasy, doing what he could to deliver Tech's fifth straight victory this season.
That didn't happen, but Oxendine's follow-up to his 61-yard, three-carry performance against West Virginia Sept. 22 (including a 53-yard touchdown run) put him squarely in Tech's tailback picture.
Tommy Edwards started in Thomas' place Saturday and had 18 of the tailbacks' 23 carries. Edwards gained 59 yards; Oxendine had 78.
``Still, I just want to bring him along,'' running backs coach Billy Hite said. ``He filled in and did exactly what we asked him to do. Down the road, maybe it'll change things up a little bit.''
Hite wouldn't say exactly what would happen if Thomas returns for next week's home game against Temple, and Oxendine says he's ``not even sure'' where he stands among Tech's three tailbacks.
The heavily recruited native of Chester knows a few things, though.
``I proved that I could step in and help out,'' he said, ``and not let my freshman year, my youth, take over.
``Before the game I was [nervous], but once I step on the field all that stuff pretty much goes away. The more I get into the game, I begin to feel the defense out [and get] a little comfortable.''
Oxendine, a 6-foot-1, 214-pounder, now has nine carries for 147 yards, a 16.3-yard average. His touchdown run Saturday put Tech ahead 20-14, but even that couldn't make up for the absence of Thomas.
Thomas, a junior, gained 163 yards on 30 carries in Tech's 45-24 victory over Syracuse last year.
``Dwayne is so good in the passing game, coming out of the backfield,'' Hite said. ``[And] I'm not so sure, on certain plays we have, he doesn't read them better. He might be the best I've ever had at reading the hole. A couple times [today] they made bad decisions.''
Oxendine, a true freshman, did exhibit one veteran trait. He said he knew his score wasn't the game-breaker, even though it electrified Tech's sideline.
``I felt that it helped,'' he said. ``It boosted our team a little bit. But they have a pretty productive offense, and I knew our defense had to step it up.''
The defense didn't, allowing Syracuse the go-ahead and clinching scores. And when Tech's Maurice DeShazo threw his only interception of the day with 4:09 left, the Hokies pretty much knew they'd lost their first game.
Oxendine was on the field for what could have been Tech's game-winning drive.
``I had great expectations for that last drive we had,'' Oxendine said.
So, too, has Oxendine whet Tech's expectations of him.
by CNB