Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 4, 1994 TAG: 9410050034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
``He was not supposed to start,'' Welsh said. ``He just ran in there. I mean that. I guess he said, "Hell with you guys.' ''
A sprained knee had kept Neely out of UVa's game with Clemson and Welsh had expressed reservations that Neely would even dress for William and Mary.
``I said to somebody, "What's Neely doing in there?''' Welsh related. ``They said, "Well, he told [Walt] Derey he was going to start.' That's seniority, I guess.''
Neely, a junior, was in the game for two or three plays before his charade was discovered. Derey, a sophomore, got most of the time after that.
``Somebody said, `Neely's in there,' and I said, ``Get him out and let's go with the gameplan,''' Welsh said. ``He made a helluva block on the first play, though.
``They [the trainers] can give you all sorts of tests. But, when you get down to it, when you've got a knee sprain or a shoulder separation, the only guy who really knows is the player.''
Neither Neely nor Derey caught a pass in the Cavaliers' 33-7 victory over the Tribe. In fact, UVa did not throw in the direction of either tight end.
``On some of those passes, the tight end can be thrown to,'' Welsh said. ``Derey [a defensive end last season] doesn't look great, but he's caught the ball whenever we've thrown it to him.''
KRICHBAUM WORKING: Following the Neely saga with much interest was defensive tackle Mark Krichbaum, who has not played since suffering a broken leg during the preseason.
Krichbaum said he would like to get on the field for several plays Saturday, when the Cavaliers visit Wake Forest, in hopes of being close to 100 percent for an Oct.15 game with Georgia Tech.
``He worked on his own last week,'' Welsh said. ``He put pads on and worked against the machines and sleds.
``Talking to the trainer this morning, they're going to let him go against our people, but no group work yet. Just one-on-one, individual things. We'll see how he is in a couple of days.''
Nevertheless, Welsh said he did not expect Krichbaum to play against Wake Forest and felt Krichbaum only had ``a chance'' of facing the Yellow Jackets.
``I think he was really optimistic about this week,'' Welsh said. ``I think he found out last week that it would take longer than a week [from the time he resumed practicing].''
WHATEVER WORKS: Welsh admitted that he was involved in circulation of a story claiming that William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock had said UVa was no better than Delaware.
``It got back to me by Monday or Tuesday,'' Welsh said. ``Did I mention it? I mentioned it, yes. It was supposedly substantiated by good sources.''
Welsh was reminded of a similiar situation in 1985, when Clemson players said they heard UVa had champagne on ice in anticipation of its first victory over the Tigers.
As can be best determined, the William and Mary story originated with a cameraman shooting the William and Mary-VMI game, who overheard players talking at a postgame fraternity party.
``I thought it was a little unusual, probably a rumor,'' Welsh said, ``but, I don't make things up like [former Clemson coach] Danny [Ford] did.''
RECENT DOMINATION: Although Welsh doesn't want to hear it, the Virginia-Wake Forest football series has been the most lopsided in the ACC over the past decade.
UVa has won its last 10 games with the Deacons and 11 of 12 since Welsh took over as Cavaliers' coach in 1982. Welsh's first victory, after an 0-5 start, was over Wake.
ABOUT WAKE: Junior tailback Sherron Gudger, making his first start, rushed for 100 yards in the Deacons' 33-27 victory over Army. Gudger had not played offense until this year. Wake had 30 first downs, its high since 1982.
LINEBURG ON MEND: Former Radford High quarterback Wayne Lineburg, who helps operates the UVa scout team, returned to practice last week after a lengthy illness.
Lineburg has been fighting a rare virus that attacked the joints in his wrists and knees. The first sympton was a rash that caused him to awaken the night after UVa's first preseason scrimmage Aug.20.
Lineburg was able to attend class, but his family was concerned when it took so long for him to get better, his father said. Lineburg's father, Norman, is the football coach at Radford High School.
NOTES: Welsh said that freshman defensive back Anthony Poindexter, last year's Group AA player of the year, still has not regained total flexibility after arthroscopic knee surgery and probably will be redshirted if there are not wholesale injuries at the safety spots. ... Reserve tailback Antonio Prosise dressed Saturday, even though he is ineligible. Prosise, who did not meet NCAA reqirements, can practice with the team but not travel.
by CNB