Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 9, 1994 TAG: 9410110036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Virginia Tech coach Beamer said Tuesday that Spinner had replaced Green at cornerback for Saturday's Temple game, but Green started and played every down until the last couple of minutes.
Beamer said Elmassian, Tech's defensive coordinator, told him Wednesday that he felt better with Green starting. Green, who knew he was competing with Spinner for the starting job, said Elmassian told him Thursday he'd start.
``Everyone on the team knew [I was starting], because of the papers,'' Spinner said. ``[Coach Beamer] never confronted me. Neither did Coach Elmassian. ... The only thing Coach Elmassian told me was that I was going to play this Saturday.''
He did ... on special teams. He kept alive a Temple drive with a running-into-the-kicker penalty in the first quarter, but in the fourth quarter caused a fumble on a punt return that Michael Williams recovered, leading to a Ryan Williams field goal for a 38-7 Tech lead.
Green, meanwhile, had one tackle but was not as conspicuous as he was last week against Syracuse, when he was victimized on a couple of pass plays and said he was cited for poor tackling.
``Whether it's me or Baron, we need a consistent corner on both sides,'' said Green, a sophomore who has started 12 games at Tech. ``I concentrated a little bit more [in practice this week], tried to play a little bit more consistent.''
Beamer said Spinner ``needs more time.'' The former Jefferson Forest High School star agrees.
``I knew ... I wasn't going to start, because my head wasn't in it,'' Spinner said. ``My confidence level is still low [in pass coverage situations].''
COMEBACK: Stacy Henley, the one-time starting rover for Tech who was demoted to third team at the end of last year, is a receiver playing mostly on special teams this year. The senior scored his first career touchdown Saturday when he returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a 7-0 Tech lead.
``It shocked me,'' he said of William Ferrell's block. ``All of a sudden I noticed the ball right there in front of me. [My teammates] said I was running my butt off. I wasn't going to be like [the] East Carolina [game] when I tripped up two years ago.''
Henley was referring to falling down en route to the ECU end zone with an interception in a game Tech eventually lost.
``It's still hard,'' Henley said of essentially being removed from Tech's defense. ``I go out there and I see the defense doing so well, they're nationally ranked. I'm very happy for them, yet I feel for myself because I wish I was still part of the team.''
NEW BACKS: Veteran running backs Brian Edmonds and Tommy Edwards combined for 89 yards Saturday, but Tech fans got a good look at two true freshmen, tailback Ken Oxendine (16 rushes for 71 yards) and Marcus Parker (seven for 45).
``I felt all right about my performance,'' Oxendine said. ``The two fumbles, I feel it was a letdown on myself. They were mistakes on myself, mishandling the ball, not having the ball in the proper arm.''
Parker, a tailback in high school at Salem, is getting more work than senior Ranall White as the No. 2 fullback.
``I'm starting to feel comfortable,'' Parker said. ``[Ranall's] not the happiest person about it, but he understands his position on the team. He gives me little pointers that can help me. When he talks to me, I listen.''
ETC: Tech place-kicker Ryan Williams had made eight straight field goals before missing from 43 yards on his first attempt Saturday. Williams, who made six field goals last season, connected from 30 and 39 yards against Temple and is 10-for-12 this season. He has not missed from inside 40 yards (9-for-9) ... Punter Robbie Colley, who entered the season with a career average of 38.2 yards per kick, has averaged 45.7 yards on his past nine punts ... Tech associate athletic director Danny Monk interviewed for, but did not get, the athletic director's job at George Mason University.
by CNB