Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9412160015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
East Carolina, which entertains 19th-ranked Tech [5-1] at 1:30 p.m., has suffered its only losses to a pair of current Top 25 teams, Duke and Syracuse. Both games were decided by three points.
Georgia Tech, the host for a 1 p.m. game with Virginia, has lost four games to teams that have been ranked at one point this season. Only one was decided before just snakebit. They almost beat Arizona, for God's sake.''
The Yellow Jackets have lost three games in a row. East Carolina, on the other hand, has had victories the last two weeks over Southern Mississippi and South Carolina. The Pirates (3-2) trampled the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C., 56-42.
``What they did at South Carolina kind of validates the whole thing,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said of East Carolina's growing reputation. ``It's not a fluke. Either we're not very smart or we'll be ready to play down there.''
Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo doesn't need to be warned about East Carolina after the Hokies' 1992 trip to Greenville, N.C., where he was 7-of-18 for 98 yards and was intercepted twice in a 30-27 loss to the Pirates.
``I know what it's like in East Carolina,'' he said. ``This game won't surprise me. It doesn't scare me. We're gonna have a little talk with the boys and say, `Look, these guys can play.' I think the nation knows East Carolina's not a bad football team.''
The Hokies defeated East Carolina 31-12 last year, when the Pirates finished 2-9. One difference this year has been sophomore quarterback Marcus Crandell, who suffered a broken leg in the second game of the 1993 season and did not play against the Hokies.
``It's going to be a real interesting contest,'' ECU coach Steve Logan said. ``Virginia Tech is going to get off the bus blitzing. They blitz every snap, first to last, and they live and die by it. Can our wideout beat their corner? Can the ball get thrown in time?
``The way they play is as much a concern as the talent because it's a jailbreak every snap. The passing game is going to [need] a lot of rhythm and timing to it, but I'll trade three or four sacks for one missed tackle and a touchdown.''
East Carolina, which has shown a penchant for trick plays, ranks first in Division I-A in turnover margin. In comparison, Georgia Tech has lost 12 fumbles and ranks last in the ACC and 100th out of 107 Division I-A teams in turnovers.
``We've been doing a good job with interceptions,'' Welsh said, ``but we haven't had a lot of success getting fumbles. We try to knock the ball loose, but to me you've got to make the tackle first.''
A victory could land the Cavaliers (4-1 overall, 2-1 ACC) in the Top 25 for the first time this season, but there has been surprisingly little talk of rankings during a four-game UVa winning streak.
``It's not going to matter until we beat some ranked teams,'' UVa defensive end Mike Frederick said. ``This is the best team we've faced [since Florida State]. It's only a matter of time until they beat some people and we've got to make sure they don't start with us.''
The Yellow Jackets (1-4, 0-3) are led by junior quarterback Tommy Luginbill, who leads the ACC with 10 touchdown passes. Welsh has named ACC passing-efficiency leader Mike Groh to start at quarterback for the Cavaliers, although injured regular Symmion Willis is on the trip.
``I hope we're not getting carried away with ourselves,'' Welsh said. ``That's how you get beat. How have we done in Game 6 over the last 13 years? Not well, I bet.''
The Cavaliers were 5-0 in each of the last two seasons before losing their sixth game. Indeed, UVa has won its sixth game only once (a 31-0 win over N.C. State in 1990) since 1983.
In other games involving area teams:
VMI (0-5) plays on the road for the fourth time in five games when it visits Tennessee-Chattanooga (1-4) at 7 p.m. First-year Moccasins' head coach Buddy Green is a former VMI assistant.
Leading rusher David Anthony has been cleared to play for Ferrum (1-5), but converted quarterback Millard Vining will start at tailback as the Panthers try to break a four-game losing streak against visiting Chowan (1-5) at 1:30 p.m.
Hampden-Sydney (1-4) travels to Washington and Lee (1-3) for a 1:30 p.m. game.
by CNB