Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 20, 1994 TAG: 9410200061
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTy
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Mike Groh will get his third start of the season in place of Willis, who suffered an injury to his right hamstring Oct.8 at Wake Forest. Willis stayed at home last week when the Cavaliers visited Georgia Tech, although Welsh originally was inclined to take him.
``I think he's made progress every day,'' Welsh said. ``He may be available in an emergency [Saturday] if a couple of guys go down, but this is obviously a two- or three-week pull. My judgment is he'll be ready [to return to practice] next week, but maybe not.''
The Cavaliers' backup quarterback likely will be sophomore Tim Sherman, who replaced Groh in the closing minutes against Georgia Tech
Groh will be starting for the first time in front of his father, Al, the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, who are idle this week. Al Groh is a UVa alumnus who later served as an assistant for North Carolina, the Cavaliers' opponent Saturday.
PROUD PAPA: Florida State coach Bobby Bowden took advantage of the Seminoles' second open date in three weeks to watch on television as his son, Terry, coached Auburn to a 36-33 victory over top-ranked Florida.
``I was like a child,'' Bobby Bowden said. ``I was all by myself, and I was hanging on every play. I kept telling myself, `They can't win it. The other team's too doggone good.' I don't know if I've ever been more excited about a game I wasn't coaching myself.''
Bowden said he suspected that some Florida State fans, eager to see the Gators undefeated when they come to Tallahassee, were pulling for Florida. But not wife Ann.
``Living with that woman for 45 years,'' he said, ``she would cut her wrist for her son, Terry, even if it meant her husband finished 10th in the nation.''
'CANES BACK: ``Winning that game and winning it as convincingly as we did ... It was probably the biggest win I've had in my coaching career,'' said Miami coach Dennis Erickson in the aftermath of the Hurricanes' 34-20 victory over Florida State on Oct.8.
``Everyone has been questioning this program ever since the Arizona game a year ago and after we lost to Washington, asking where's the program going and whether we're still as good as we have been. There's been a lot put on the coaching staff and the players.''
RECRUITING: Pre-season All-American Jason Peace, who passed for 2,040 yards and 29 touchdowns last year in leading Northern Durham (N.C.) High to the Class 4A state championship, is one of six football prospects who have made commitments to North Carolina.
The Tar Heels also received a commitment from tailback Andre Barkley, another preseason All-American, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior for Cincinnati Country Day School.
It didn't hurt Carolina with Peace when ex-Northern Durham coach Ken Browning joined the Carolina staff this year. Browning, incidentally, began his coaching career as an assistant at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke and later worked at Martinsville High.
UNBEATENS MEET: Few people would have predicted at the beginning of the season that the game of the year in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference would pit Guilford College against Emory & Henry.
``I wouldn't have foreseen either one of us being unbeaten at this point,'' said Emory & Henry coach Lou Wacker, whose Wasps (6-0) go to Guilford (6-0). ``I would say our team has played up to our hopes but above our expectations.''
Guilford, coming off a 2-8 season in 1993, boasts the leading rusher in the ODAC in freshman David Heggie. Emory & Henry has the top-rated passer in junior Jason Strange, a converted wide receiver who has thrown nine touchdown passes.
IN HOOPS: Nearly 4,000 were on hand at midnight Friday at Cassell Coliseum for the opening of Virginia Tech's preseason men's basketball practice.
``It was like electricity in there,'' said head coach Bill Foster, only a recent convert to the midnight-madness concept. Ace Custis and guard Shawn Good were judged co-winners of a slam-dunk contest.
Tech, which recently awarded a scholarship to transfer Troy Manns, has added 6-3 walk-on Kelly Mann. Mann is a product of Peterstown (W.Va.) High School, where he was a teammate of Hokies' junior Travis Jackson.
A sumo-wrestling match between Virginia basketball players Junior Burrough and Norman Nolan is one of the activities scheduled Friday night as part of Jam Session '94, which takes the place of UVa's annual Blue-Orange Game.
There will be a short scrimmage starting shortly after 8 p.m., followed by an autograph and photo session. UVa will entertain 6-9 Reggie Bassette from Highland Springs and 6-51/2 Laron Profit from Camden, Del., on official recruiting visits.
NON-REVENUE: UVa junior Simon Cooke will participate this weekend in the College All-American Golf Classic, which takes 24 of the nation's top collegiate golfers to El Paso, Texas. Cooke won two of three tournaments this fall, including the State Intercollegiate, and was 20-under-par for eight rounds.
All-America runner Josephine Schaeffer of Washington and Lee will miss the Old Dominion Athletic Conference meet with a stress fracture in the hip area, but that will not prevent her from competing in the Division III regionals.
by CNB