Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 28, 1994 TAG: 9410280071
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Before VMI's home football game against Furman on Oct.23, Keydets tailback Thomas Haskins did something he hadn't done all season.
Frustrated by fumbling and down on his rushing performances, Haskins watched film of ``the game'' - VMI vs. Richmond, the regular-season opener in which Haskins ran for a school-record 251 yards.
It was coach Bill Stewart's debut, and the Keydets caught the Spiders off-guard with their new multiple-I offense. VMI lost 34-31, but since then defenses have caught on to Haskins.
``[Richmond] didn't have film on us like all the teams have now,'' said the sophomore from Richmond, who prepped for one year at Fork Union Military Academy. ``Now, they can have two linebackers just sitting there waiting for me to move. If I don't move, they don't move.''
Haskins' numbers have ebbed and flowed since the opener, with a low of 9 yards against Marshall, which came to Lexington on Oct.8 as the top-ranked NCAA Division I-AA team. Haskins fumbled three times against the Thundering Herd and spent most of the afternoon on the sideline.
Haskins also had fumbled in a 49-0 loss to Georgia Southern the previous week, when he rushed for 106 yards. Against Furman, similar in size and defensive structure to Richmond, Haskins' rushing total jumped to 188 yards.
``I just needed to do something [against Furman] because the last time we were here, in front of the home crowd, it was a bad game [against Marshall],'' Haskins said. ``I'm working to become a good back, and I think you experience those type of games.''
Donnie Ross, VMI's running backs coach, said the coaching staff didn't dwell on Haskins' struggles. Watching the Richmond tape simply was a way of helping him rebuild his confidence, Ross said.
``Any tailback that gets as many carries as Thomas does is going to go through some down periods,'' Ross said. ``Fumbling is nothing but mental, and he's overcome that. ... We wanted to get his confidence back up and show him he is capable of playing that way.''
Haskins said Ross and Stewart helped him figure out the problem in practice.
``Instead of thinking about going to the line and receiving the pitch and reacting to the play, I was thinking more of scoring,'' said Haskins who has accounted for 44 of VMI's 91 points this season. ``It's all in the mind when it comes to fumbling. Even Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas fumble.''
Said Ross: ``I don't thing people realize that at 168 pounds [5 feet, 8 inches tall], he takes some big shots from some big people. ... You're bound to fumble when you take hits like he does.''
Haskins made his mark on the VMI offense as a freshman in the last five games of the 1993 season. Jim Shuck, then the Keydets' coach, implemented a modified wishbone formation that allowed Haskins to showcase his athletic abilities, as well as his decision-making skills.
It was against Western Carolina, VMI's opponent Saturday in Lexington, that good things started happening for Haskins. He threw for one touchdown and ran for 67 yards on 16 carries, including another touchdown for VMI. The Keydets trailed 17-0 at halftime and lost 38-14.
This season, VMI has two plays - a draw and a pitch - on which Haskins makes his own decision on where to run based on how he reads the defensive alignment. Ross said it's a situation with which the player and coaches feel comfortable.
``It's meant to utilize his talents,'' Ross said. ``He has great timing and great vision.''
The bottom line, Haskins said, is the autonomy allows him to ``run where I think is the quickest way to the end zone.''
Haskins leads the Southern Conference with an average of 121 yards on 22 carries per game. He ranks ninth among Division I-AA running backs in yards rushing per game.
``That's exciting,'' Haskins said. ``But the good thing about that is I'm only a sophomore and I can only improve. I'm still learning and I still have a long way to go. But each week as the season goes on, I try to get better.
``In the Marshall game, I took three steps back. Right now, I'm trying to reach my game to another level.''
VMI, trying to avoid its first winless season since 1969, plays three of its final four games against ranked opponents: No.10 James Madison, No.15 Appalachian State and No.21 Western Carolina.
``What we have to do now is put everything on the line,'' Haskins said. ``All the teams we have to play are so good, we have to try and get ahead early and adjust to the big plays. Teams are going to make big plays and we just have to respond with big plays of our own.''
by CNB