Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Trouble is, fans don't look at pictures. They look at numbers.
``The alumni don't understand that you've got a heck of a schedule or that some guy might be hurt,'' Scherer said. ``When it's all over, the only thing that matters is the record.
``It was time for us as a staff to put up or shut up. I was not under any pressure, but they had been 5-6 or 6-5 under the guy [Joe Purzycki] before me. I was brought here to take them to a higher level.''
Scherer thought the Dukes would continue their improvement after going 4-7 in 1992 and 6-5 in '93, but he would not have predicted JMU would be 7-1 heading into Saturday's game at VMI.
The Dukes, in their second season as a Yankee Conference member, have played the toughest part of their schedule and are in position to make the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs for the first time since 1990.
``We've read how great we are,'' Scherer said, ``but the only thing that's guaranteed at this point is that we'll finish [no worse than] 7-4. One thing that helps is that we're in a championship race.''
The Yankee Conference champion receives an automatic bid to the Division I-AA playoffs, although two other Yankee teams received at-large bids last year.
``We kind of bottomed out [in 1992],'' Scherer said, ``but deep down, we knew we would struggle that year. Athletically, we were better last year, but we were young. This year, we thought we would reap the benefits of some good recruiting years.''
The Dukes faced a rugged early-season stretch when they played New Hampshire, Boston University and Delaware on the road. Upon returning, they entertained Villanova and William and Mary.
``Of the first seven teams on our schedule, five were ranked either at the time we played them or at some point in the season,'' Scherer said.
Since falling to New Hampshire in the third week, James Madison has won five consecutive games, in large part because of the play of junior quarterback Mike Cawley. The transfer from Syracuse has more than 2,000 yards in total offense, including a team-high 556 on the ground.
``We seem to go as Mike goes, which isn't necessarily a good thing,'' Scherer said, ``but he can hurt you in a lot of ways. He's had more long runs than [1991 quarterback] Eriq Williams and has as strong an arm as I've ever seen.''
WARE UPDATE: Former William Fleming High School and UVa lineman David Ware, waived by the New York Jets earlier in the NFL season, was a player in demand before signing last week with the Miami Dolphins.
Ware worked out for the Carolina Panthers, who do not begin play until the 1995 season, but expansion teams may not sign players to contracts until December. The Dallas Cowboys also showed interest in Ware after offensive tackle Erik Williams was injured in an auto accident.
In Miami, Ware will be perpetuating a Virginia connection that includes running back Terry Kirby and strength coach John Gamble. Don Shula, Miami's head coach, was a UVa assistant in the late 1950s and has had no fewer than seven former Cavaliers on his roster since 1982.
RECRUITING: Talent scout Tom Lemming, publisher of the Prep Football Report, named Northside High School offensive tackle Roth Townsend to his preseason All-America team. Another Roanoke Valley player, John St.Clair from William Fleming, was a preseason All-America selection in SuperPrep magazine.
HELP ON WAY: John Knoff, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound offensive tackle, is sitting out the 1994 season at West Virginia after transferring from Penn State. Knoff was a Parade All-American at Holy Cross High School in Delran, N.J.
PRESEASON HOOPS: Richmond is down to 10 scholarship players, including five freshmen after coach Bill Dooley dropped 6-6 sophomore Gary Williams for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Williams averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds last season.
Old Dominion sophomore guard Corey Robinson has informed new coach Jeff Capel of his plans to transfer. ... ODU has received commitments from 6-8 Skipper Youngblood from Gastonia, N.C., and 6-5 Radee Benson from Elizabeth, N.J.
Duke assistant coach Pete Gaudet said Sunday at the ACC's Operation Basketball that sophomore guard Jeff Capel, the son of the ODU coach, has been cleared to play after reports his academic status was in doubt. The Blue Devils still intend to redshirt 6-10 senior Erik Meek, Gaudet said.
WOMEN'S NEWS: Leigh-Ann Pursifull, who recently went over the 1,000-point mark for her career at Floyd County High School, reportedly has made an oral commitment to Winthrop. ... Former Cave Spring High School star Lisa Hodges elected not to return for her junior year at N.C. State, where injuries limited her to 14 games last season.
NON-REVENUE: Washington and Lee, winner of the Eastern Water Polo Division III championship last year, has elected not to defend its title after qualifying for the Division I championship.
W&L, the top-ranked Division III team in the East, could finish with a losing record for the first time in the 18-year history of the program, but the Generals (9-11) already have beaten three teams ranked among the top 20 in Division I.
Radford University's baseball program has received a commitment from left-handed pitcher Jamie Booth, who was 8-3 and had a 2.13 earned-run average last year at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach.
by CNB