Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411100039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Long
You couldn't prove it by the Cavaliers' performance Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The demons of Novembers past came back to haunt 13th-ranked UVa, which blew a 10-point halftime lead in falling to No.23 Duke 28-25.
``We know what's coming,'' said UVa center Bryan Heath, referring to comparisons to other late-season collapses. ``This just makes me sick.''
The Cavaliers (6-2 overall, 4-2 in the ACC) had won six consecutive games before Saturday and had won their past five - none closer than 21 points - against the Blue Devils.
It looked like another laugher when UVa scored on its third play from scrimmage, a 65-yard pass from Mike Groh to Tyrone Davis. Duke (8-1, 5-1) did not have a first down on its first three series.
UVa stretched its advantage to 14-7 and was in position to take a two-touchdown lead late in the first half when it picked up a first down at the Blue Devils' 4-yard line.
But, in a sign of things to come, a fumble and a penalty forced the Cavaliers to settle for a field goal. Duke needed only four plays, including a 44-yard pass, to close to 17-14 at the half.
``It takes a lot to come back when you're being stuffed offensively early, especially when you're trailing after the third play,'' said Fred Goldsmith, Duke's first-year coach.
The Blue Devils drove 90 yards for a touchdown on their first possession of the second half and by the fourth quarter were leading 28-17 against a team that was ranked among the top 20 nationally in four defensive categories.
``When we got our score at the start of the third quarter, we saw that they were ready to quit,'' said Duke wide receiver Corey Thomas. ``So, we took it to them. They were dead. They were through.''
Virginia got a big break, however, when defensive end Mike Frederick deflected a backward pass by Duke quarterback Spence Fischer and the Cavaliers took possession at the Blue Devils' 5-yard line with 10 minutes, 38 seconds remaining.
UVa only went in reverse, however, winding up at the 12 following two incompletions and a sack. Rafael Garcia, previously 8-for-8 inside 40 yards, then missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt.
There was plenty of time remaining when Symmion Willis threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Petey Allen, followed by a Willis two-point conversion run with 7:07 left, but the failures of the goal-line offense proved to be the Cavaliers' undoing.
``When you're in the red zone [inside an opponent's 20], you're supposed to get a field goal or touchdown,'' Heath said, ``but when you get inside the 5, you've got to score touchdowns.''
Virginia's second touchdown of the game came on a 6-yard pass from Groh to Davis, but otherwise the Cavaliers were victimized by a succession of penalties, bobbled snaps and missed blocks.
``I would second-guess my first call [after the Frederick deflection],'' said Tom O'Brien, UVa's offensive coordinator. ``We called the same play that we called for Davis earlier, and I think they were looking for it.''
It was a long afternoon for O'Brien, who apparently was Duke's top choice when head coach Barry Wilson resigned at the end of the 1993 season. It was only after O'Brien removed his name from consideration that Duke turned to Goldsmith.
George Welsh, Virginia's head coach, raised the possibility the Cavaliers had ``not done a good job with their play selection.'' Duke, on the other hand, never seemed to run the same pass play twice.
The Blue Devils weren't wedded to Rob Baldwin, the ACC's leading rusher, who had nine carries for 12 yards in the first half and finished with 67 yards on 28 attempts.
Fischer, after misfiring on his first five attempts, finished 18-of-33 for 234 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked once in the first quarter, but generally received good protection.
Following his second touchdown pass to Davis, Groh was 6-of-7 for 119 yards, but he lost his touch and was replaced by Willis, making his first appearance in more than a month.
Willis' first pass was so badly underthrown that Duke defender Kareem Ellis ran past Allen, who caught the ball at the 25-yard line and then dodged Ellis on his way to UVa's final score.
The Cavaliers outgained Duke 402-313, but had 10 penalties for 66 yards - many at crucial times. Three of the Blue Devils' scoring drives were aided by penalties, two by unnecessary-roughness calls.
``So, we screwed it up,'' Welsh said. ``We have to go back to the drawing board, maybe. That's a 7-1 [Duke] team today, you know. It's not like we're getting beat by somebody that was 3-4.''
The Cavaliers face an improved Maryland at Scott Stadium on Nov.12, then must go to Virginia Tech before closing the season with North Carolina State at home.
Since 1990, Virginia is 6-7 in November - including a 3-0 record in 1991. The Cavaliers lost four of their last five games in 1990, four of the last six in 1992 and four of the last five in 1993.
``I'm not going to read the papers after tomorrow,'' Welsh said. ``We only have two losses. Again. It was a big opportunity [for the Blue Devils], too. Give them credit, OK?''
by CNB