Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411230019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Long
Virginia found a perfect solution Saturday for its recent play-calling woes: Score points without the offense on the field.
Defensive back Joe Crocker scored two touchdowns as 21st-ranked UVa broke open a close game in the second half to defeat Maryland 46-21 and put a momentary stop to talk of another November swoon.
``It's the last we'll hear about the swoon until at least Monday,'' said defensive end Mike Frederick.
Many in the Scott Stadium crowd of 40,900 were thinking of past November collapses when Virginia fell behind 14-3 early in the second quarter, but the Cavaliers had enough big plays in the second half to last a season.
UVa intercepted three passes - one of which Crocker returned for a touchdown - recovered a fumble, blocked a punt and got a rare touchdown return from Crocker on an onside kick. The Cavaliers had a total of 144 yards in offense on their six touchdown ``drives.''
``Usually you would be happy to have just one of those big plays on defense,'' Frederick said. ``I didn't think we'd get all of them in the same game.''
It was enough to give the Cavaliers their seventh victory of the season and sixth over a Division I-A opponent, one of the requirements for a bowl bid. UVa has won seven or more games in eight consecutive seasons, tying an ACC record set by Maryland from 1973 through 1980.
Two representatives of the Peach Bowl were on hand, but it is unclear where Virginia (7-2 overall, 5-2 ACC) stands, particularly in light of North Carolina State's 24-23 victory over Duke. If North Carolina beats Duke and Virginia loses to N.C. State, there could be a three-way tie for third in the ACC behind Florida State and the Wolfpack.
George Welsh, UVa's head coach, scoffed at suggestions the Cavaliers had clinched a bowl bid.
``I doubt that,'' he said. ``We won one game, but one swallow doesn't make a spring. I'm making no comments about bowls or anything else, except this game or [upcoming opponent] Virginia Tech. I don't have any thoughts [on UVa's record]. I'm not assessing anything.''
Welsh clearly was pleased with the play of his defense, which was ranked fourth in Division I-A against the run. Maryland quarterback Scott Milanovich passed for a season-high 351 yards, but was sacked five times, one reason the Terrapins had minus-34 yards rushing.
``A lot of people were saying our pass rush had left us,'' said sophomore defensive tackle Todd White, credited with three second-half sacks. ``Coming in, we knew they were going to throw 40 or more times and that we had to put some pressure on them.''
Milanovich had completed 80 of 104 passes in Maryland's three previous games and was just as accurate early Saturday. He was 10-of-15 for 197 yards after his second touchdown pass, a 43-yarder to Geroy Simon with 10 minutes, 4 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Cavaliers, who trailed 14-3 at the time, subsequently moved from their 15-yard line to the Terrapins' 1-yard line, where they had fourth-and-one. There was a collective groan from the fans when, after a timeout, UVa came out in the shotgun formation and quarterback Mike Groh underthrew Petey Allen in the back of the end zone.
``There was a debate over what play we were going to run down there,'' Welsh said, ``and O.B. [offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien] wanted to do that one, so we did it.''
O'Brien was taken aback when asked his reason for the call.
``Maybe I didn't make it,'' he said.
That's not what Welsh was saying.
``If that's what he said, then that's the way it happened,'' O'Brien said. ``That's fine.''
After taking over at the 1-yard line, Maryland was unable to gain a first down and was forced to punt with 2:14 left in the half. A 16-yard return by Tiki Barber gave Virginia possession at the Terps' 39-yard line and Welsh put on a headset to confer with O'Brien.
``I've been on [the headset] more the last two weeks,'' Welsh said. ``I'm just trying to get in my two cents' worth. Right or wrong, it's better for me to do it, rather than someone else.''
When the Cavaliers got to the 1-yard line with six seconds remaining, there was no indecision. No field goal. No shotgun. No pass. Just Kevin Brooks following fullback Charles Way over right tackle for a touchdown with two seconds left.
After a two-point conversion pass from Groh to Tyrone Davis, UVa still trailed 14-11, but it was as if two weeks of pent-up frustration had been released.
``I think [the touchdown before the half] was huge,'' O'Brien said. ``Somebody told me we ran 26 plays to their three to end the half and we couldn't come away with nothing. By the time we got to the locker room, the momentum had swung.''
UVa took the second-half kickoff and needed only seven plays to go 80 yards, helped in part by an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on the Terps, one of three major infractions by Maryland in the second half.
The Terps' first two second-half drives ended with turnovers after one and two plays, respectively. On the second, UVa linebacker James Farrior ended Milanovich's streak of 166 passes without an interception and set up the UVa touchdown that made it 25-14.
The Cavaliers' third touchdown of the period resulted from a blocked punt by Farrior, even though Virginia did not set up for the block, and UVa had scored 36 consecutive points by the time Crocker returned a fourth-quarter interception 38 yards for a touchdown.
``In the first half, we played the way we had to,'' said coach Mark Duffner, whose Terps' record fell to 4-6. ``During the second half we started to press and a lot of what we tried backfired. We had some tough breaks on special teams, with the protection and the onside kick. The roof just caved in.''
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by CNB