Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 26, 1994 TAG: 9411280040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Barber was in position to make plays on all four North Carolina State touchdowns in the Wolfpack's 30-27 upset victory at Scott Stadium.
It was not the way Barber wanted to celebrate his selection as a first-team All-ACC defensive back, the first UVa freshman to gain that distinction.
``I'm somber [and] kind of out of it'' said Barber, from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke. ``All the postseason honors are great, but I don't want to think about those things right now.
``It's definitely the worst I've felt in a while. I feel like I let down a lot of people today. A lot of seniors are leaving and I didn't do it for them today.''
Barber was victimized by State senior Adrian Hill for 62- and 69-yard touchdown receptions, although UVa was in zone coverage on the first pass and a safety was late in arriving.
Barber was one of several Cavalier players who let N.C. State wide receiver Mike Guffie get behind them on a 22-yard option pass from fullback Carlos King in the third quarter.
``I came up on the run, just like everybody else did,'' Barber said. ``It was an error of omission ... or commission, or whatever it was.
``I just wasn't awake for the trick play. It was my responsibility. I'm not putting the blame on anybody else.''
Barber seemingly clinched the ACC interception title - teammates Joe Crocker and James Farrior were his closest pursuers before Friday - but seldom has he been challenged as he was by the Wolfpack.
``Every other team, when you play good on a couple of plays, they shut that side down,'' Barber said. ``State didn't do that. They just kept coming and I didn't make the plays.''
RECORD-BREAKERS: Interceptions by Barber, Randy Neal and Ellsworth put Virginia at 27 for the season, which broke the school record of 25 set in 1941 and the ACC record of 26 established by Duke in 1954.
UVa finished No.1 in Division I-A for the second year in a row and that didn't include unofficial interceptions by Neal and Crocker on two-point conversions, the second of which Crocker returned 105 yards for two points Friday.
Neal, who already held the UVa record for interceptions returned for touchdowns, got his fourth Friday on a 28-yard return in the third quarter. He has a total of seven interceptions.
RUN COSTLY: An 84-yard touchdown run by N.C. State freshman Tremayne Stephens not only gave the Wolfpack a 30-25 lead, but may have knocked Virginia out of first place in Division I-A against the run.
The Wolfpack, limited to minus-3 yards in 11 first-half attempts, rushed for 143 yards in the second half. Stephens, Barber's chief rival for ACC rookie of the year, finished with 133 yards on 18 attempts. He was the only player to rush for 100 yards against Virginia this year.
HARRISON CLEARED: Virginia offensive tackle Chris Harrison received some good news earlier in the week when he was found not guilty on a petty larceny charge.
Harrison had been charged for selling textbooks allegedly stolen by another student, but the case was postponed on several occasions because of a lack of evidence.
FAITH IN GARCIA: Virginia's decision to pass up a game-tying 36-yard field goal in the closing minutes was no reflection on place-kicker Rafael Garcia, head coach George Welsh said.
One week after Garcia kicked a school-record five field goals in a 42-23 victory at Virginia Tech, he was wide right on his only attempt Friday, a 42-yarder before halftime.
``I did not not kick because of the kicker,'' Welsh said. ``I thought about it enough during the drive that, if we had two or three yards to go on fourth down, I would have gone for the field goal.''
QUIET FINALE: UVa receiving leader Tyrone Davis, plagued by a sprained toe suffered in the ninth game, did not play in the second half Friday after catching two passes for 16 yards in the first half.
Davis dropped two passes in the first half, the second for a possible touchdown. Offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien explained the benching by saying Davis had scarcely practiced in two weeks.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB