Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 27, 1994 TAG: 9412280023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
Breaking a month-long diatribe of compliments between the Gator Bowl combatants, Elmassian charged Monday that Fulmer's pre-bowl smoke screen was bordering on the ridiculous.
``Phil Fulmer says this is an evenly-matched game,'' Elmassian said. ``Well, I've been watching the same film he has, and the way I see it the only thing that's even is they've got 11 [players] and we've got 11.
``In individual talent, [the Vols] are way ahead of us. They have great individual talent. They recruited extremely well and there are not a lot of weaknesses there.
``That doesn't mean we can't win the football game. But we're going to have to play the way we played earlier in the season.''
The 17th-ranked Hokies (8-3), thanks in large part to a crushing 42-23 loss to Virginia in their regular-season finale, are seven-point underdogs to the unranked Vols (7-4).
``It's going to take one whale of a game to beat that bunch,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said.
``I know the people down around Gainesville [site of the game] don't like to hear this, but I think Tennessee might be the best team in the SEC right now. If they're not the best, they're certainly the hottest. Believe me, we know what a task we have.''
After getting their first peek at Jacksonville and engaging in their first on-site workout Monday, the Hokies claim they can't wait for a shot at one of college football's traditional heavyweights.
``I've been hearing about Tennessee for a long, long time,'' said Waverly Jackson, the Hokies' sophomore defensive tackle.
``I've seen 'em over the years on TV. They're always ranked in the top 10 or top 15, it seems. Meanwhile, people wonder who Virginia Tech is. People don't think we can win. This is our shot to go out and surprise just about everybody.''
In addition to themselves, the Hokies said they want to carry the flag for the Big East Football Conference. Tech finished second this year in its second full season in the Big East.
``Our fourth-place team [Boston College] just beat a top-notch Big Eight team [Kansas State],'' said Beamer, refering to the Eagles' 12-7 victory in Sunday's Aloha Bowl. ``So we'd like to keep up the good work for our conference.''
Tech hasn't beaten an SEC team outside of longtime patsies Kentucky and Vanderbilt since 1975, when it beat Auburn.
If that's going to change Friday, most experts figure Hokies senior quarterback Maurice DeShazo will have to be the hammer driving the nail.
``The main thing I've got to do is get the ball to our big-play guys, Antonio Freeman [senior wide receiver] and Bryan Still [junior flanker],'' DeShazo said.
``I've got to somehow get the ball to those guys four or five times each and let 'em do what they do best - make a big play. They can't just cover one. They've got to cover both.''
DeShazo, who was intercepted five times against UVa, said he's recovered from the depths of that woeful performance.
``I think we're all back to having fun now,'' DeShazo said. ``We're loose and ready to play some ball again. Sure, the last game wasn't our best outing. But we've recovered, and we're ready to get on with it once again.''
by CNB