Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508300010
SECTION: COLLEGE FOOTBALL PAGE: CF-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
How good are we?
That's what the Hokies want to find out. The nation's preseason prognosticators seemed to have a difficult time getting a handle on Tech.
Little wonder. On paper, Tech appears strong enough. It was 8-4 a year ago and has 17 starters back, including all but one on defense. And despite being thrashed by Tennessee in the Gator Bowl, the Hokies wound up being ranked 24th in two national polls.
Still, there are some factors that hardly can be labeled intangibles.
One is last season's collapse down the stretch. Handling the ball on offense as if it were a hand grenade and playing defense as if it were in a foxhole, Tech was MIA in closing losses to Virginia (42-23) and Tennessee (45-23).
Then there's the quarterback issue. Sure, junior Jim Druckenmiller has looked great in drills. But the fact remains he never has started a college game. As Maurice DeShazo's caddy, he has thrown 38 passes in two years of regular-season duty.
And how about the kicking game? Ryan Williams, 16-for-16 from less than 40 yards on field-goal attempts last season, is gone. Now Tech's chances late in a tight game rest on the foot of Atle Larsen.
The Norwegian stepped in and nailed 48- and 34-yarders in Tech's 12-7 victory at Boston College last year. Still, he's never had to go the long haul of an 11-game season, where one bad stretch of ill-timed misses can cost a school a bowl bid.
Oh, one other thing. Tech's punter is new. The booming kicks of Robbie Colley have been replaced by the slants of baseball pitcher John I. Thomas.
How will these guys react against a Boston College or a Miami with the game on the line? Nobody knows.
Hence, the mystery. The Hokies were ranked in at least three preseason polls, from 15th (Athlon Magazine) to 18th (Lindy's) to a tie for 24th (Associated Press). In at least five others polls, Tech couldn't dent the Top 25.
``I don't think there's a consensus out there on where Virginia Tech belongs,'' said coach Frank Beamer. ``I think some people think we're going to be OK and others don't.
``I don't pay much attention to those magazines in the summer, but I was told Athlon picked us No.1 in the Big East. I saw another that had us lower than that. It had Boston College and Miami picked in the Top 25, then it had their big games. I think each had three big games during the season and we didn't even make the list for Miami and BC.
``So I think the verdict is still out on us. People are not quite sure what we're going to be, and right now, I think that's pretty accurate.''
The schedule
The jury won't be out for long on Tech. The direction these Hokies are headed will be determined in the first 16 days of the season.
Boston College and Miami, the two teams picked ahead of Tech in most Big East preseason polls, visit Blacksburg in September. BC comes in on Sept.7, Miami on Sept.23.
Beamer realizes that's no break.
``I don't think it's an ideal schedule for us,'' Beamer said. ``Not only with Druckenmiller, but you've got two new kickers and those are the kind of games that are usually decided late. Kickers and quarterbacks are the positions that usually affect a game before anyone else, and particularly big games and particularly close games.
``Fortunately for us, all our new people are talented. The good part is they're talented; the bad part is they're going to be doing those things for the first time.
``We're playing two of the top three teams we'll play all season in the first and third weeks. I think ideally, from a percentage standpoint, with a new quarterback and new kickers, you'd rather have those games at the end of the year.''
At least one player, fullback Marcus Parker of Salem, doesn't seem to mind taking the tough tests early.
``To me it makes no difference,'' Parker said. ``You've got to play 'em some time. You know who you've got to play, you've just got to get yourself ready. It's nice to have 'em at home, that's for sure.''
If Tech wins both games, it will play the rest of the season for a New Year's bowl game. If it splits, nobody's hurt. If they lose both, the Hokies likely will have to run the league rack to go bowling.
``Those two games are not the whole season,'' Druckenmiller said, ``but they're definitely a tone-setter.''
After opening with three at home - oops, forgot to mention Cincinnati, sandwiched between BC and Miami - Tech plays six of its final eight on the road.
For the first time in recent years, Tech has only five home games.
``Don't look for that to happen again,'' Beamer said.
Open those stable gates
Druckenmiller won't be stuck out on the field alone. Tech has one of its most talented backfields ever to plow behind a big and talented offensive line.
The four-back rotation of senior Dwayne Thomas, junior Brian Edmonds and sophomores Ken Oxendine and Parker makes Tech a major overland threat.
No wonder Billy Hite, Tech's running backs coach, has been able to give up smoking. This looks like easy street.
``This group has a chance to be the best group I've had since I've been at Virginia Tech,'' said Hite, starting his 18th season in Blacksburg.
Thomas enters the season ranked No.10 on Tech's all-time rushing list with 2,023 yards.
Oxendine, highly recruited out of Thomas Dale High School in Chester, showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman, ripping off a pair of 50-yard-plus touchdown runs and averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
The burly Edmonds got better every game last year. He is a punishing runner and blocker who also can catch the ball.
And Parker? He might be the best of the lot.
``Marcus is a very special football player,'' Hite said. ``I honestly feel that in the next two or three years he'll have the chance to be the best player I've ever coached.''
Druckenmiller is impressed.
``They're my Four Horsemen,'' the quarterback said. ``All I've got to do is hand the ball off to those guys and we should be in pretty good shape, right?''
Beamer likes the situation, too.
``Can I put all four in there at the same time?'' the coach asked.
Co-defensive authority
When Phil Elmassian, Tech's fiery defensive coordinator, left for the University of Washington in February, Beamer had to search for a replacement. He didn't look far. He found two right down the hall at the Jamerson Athletic Center.
In a unique setup, Beamer opted to split the post between assistants Bud Foster and Rod Sharpless.
``I don't like two people assigned to the same job,'' Beamer said. ``Whenever there's two people doing one, you usually don't have your responsibilities clearly defined. And if things sometime don't go right, there can be a problem there.
``But with the personalities involved here, it's much different. Ego is not a problem, neither Rod nor Bud. There's not a selfish bone in either one's body.
``I think we've clearly defined what the responsibilities are. Both of 'em want to move up in the profession. And it helps to have a title. Both, I felt, were deserving of this.
``While I'm not a guy who really likes that type of situation, I think it will work well for us and the two guys involved in this particular instance.''
Foster, who came to Tech with Beamer from Murray State in 1987, will remain on the field and call defenses, Beamer said. Sharpless, in his third season at Tech, will be stationed in the press box on game days.
``I don't see any problem with the setup,'' said Brandon Semones, a junior linebacker who played at Glenvar High School. ``Both coaches are well-respected and well-liked. It's worked well so far and I think it will work well during the season.''
Except now, as Semones jokingly noted, ``you get yelled at by two people instead of one.''
The studs game
Junior defensive end Cornell Brown, generally considered Tech's best defensive player since Bruce Smith, heads the Hokies' list of '95 all-star candidates.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Lynchburg native was here, there and everywhere for the Hokies last season. His 84 tackles included a team-high 11 sacks and nine other tackles behind the line of scrimmage. His 35 quarterback hurries also paced Tech.
``There are not many around like Cornell,'' Beamer said. ``He just keeps getting better and better. We're lucky to have him.''
Brown, a second-team All-Big East selection last year, figures to be a lock first-teamer this season, and All-America status is not out of the question.
Besides, it runs in the family. Brown's older brother, Reuben, was an All-America offensive tackle at Pittsburgh last year and was a first-round NFL draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in April.
Tech rover Torrian Gray also could sway some voters. The junior made first-team All-Big East in '94 and paces a Hokies secondary that could be the best in the league. Cornerback Antonio Banks and safety William Yaborough were second-team All-Big East a year ago.
In addition to senior linebacker George DelRicco, Tech's other best bets for postseason accolades are two offensive line anchors - senior guard Chris Malone and junior center Billy Conaty.
VIRGINIA TECH AT A GLANCE
COACH: Frank Beamer (41-47-2, eight years at Virginia Tech; 83-70-4, 14 years overall).
1994 RECORD: 8-4 overall (lost to Tennessee in Gator Bowl), 5-2 Big East (second).
KEY LOSSES: QB Maurice DeShazo, SE Antonio Freeman, TE Kevin Martin, G Damien McMahon, TB Tommy Edwards (transferred to Boise State), LB Ken Brown, K Ryan Williams, P Robbie Colley.
RETURNING STARTERS: FL Bryan Still, OT Mike Bianchin, OT Jay Hagood, C Billy Conaty, G Chris Malone, FB Brian Edmonds, TB Dwayne Thomas, DE Cornell Brown, DE Hank Coleman, LB George DelRicco, LB Brandon Semones, DT Waverly Jackson, DT J.C. Price, CB Antonio Banks, CB Larry Green, S Torrian Gray, S William Yarborough.
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: QB Jim Druckenmiller, SE Jermaine Holmes, TE Bryan Jennings, FL Cornelius White, G Todd Washington, FB Marcus Parker, TB Ken Oxendine, LB Tony Morrison, DT Jim Baron, LB Myron Newsome, K Atle Larsen, P John I. Thomas.
HONORS CANDIDATES: C.Brown, Gray, Still, Banks, Coleman, Conaty, Malone, DelRicco, Price, Yarborough, D.Thomas.
KEY POSITION SWITCHES: Before the Gator Bowl, Banks was moved from safety to cornerback and Yarborough was switched from cornerback to safety.
Todd Washington was moved from center to guard.
STAFF CHANGES: Rickey Bustle replaces Gary Tranquill as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Bustle was at Tech from 1987-93 before moving to South Carolina for one season. Tranquill resigned in December to take the offensive coordinator's post at Michigan State.
Assistants Bud Foster and Rod Sharpless were named co-defensive coordinators, replacing Phil Elmassian, who left Tech in the spring to take an assistant's job at Washington. Foster also coaches inside linebackers and special teams, while Sharpless handles outside linebackers and rovers.
Lou West, who was at Kent last year, was hired by Tech in the spring to coach the defensive backfield.
by CNB