Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
BC coach Dan Henning should remember that '62 date. He was William and Mary's junior quarterback, and he led the Indians to a 3-0 victory over the school for which he'd be the offensive coordinator a decade later.
Tech went more than a quarter-century as an independent, so its experience with crucial openers - and ones in which the line is only 2 1/2 points - is rare. Conference kickoffs for starters also isn't a Big East trend, nor apparently will it be in the future.
Since the league began round-robin play in 1993, that season's Miami-BC game is the only intraconference appearance in a season opener besides the Hokies' date tonight. The Eagles (0-1) opened 10 days ago in a Kickoff Classic squashing by Ohio State. The league has no conference openers penciled in for 1996, either.
``I never liked to start the season with a league game,'' said Mike Gottfried, the former head coach at four Division I colleges and ESPN's analyst for the 8 p.m. kickoff. ``Because of their schedules, these are two teams that need a win, at this stage of the season. Getting started in the conference with a win is important.''
It's become even more crucial due to the Bowl Alliance and its trickle-down concept to third- and fourth-pick bids that are conference-affiliated as well as poll-driven. And with UCLA-trampled Miami (Fla.) looking vulnerable this season, the Hokies and Eagles might be playing for more than the early conference lead.
What to make of the Big East? Miami and BC have lost big. West Virginia lost at home to Purdue, picked no better than seventh in the Big Ten. Pitt beat Washington State, and although the Cougars are projected to finish near the bottom of the Pac-10, it's a good win considering the recent condition of Gottfried's former program.
Gottfried watched and worked Syracuse's impressive 20-9 upset at North Carolina, and he left Kenan Stadium as stunned as anyone. ``Syracuse is a lot better than I thought,'' Gottfried said. ``I think they could be like they were in 1987, with [quarterback] Don McPherson, when they were unbeaten [11-0-1]. They have that same kind of makeup ... The secondary is outstanding.''
Still, Gottfried isn't wavering from his preseason opinion, one he offered at a banquet in Gainesville, Fla., when asked about the Big East race. He picked a team coached by one of his former assistants, and another school that was his keen rival in the Pitt years.
``I told them I liked Virginia Tech and West Virginia,'' said Gottfried, who was Hokies coach Frank Beamer's boss on the Murray State staff in 1979-80. ``Tech has the most [players] coming back. West Virginia was a hot team at the end of last year, and I like their talent. I thought that team had a chance to start 6-0, and they lost last week, but I still like them.
``Miami has a question mark at quarterback, and I think the new rule on celebrations is going to hurt them more than any other team. That's been part of their swagger, their demeanor. The rule takes that away from them, and they'll miss it.''
Gottfried says BC has one advantage tonight in that the Eagles have played a game, ``and coaches always say a team improves most from Game 1 to Game 2.'' He also said the home-field advantage is crucial to Tech, ``particularly when you have a new quarterback and two new kickers. The comforts of home are big.''
If there is a reason he hedges on picking the Hokies to win the Big East, it's the schedule.
``I don't like their schedule, but I like their schedule, if you know what I mean,'' Gottfried said. ``They only have five home games and that's not good [and three of those come the first three weeks], but I like the [winnable] non-conference games.''
It sounds like Gottfried thinks the Big East could be a wild race, and he isn't alone in that analysis. Who from the league will play in the alliance's Fiesta, Orange or Sugar Bowl? It's a multiple-choice question, and it seems awfully early to start working on an answer.
by CNB