Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 27, 1995 TAG: 9509270050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
``We've got to keep flying. It's hammer-down time from here on in,'' defensive tackle J.C. Price said Tuesday. ``Beating Miami was great, but now we've got to turn around and do it again come Saturday at Pitt. That's another must game, too.''
No doubt, the Hokies (1-2) feel a lot better this week getting ready for Pittsburgh (2-2) than they did preparing for the Hurricanes. Tech's 13-7 upset of 17th-ranked Miami at Lane Stadium was the ideal tonic for an 0-2 start marked by an embarrassing 16-0 loss to Cincinnati on Sept.16.
By beating the favored 'Canes, Tech shot right back into the Big East Conference race at 1-1 and rekindled its hopes for a third consecutive bowl bid.
``An opportunity - that's what the Miami win gives us,'' said Frank Beamer, Tech's head coach. ``It still remains to be seen, though. You would assume from here we'd be a better football team. But, hey, we've got to do it.
``The verdict is still out: How is this football team? We're 1-2 now and we feel better about last Saturday. But are we going to be a better football team from last week? That's the question to be answered.''
Beamer said the Miami victory did relieve a lot of the load from an 0-2 start.
``I think a lot of people were worried, taking different action and saying different things about where our season was,'' Beamer said. ``But our players and coaches remained solid. And I think that's how you come back from a very disappointing, an embarrassing loss [to Cincinnati] to a great, great win.
``Against Cincinnati, we weren't loafing. People were calling us dogs, but we weren't loafing. There were only two plays where we thought a guy might not have given his best effort, but other than that, we weren't loafing. We just couldn't make a play.''
KICKING AROUND BLAME: Beamer said close study of the videotape of the Miami game revealed kicker Atle Larsen wasn't totally to blame for the Hokies' continuing woes on field-goal attempts.
The tape showed Larsen's holder, punter John I. Thomas, was releasing the ball prematurely.
``That was amazing to me,'' Beamer said. ``I had never noticed John was dropping it like that. He was lifting his finger right before the ball was being kicked. John didn't have any idea he was doing it.''
Beamer said Thomas also was having trouble getting the seams on the ball turned away from the kicker.
``We haven't put a lot of emphasis on that because John is a new holder,'' Beamer said. ``It's been like, `OK, John, just get the ball down there, and if you can get the seams around, do it.'
``But when you get on long field goals, you need those seams in the front. If you don't, you don't hit the sweet spot.''
Beamer said the entire field-goal unit - blocking, snapping, holding and kicking - will get a lot of attention during practice this week.
``It's the whole team, not just Atle Larsen,'' Beamer said.
Is Beamer worried about Larsen, who is 2-for-8 on field-goal attempts this season?
``Not a bit,'' he said. ``I'd bet money on him. As a matter of fact, I guess I am. I've got my salary on him.''
NUMBER CRUNCHING: The Hokies' team statistics mirror their Jekyll-Hyde season to date.
In the latest NCAA stats, Tech's scoring defense (14.3 points per game) ranks 11th in the country. The Hokies' scoring offense (9.0 ppg), however, is No.107 among 108 Division I-A schools.
The Hokies' are second in the nation - behind Oklahoma - in rushing defense (66.3 yards per game).
Two other Tech highs and lows - the Hokies are 19th in net punting (39.0 yards per kick), but 103rd in kickoff returns (13.7 yards per kick).
JUST FOR KICKS: Tech's uncanny ability to block kicks no longer is a secret within the Big East.
The Hokies blocked a punt against Miami, running their Big East streak to four games with at least one block. Tech has four blocks this season and 44 in Beamer's 93 games as head coach.
TECH TIDBITS: Senior tailback Dwayne Thomas' 165-yard effort grabbed the headlines against Miami, but sophomore backup Ken Oxendine didn't go unnoticed. Oxendine, who missed the Hokies' first two games with a broken right hand, had 82 yards on nine carries - including a 41-yard gallop. ... John I. Thomas' 40.7-yard average leads the Big East in punting. ... Sophomore tailback Aaron Layne underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last week and is out for the season. Layne's roommate is junior cornerback Antonio Banks, who is expected to miss at least two more games after arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday. Beamer said fullback Greg Melvin has been having knee problems and will have arthroscopic surgery today. ... Tech has buried Pitt 63-21 and 45-7 the past two years, but the oddsmakers see it differently this time. The Hokies opened as a 2 1/2-point favorite over the Panthers.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB