
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995                   TAG: 9510160100
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOKIES GAME NOTES

Of all the good things that came of Virginia Tech's 77-27 rout of Akron Saturday at Lane Stadium, perhaps none will be more valuable down the road than the extended playing time issued to backup quarterback Al Clark.

The redshirt freshman took over for starter Jim Druckenmiller early in the second quarter and played 32 minutes before giving way to third-stringer Cody Whipple.

Clark, the front-runner for the starting QB job until being overtaken by Druckenmiller in spring practice, showed flashes of brilliance, breaking touchdown runs of 48 and 58 yards. He was the first Tech QB to run for 100 or more yards since Mark Cox turned the trick against VMI in 1983.

``It's great for us to get Al some experience,'' said Rickey Bustle, Tech's offensive coordinator. ``We know there's going to come a day he's going to have to step in there and get the job, so this was good for him.

``I didn't want Al to just go in and hand off the football. He tried four wides, running the option, throwing a little bit and running the no-huddle. He made a couple nice checks. We had two situations where we had to change the play and he did.''

Clark, who completed 6 of 9 passes for 57 yards, turned down a request to come to Tech's post-game media session and couldn't be reached for comment on his play.

JUST FOR KICKS

The Hokies came up with two more blocked kicks, running this season's total to eight.

Sixty-six seconds into the game, Tech's Okesa Smith blew through the Akron line and blocked Lloyd Kessler's punt. Jermaine Holmes recovered the ball to start Tech's rout.

Defensive end Lawrence Lewis later blocked an Akron point-after attempt.

Tech has blocked four punts, three PATs and a field goal this year.

INJURY REPORT

Senior flanker Bryan Still (sore right shoulder) and senior defensive tackle Jim Baron (sprained left ankle) didn't dress for Tech. Both are expected to play Saturday at Rutgers. Junior cornerback Antonio Banks, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Sept.21, dressed and played one series in the second quarter.

NEXT OPPONENT

The Hokies travel to Piscataway, N.J., to meet Big East Conference foe Rutgers on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Scarlet Knights were 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the Big East heading into their game at Miami on Saturday night. Tech beat Rutgers 41-34 in Blacksburg last year.

Keywords:
FOOTBALL VIRGINIA TECH

by CNB