Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160109
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The question was becoming nasty and frequent: ``What's wrong with those Virginia Tech receivers?''
At times, Hokie receivers were dropping passes as if it was a crime to make the reception.
But on a gloomy autumn day when the offense had no other choice but to shine, the much-maligned Hokie receiving corp gleamed in Tech's 77-27 non-conference victory over Akron at Lane Stadium. The brightest ray of light among the receivers was junior flanker Cornelius White.
Despite playing without senior wide receiver Bryan Still, who was out with a re-aggravated right shoulder suffered in the Boston College loss, Tech (4-2) tested Akron's secondary early.
Picking on a Zip team that has given up almost 36 points a game, quarterback Jim Druckenmiller threw long and connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass to White on the Hokies' second play from scrimmage. The touchdown made the score 13-0 and a rout was in the making.
``I got a step on him [Akron cornerback Bryan Coles] and my eyes got big,'' White said.
Tech came in averaging 350 yards a game, but only averaged 13.4 points a contest (104th in the country). Coach Frank Beamer said he and offensive coordinator Ricky Bustle were looking for a way to shake up the Hokies' offense.
``Let's be unpredictable,'' was the approach Beamer said he and Bustle discussed. ``Let's take our shots deep.''
Coles claims he was not caught off-guard, however. He said the Hokies just converted on a good play.
``I was prepared,'' Coles said. ``I just missed my assignment.''
Two possessions later, White had an 8-yard reception and an 18-yard touchdown catch that gave Tech a 26-0 lead with 15 seconds left in the first quarter. White didn't have any more catches on the day but the damage had been done.
In one quarter of play, White had 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Druckenmiller, who only played one quarter, was 5-of-7 for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
For the game, Tech receivers caught 12 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, the corp didn't have any uncontested drops. Maybe there was some inspiration from practice this week.
Beamer announced during practice last week that all the receivers would get a chance to catch the ball and the most efficient players would start against Akron (1-5).
``I was being truthful," Beamer said. "We had competition. We have other receivers."
And among the receivers in competition and guilty of missed opportunities was White.
In Tech's 20-14 season-opening loss to Boston College, White dropped a pass deep in Eagle territory in the game's final minutes. That drop seemed to set off a chain reaction.
He had five catches for 89 yards in the BC game. But in the four following games, he combined for five receptions and 44 yards including no receptions against Navy last Saturday.
With Saturday's yardage, White surpassed last season's total (211). He has 237 yards at the midway point this season.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB