Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250061
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
In a rather unique endorsement considering Tech has four games left, Beamer on Tuesday launched a campaign backing Price for the Big East Football Conference's 1995 defensive player of the year award.
The Hokies' 6-foot-3, 275-pound senior defensive tackle certainly has scored heavy in the primaries, posting six quarterback sacks, 11 other tackles for loss, 19 quarterback pressures and 65 tackles.
"You're talking about a guy who has played great all year long, and hopefully, he's going to continue,'' Beamer said.
"I think the way he's played compares to the way [Warren] Sapp [of Miami] played last year. You're talking about dominating, being around the football. Every pro scout that has been in this year has come away talking about how he's playing, how hard he plays and how all over the field he plays.''
While Beamer said he doesn't plan to bend any arms among the league coaches (who vote on the award), he noted he will make sure Price's name is in the hat.
"I don't do those things unless I really believe,'' Beamer said, "and I think J.C. so far - and he needs to finish it up for us - has had a great year. At the appropriate time, I will say this guy is deserving of being the defensive player of the year.''
Bud Foster, Tech's co-defensive coordinator, seconded Beamer's nomination.
"I'm on that bandwagon right now the way J.C. has played,'' Foster said. "I don't know if there's a defensive lineman in the Big East or a defensive player who has had as much impact on his team's performance than J.C. has.''
And what's Price, a guy who never has made All-Big East, say?
"I don't even want to think about that stuff,'' Price said. "There's too much football to be played yet.''
No Tech player has won the Big East's offensive or defensive award. A Miami player has won or shared the defensive award in the league's first four years.
CROSS YOUR FINGERS: For the most part, Tech has managed to avoid the rash of crippling season-ending injuries that have ravaged some of its Big East brethren.
Tech is the only team in the Big East that has not lost a starter to a season-ending injury. The Hokies lost top receiver Bryan Still (separated right shoulder) for 21/2 games, cornerback Antonio Banks (knee surgery) for three games and defensive tackle Jim Baron (sprained ankle) and tailback Ken Oxendine (broken hand) for two games each.
"I think Still being out affected our football team,'' Beamer said of his speedy flanker who went down in the opener against Boston College.
"But he got through the game last week, and he feels good about it. Hopefully, he will get more and more full speed and be more of an influence on the games.''
EMBATTLED COACH: Tech's 45-17 romp over Rutgers last Saturday tightened the screws on what figures to be Doug Graber's sixth and final year as Scarlet Knights head coach. Rutgers supporters and New Jersey media are publicly calling for Graber's scalp after a disappointing 1-5 start.
"I've been through some tough times before, but never quite like this,'' Graber said. "There has been a lot of sleepless nights. It has been torturous.''
BUSTLE OK: Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle, who suffered a kidney stone attack before Saturday's game, has punched the clock as usual this week.
"He's fine,'' Beamer said. "He had a little sinking spell [Sunday night], but he's fighting through it. He's a tough guy. Besides you've got to practice to play, you know.''
TECH TIDBITS: Tech (5-2 overall, 3-1 Big East) opened as a 21/2-point favorite for Saturday's key conference clash at West Virginia (3-4, 2-1). ... Tech is 3-0 on the road this season and has won seven of its past nine regular-season games away from home. The Hokies have taken four of the past six from WVU, including two of the past three in Morgantown. ... Tech hasn't won six in a row since 1967. ... Tech's offense, No.104 in the nation in scoring two weeks ago, has jumped to 38th after putting up 122 points against Akron and Rutgers. ... In a peculiar statistic for a 5-2 team, Tech is minus-four in turnover ratio.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB