Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 26, 1995 TAG: 9510260050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The current No. 2 teams, respectively, are Virginia Tech and Virginia.
It couldn't happen, or could it?
Florida State and Florida met last year in the Sugar Bowl, but that was an extraordinary situation. The teams had tied 31-31 in the final game of the regular season.
Tech and Virginia meet in the final game this season, but bowl committees traditionally have not paired teams that have played during the regular season. Moreover, the Hokies played in the Gator Bowl last year.
``Whether we won or lost the [regular-season] Virginia game, I think we could sell more tickets for a Virginia rematch in the Gator Bowl than we sold last year,'' Tech athletic director Dave Braine said.
``We have less than 4,000 tickets for our game in Charlottesville, so it would be the only chance many of our fans would have to see us play Virginia.''
While Braine isn't convinced the Gator Bowl would take two Virginia teams, he thinks there would be little opposition to inviting Tech for a second year in a row.
``Our people really haven't been to the Gator Bowl yet,'' said Braine, alluding to the fact that the 1994 Gator Bowl was moved to Gainesville, Fla., from Jacksonville. ``I've already talked to the Gator Bowl, and the Gator Bowl would love to have us back. Our fan support is our biggest plus.''
Braine conceded the Tech-UVa regular-season game, while it has no bearing on conference races, could influence a bowl committee choosing between the two teams. Of course, the Hokies could be in line for a more prestigious bowl if they win three upcoming Big East games.
``But you've got to be realistic,'' he said. ``Next week, we might love to play in the Gator Bowl. In two weeks, we might love to play in the Liberty Bowl [with its fourth choice of Big East teams]. We could be in the catbird seat or we could be scrambling for six wins.''
UVA CASUALTY: Defensive back Joe Crocker, who has started 20 of 21 games for Virginia the past two seasons, may miss the remainder of the regular season with a dislocated toe suffered in the Cavaliers' 17-16 loss to Texas. Joe Williams, who had missed three games with a sprained ankle, took his place for the last 11/2 quarters against the Longhorns.
RECRUITING: Virginia Tech is in the lead for 6-foot-5, 220-pound Robert Adams, who has been compared to NFL standout Charles Haley, one of his forerunners at William Campbell High School.
William Campbell football coach Kevin Saunders said he is almost certain Adams will take all five of his allotted visits, and that three of them will be to Tech, Tennessee and Washington.
Sources say Adams felt snubbed when he didn't meet coach George Welsh at Virginia's summer camp, although Saunders would like to see his prize prospect visit more than one state school. The Cavaliers remain on Adams' long list, which also includes Miami and Maryland.
``I think Tech's always been in the front,'' said Saunders, who is optimistic Adams will make the required score on the Scholastic Assessment Test. The Hokies also are looking at William Campbell linebacker James Younger and wide receiver Sharron Braxton.
IN THE BIG EAST: There is growing discussion about second-year Boston College coach Dan Henning, who has a 9-9-1 overall record after a 49-7 loss to Army, a game the Cadets led 42-0 at the half in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
``How I feel about the whole situation is my business,'' Henning was quoted by the Boston Globe, ``and whether I'm concerned about my status ... I have a contract. If they determine that they don't want me here, they're going to have to tell me, because I kind of like it here.
`` ... Are we going to say we're the team that lost to Army and not the team that beat Virginia Tech? Or are we the team that lost to West Virginia, but not the team that shut out Pittsburgh? We're capable. There's a better team here than played Army.''
Pittsburgh is assured of its fourth straight losing season and has an 8-22 record since Johnny Majors' return as head coach in 1993. Majors is sticking with sophomore quarterback Pete Gonzalez, who was 4-of-20 in a 17-16 loss to Miami, a game the Panthers led in the fourth quarter.
MIRIELLO ALERT: Look for an announcement, possibly by the end of the week, that Washington and Lee is removing the ``interim'' from football coach Frank Miriello's title. Miriello, who took over the football program after the sudden death of friend and mentor Gary Fallon, has directed the Generals to three straight victories and a 3-2-1 record.
DERSCH DELIBERATING: Willie Dersch, one of the nation's premier shooting guards, has narrowed his choices to Virginia and North Carolina. Dersch, who averaged 21.5 points last season at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, N.Y., will announce his decision at a news conference Nov. 2.
WOMEN'S HOOPS: Katie Smrcka-Duffy, named Ms. Basketball in Virginia last year by The Roanoke Times, has made an oral commitment to North Carolina State. Smrcka-Duffy, who averaged 30.1 points last season for Madison High School in Vienna, picked the Wolfpack over Stanford, Virginia and Penn State.
UVa's first two basketball commitments are from 6-foot-2 Lisa Hosac from Littleton, Colo., and 5-6 point guard Renee Robinson from East Palo Alto, Calif., both ranked among the top 20 prospects in the country.
by CNB