Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9511020064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Few college football players have crossed ranks from the roasted to the toasted any quicker than Virginia Tech's Myron Newsome.
The same guy who was ripped on ESPN after being torched on several crucial pass plays in Tech's season-opening loss to Boston College now finds himself being saluted nationally.
Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News served up the latest toasts to the Hokies' junior linebacker last week. Both publications selected Newsome as their national defensive player of the week for his do-it-all performance in Tech's 45-17 romp at Rutgers.
Obviously, Newsome's wreck of Rutgers was heard nationwide. Tech's flying 5-foot-10, 205-pound battering ram hit Rutgers with 10 tackles, including five solo stops, a sack, a pass break-up and a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown.
``Yeah, I was a little surprised by all [the national accolades],'' Newsome said.
``When a coach told me about it, at first, I thought it was just a rumor. Then, it really was it.''
The same words could describe Newsome's meteoric rise since Game 1.
Thrown into departed star Ken Brown's old spot, Newsome was a mere rumor against BC. The confused linebacker repeatedly blew coverage assignments in drives that led to two of the Eagles' three touchdowns.
Newsome was dispatched in the second half to the bench, where he spent most of the next week against Cincinnati, too.
Since, however, Newsome has been the real deal. The Hampton native's coming-out party came in Tech's season-saving 13-7 upset of Miami, in which Newsome had five solo tackles, a sack and another tackle for loss.
The cat-quick backer currently leads Tech's nationally rated defense in pass breakups (eight), is tied for fourth in sacks (two) and is eighth in tackles (45).
``That first game against BC was rough,'' Newsome said. "I didn't have the defense down pat and I had some first-game jitters, too. I didn't adjust early enough on a couple of plays and that's how they scored a couple of touchdowns on us. I was really down after that game.''
Enter Tech defensive seniors George DelRicco and J.C. Price. They were among the Hokie veterans who took the 21-year-old rookie aside and consoled him.
``Myron really only had two bad plays against BC which were costly, but that wasn't the reason we lost,'' DelRicco said.
``He was down and I told him, `Man, this is just one game. We're going to need you the rest of the season.'
``I think he listened to me because he's had a great year.''
Price reassured Newsome that he was part of the Tech family and nobody was turning their backs on him.
``You could see the kid had talent,'' Price said. "He just had to settle down a bit and learn the system. Now he's a monster out there.''
Bud Foster, Tech's co-defensive coordinator, confessed he might have thrown too much at Newsome too fast.
``I probably pushed him a little bit too much because I saw so much potential in him,'' Foster said. ``BC was a tough game for a new guy, especially at that position, to come in and have to be the key player. And that position is a key player because of our defense.
``I knew he was a good football player. The other guys believed that, too. They kind of took him under their wings and made him feel part of it. He's kind of taken it and has been running since.''
Right through opposing offenses. Newsome's game is major disruption. His unbridled, pedal-to-the-metal style makes him the ultimate pest for opposing offenses.
``Newsome causes havoc in the backfield,'' said Frank Beamer, Tech coach. ``He's always flying around somewhere. That guy does damage, I tell you.''
``When you talk Myron Newsome, you talk reckless abandon,'' said Price, no tame soul himself.
``He knows only one speed: full speed. When he hits you, he hits you with a purpose. He doesn't want you to get up.''
Newsome may not be the biggest cat around. So what, he said.
``Yeah, I'm short,'' he said. "But I'd rather have what I've got than size. Speed kills, you know.''
Newsome's only regret may be he wasn't a little quicker getting to Blacksburg. As an academic non-qualifier out of Hampton High in 1992, Newsome attended and played football at Butler County Community College in Laredo, Kan., the past two years.
``Tech stuck with me the whole way the past two years,'' Newsome said. "I appreciated that. I always wanted to come to Tech. It just took me a while to get here.''
Newsome, an All-Group AAA performer at Hampton, was a second-team Junior College All-American at Butler.
``Kansas was OK,'' Newsome said. "It was a good place to do work, but there was no social life. It was real boring out there.
``Hey, Blacksburg is New York City in comparison with Laredo.''
Especially when you're the toast of the town.
by CNB