Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 19, 1995 TAG: 9511210034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tech's Cornell Brown was ill with a stomach flu virus Saturday, but the Hokies' star defensive end came up big when needed late in the game.
Brown recorded both of his sacks in the fourth quarter when Tech's defense put the handcuffs on UVa.
``I hadn't played well all day,'' said Brown, who has a career-high 14 sacks. ``I had to dig deep. I think I owed it to the team to pick it up. I feel like big players are supposed to step up when the game is one the line.''
Brown said the entire defense held its own sideline meeting in the second half.
``The seniors called a meeting and everybody said we had to step it up,'' Brown said.
\ Game turns in a snap
The first 10 times Walt Derey snapped the ball for punts and placements Saturday, hardly anybody noticed that he was in the game.
Derey, plagued by inconsistent snaps since midseason, suffered a recurrence at the worst time - in the fourth quarter, with Virginia trying to hold on against archrival Virginia Tech.
Will Brice, who averaged more than 44 yards on his first six punts, had trouble handling Derey's low snap with under seven minutes remaining and UVa ahead 29-20.
Brice, who normally punts left-footed, had to kick the ball right-footed and was lucky to get off a 15-yarder. Tech freshman Keion Carpenter plucked the ball out of the air and returned it 14 yards to the UVa 21.
Tech didn't even need a first down to put Atle Larsen in position to kick the 35-yard field goal that made it 29-23. That enabled the Hokies to go ahead 30-29 on a touchdown and extra point with 47 seconds remaining.
``It kills,'' Derey said. ``It's three points they wouldn't have had if I'd gotten that snap back there. I was concentrating. It was just a bad snap.''
James Farrior had taken over long-snapping duties in recent weeks, but his errant snap last week helped contribute to a blocked punt by Maryland. Derey won the job back in practice this week.
``I feel sorry for Walt,'' Brice said. ``He's been hurt and he's trying the best he can. I still take it personally because it hurts my performance, yet he's the one who has to take the heat.''
\ Sherman's marches
UVa back-up quarterback Tim Sherman had not completed a pass in 11 games before he was pressed into service after starter Mike Groh suffered a knee injury in the first quarter.
Sherman, a fourth-year junior who had not previously thrown a touchdown pass in his career, completed eight of 10 passes for 129 yards and two second-quarter touchdown passes.
Sherman also tossed a two-point conversion pass to Bobby Neely, who went unnoticed by the Hokies when he spread far to the right on what otherwise would have been a point-after kick with Tech leading 14-13.
\ Hokie-'Hoos hodgepodge
Groh's 188 yards passing gave him 2,510 for the season, which broke the school record of 2,347 set by Symmion Willis in 1993. ... Ronde Barber's third-quarter interception, one of three second-half UVa "picks,'' extended Virginia's streak of games with at least one interception to 28. ... Tiki Barber, despite a season-low 58 yards on 18 carries, took over third on the ACC's single-season list with 1,397 yards. ... Barber scored his 16th touchdown of the season (14 rushing) on a 9-yard carry in the third quarter. He became the first non-kicker to lead the Cavaliers in scoring since running back Greg Taylor in 1979. ... Before Saturday's victory, Tech hadn't beaten a higher-ranked opponents since knocking off No. 9 West Virginia 12-10 in Morgantown in 1989. ... UVa's 29 points were the most scored on the Tech defense this season. ... Antonio Banks' interception was his first in the regular season since 1993 at West Virginia, his freshman season. ... Tech's six defensive touchdowns is a school record. The Hokies have four defensive scores in the past five games. ... Tech's four interceptions for touchdowns tied a record held by the 1967 and '68 squads. ... Senior flanker Bryan Still had five catches for 125 yards. ... Banks' 47-yard kickoff return in the second quarter was the Hokies' longest of the season. ... UVa's 317 yards passing was the second-highest amount allowed by Tech this season. Miami threw for 320 on the Hokies.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB