ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 12, 1995 TAG: 9512120062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: SPORTS EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
If the Virginia Tech football staff liked Cullen Hawkins' moves on the football field, the Hokies should have seen him on skis.
Hawkins, who made an oral commitment to Tech during the past weekend, once was nationally ranked as a mogul skier.
``I wouldn't suggest that all my players try it,'' said Jim Render, the football coach at Upper St.Clair (Pa.) High School, ``but I think his training as a skier has given him tremendous vision and balance.''
Hawkins, whose father played for the Hokies in the late 1960s, rushed for 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns this past season and was one of the top two vote-getters for the Fabulous 22 all-star team picked by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Also committing to Tech this past weekend was Manny Clemente, a 6-foot-2, 232-pound linebacker from Brooklyn, N.Y., and Woodberry Forest School in Orange. Clemente had received recruiting interest from Wake Forest, Maryland, North Carolina and Richmond.
Hawkins could not be reached for comment Monday, but Render said the Hokies' main competition came from Boston College and Pittsburgh.
``Coach [Frank] Beamer did an excellent job of coming in and cleaning up before anybody else had a chance,'' said Render, who coached former Tech wide receiver Nick Cullen at Upper St.Clair.
Hawkins' father, Scott, was a freshman at Tech when Beamer was a senior in 1968 and started at outside linebacker in 1969. A back injury limited his subsequent playing time and eventually ended his career before the 1971 season.
Scott Hawkins said the Hokies had spoken to his son about playing the ``whip'' linebacker spot manned by junior Brandon Semones. Free safety is another possibility, and Render said the Hokies have said they also will look at Hawkins on offense.
``He's one of those guys who, if he would walk in your office, you wouldn't ooh and aah over his physique,'' Render said, ``but he can play the game. Week in and week out, he was the dominating player on the football field.''
Hawkins, who stood 5-11 and 170 pounds after his junior year, now measures 6-1/2 and 188 pounds. He has been timed in 4.54 for 40 yards.
``My analysis is that his junior year put him into position to be recruited at the major-college level,'' said Hawkins' father. ``The kind of year he had as a senior put him in the upper echelon.''
Hawkins averaged more than 8.5 yards per carry in rushing for nearly 3,000 yards the past two seasons. He kicked field goals and extra points this year and finished with 166 points - easily outdistancing the No.2 scorer in Western Pennsylvania, who had 108.
Hawkins no longer competes in mogul skiing, but, when he was younger, he left school for nine-week training sessions in Mount Hood, Ore., where his teacher was 1992 Olympic gold medalist Donna Weinbrecht.
``There was actually a question whether he would come back for high school or not,'' Scott Hawkins said. ``He finally told me, `Dad, I'm not ready to make this my life. I'd rather stay at home and give football a try.'''
Tech has received 14 commitments, only 12 of which count against its 1996 limit.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB