ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 31, 1995 TAG: 9601020076
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Is Virginia Tech just another big-time college football impersonator?
Tonight in this capital of impersonation - don't believe it, just check out all the transvestites on Bourbon Street - Tech finally gets its chance to prove otherwise.
In front of 72,704 fans at the Louisiana Superdome and millions more nationally via ABC, college football's Rodney Dangerfield begins to undress itself at 7 p.m. (EST) against Texas in the 62nd Sugar Bowl.
If it can hook the ninth-ranked Longhorns (10-1-1), No.13 Tech (9-2) may finally hurdle the tall wall of national obscurity. Not to mention gain those two words it has uttered for so long - national respect.
The Hokies, 2 1/2-point underdogs in their first major bowl game, contend they're ready for the big test that will be graded by critics nationwide. They desperately want to prove they're worthy.
``If we were to win this game, I think it would put us on the map as far as a legitimate powerhouse in the top 20,'' said Chris Malone, the Hokies senior guard.
``We realize where this game can put us as far as the national eye. People treat [us] like we're Northwestern's red-headed stepchild, sister or whatever.''
Beat tradition-rich Texas and Tech figures to become part of the real family. The Hokies won't be in the penthouse - that's reserved for the Nebraskas, Floridas and Florida States of the world - but they'll at least have a foot wedged in the door.
``If we win,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said, ``I don't think people will say, `Virginia Tech's arrived.'
``I think consistency is the key there. If we do it over a period of time, then I think people would say Virginia Tech belongs.
``We certainly have some pressure on us, now that we're here, to show that we belong. Besides Nebraska, there might be more pressure on us to play well than anybody in the bowls.
``It's important that we win this game. We could finish in the top 10. So there's a lot riding on this game.''
Something will have to give tonight in the Superdome, which figures to be packed with some 25,000 Tech fans who have inundated the Big Easy.
Big East Conference champion Tech enters on a school-record nine-game winning streak. Texas, the Southwest Conference titlist, has won six in a row and is 13-1-1 in its past 15 games.
The teams are similar in that each has a balanced offense and each has big-play guys leading stubborn defenses.
The key for the Hokies will be controlling the ball on offense via the run and stopping the versatile Longhorn attack on defense.
Tech's defense, ranked No.1 in the country against the run (77.4 yards per game) and fifth in scoring (14.1), will have its work cut out with Texas' smooth-running ``BMW'' backfield of sophomore quarterback James Brown, junior back Shon Mitchell and freshman back Ricky Williams.
Brown was the SWC offensive player of the year, passing for 2,447 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mitchell (1,099 yards) and Williams (990) ran for nearly 2,100 yards. Throw in receiving weapons - junior wideout Mike Adams (53 catches for 876 yards) and senior tight end Pat Fitzgerald (eight touchdowns) - and one realizes the Hokies' proud defense will have to bring its A-game.
``They're the best team we've seen,'' Tech star defensive tackle J. C. Price said. ``Not only do they have the skill people, but that offensive line is the best one we'll face all year.
``It's going to come down to who wants it more. I know I'm not going to quit, and I know they won't, either. So it's going to be interesting to see what happens.
``If we don't stop the run, we're going to lose. Whoever controls the line of scrimmage will win the game; the team that runs the ball best will win.
``All I know is that I'm ready. I'm going to be going 100 mph on every play.''
One Hokie who needs to be operating at 100 mph - junior defensive end Cornell Brown - may not be able to keep it floored. The All-American suffered a slight hamstring pull in practice Wednesday and Beamer is worried if Brown can go full-speed.
``We're concerned about it, no doubt,'' Beamer said.
On the other side of the ball, a Tech offense that averaged 29.2 points a game faces a Texas defense that yielded only 13 points a game in its past five games.
The Texas defense is headed by All-America end Tony Brackens.
``They're the best defense we've played,'' said Rickey Bustle, Tech's offensive coordinator. ``Their strength is their front people. When you look at film, they will jack you backwards ... they come out of those three-point stances like a house on fire.''
The onus rests on Tech's offensive line to give backs Dwayne Thomas, Ken Oxendine and Marcus Parker holes and provide quarterback Jim Druckenmiller with throwing time.
``We've heard a lot about their defense, but we see a pretty good defense every day in practice,'' Malone said. ``Their size combined with their quickness is nothing like we've faced.''
Texas head coach John Mackovic said the two clubs are ``carbon copies.''
``For that reason, I expect a real close game,'' he said. ``Our players may not know much about Virginia Tech, but they're not oblivious to them. Those films don't lie.''
Several Texas players have said this week they know nothing about Tech and would have preferred to face a ``higher-profile'' opponent.
``The way I look at is they're helping us out,'' Thomas said. ``We're definitely gonna go out and let Texas know who the Hokies are.''
The Tech players say this team is much more prepared for a big game than last year's club, which got blown away 45-23 by Tennessee in the Gator Bowl.
``We're a team that's together this year, last year we weren't,`` Malone said. ``We have a common goal, a focus to know where we want to go and how to get there.
``Last year, we started off with a bang but we ended up like a bunch of individuals and it caught up with us. We went into the Tennessee game hoping. I think we're going into this game expecting.``
Now it's up to these Hokies to deliver the goods.
``We want to show the whole nation who the real Virginia Tech team is,`` said William Yarborough, Hokies' senior free safety.
``You only get so many chances to prove it. So we'd better take care of business since we have the chance.``
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. DON PETERSEN/Staff Virginia Tech players participateby CNBin drills during a practice session at the Louisiana Superdome on
Friday. The Hokies, ranked 13th, play No. 9 Texas at 7 p.m. today in
the Sugar Bowl. color
2. DON PETERSEN/Staff Tech quarterbacks (from left) Al Clark, Jim
Druckenmiller and Cody Whipple throw some passes during a practice
Saturday at the Superdome. color