ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech's football program has reached yet another milestone.
As a result of its 28-10 whipping of Texas in Sunday night's 62nd Sugar Bowl, the Hokies (10-2) finished 10th in The Associated Press' final football poll released Wednesday.
The No.10 ranking marks Tech's highest spot ever in the AP poll, the oldest and most widely recognized poll in college football. The Hokies wound up ninth in the USA Today/CNN coaches' poll, moving up two spots from No.11.
Although some Tech backers voiced their displeasure that the Hokies didn't finish higher in the AP poll, coach Frank Beamer wasn't about to argue Wednesday.
``We kept saying we'd be in the Top 10 [if Tech beat Texas] and we made that, so I'm appreciative of being there,'' Beamer said.
The Hokies, whose 13th spot before the bowls matched their previous highest AP ranking ever, passed Notre Dame, Texas and Oregon in the final poll after all three lost in bowls.
Notre Dame fell from sixth to 11th, Texas dropped from ninth to 14th and Oregon fell from 12th to 18th.
Three teams ahead of Tech - Florida, Northwestern and Ohio State - lost in bowls, but since they were ranked Nos.2-4 going into the postseason none lost enough stock to drop below the Hokies.
Tech's chances of finishing higher than 10th were hurt when Kansas State and Kansas, ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, in the final regular-season poll, each won easily in bowls. Kansas State wound up No.7 and Kansas was ninth.
Kansas State and Kansas ``were both ahead of us going in and they both won convincingly,'' Beamer said. ``I think most of the people would say we're a team that's right up there in that group. Until you play, I think it's hard to say: Are we better than Kansas State or Kansas? I really don't know myself.''
Beamer said Tech fans should look over their shoulder, where they'll see three of college football's traditional heavyweights - Notre Dame (No.11), Southern Cal (No.12) and Penn State (No.13).
``Those guys right back there on our tail lights are pretty good, hey,'' Beamer said.
Tech's previous highest finish in the final AP poll was 16th in 1954.
``I think [the 10th-place ranking] is great for our program,'' Beamer said. ``We're continuing to get better and we're moving into places we've never been before. And that says a lot about our program, our players and our coaches.''
JOB MARKET: Speaking of Tech coaches, at least two Hokies assistants have been linked with vacancies around the country.
Rickey Bustle, Tech's offensive coordinator, is among the candidates for the vacant head coach's position at Marshall. The Thundering Herd is seeking a replacement for Jim Donnan, who was hired by Georgia after Glen Mason backed out to stay at Kansas.
Bustle was not in his Tech office Wednesday afternoon and was unavailable for comment. One source said Bustle was in Huntington, W.Va., interviewing with Marshall's athletic director, Lee Moon.
Also, Rod Sharpless, Tech's co-defensive coordinator, reportedly is being considered by new Rutgers coach Terry Shea for the Scarlet Knights' vacant defensive coordinator's spot.
Sharpless said Wednesday he had not been contacted by Rutgers, although a Rutgers source confirmed Sharpless is on Shea's list and will be called. Shea, a disciple of Bill Walsh at Stanford, reportedly wants to hire two assistants who know the Big East Football Conference and with recruiting ties in the East.
Also, Sharpless' wife, Linda, hails from Mercerville, N.J., which is a short drive from Rutgers' campus in New Brunswick, N.J.
LOCAL CONNECTION: While former Glenvar High School standout Brandon Semones recorded a Hokies-high nine tackles against Texas, a pair of former Salem High School stars also made significant contributions in Tech's victory.
Sophomore fullback Marcus Parker scored what proved to the winning touchdown - a 2-yard run late in the third quarter as Tech went up 14-10. Helping open the gaping hole for Parker was tight end Shaine Miles, whose blocking prowess is utilized in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Following the touchdown, Miles was the first Hokie to embrace Parker.
Parker and Miles starred on the 1991 Salem team that was the runner-up to Spotslyvania in the Group AA Division 4 playoffs.
BREAKOUT GAME: Former Jefferson Forest High School standout Bryan Jennings had a career night in the Louisiana Superdome.
Jennings, a 6-foot-4, 248-pound tight end, had six catches for 77 yards against the Longhorns. The six receptions doubled Jennings' previous single-game high of three catches, recorded in Tech's opener against Boston College. Jennings caught 17 passes in Tech's 11 regular-season games.
TECH TIDBITS: The much-maligned Big East finished with a rush. Thanks to rousing victories by Tech and Syracuse (41-0 over Clemson in the Gator Bowl), the league had three teams finish in the Top 20 for the first time. Tech was 10th, Syracuse 19th and Miami 20th. ... The Hokies' Sugar triumph enabled it to sew up the Lambert Trophy, presented annually to the top team in the Northeast. Tech received all seven first-place votes to easily outdistance runner-up Penn State (9-3). ... In the Hokies' final six games, including the Sugar Bowl, their defense gave up only one more touchdown (eight) than it scored (seven).
LENGTH: Medium: 94 linesby CNB