ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996 TAG: 9601100026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
FORMER VIRGINIA TECH standout Antonio Freeman and two other rookies made noise earlier than expected during the first week of NFL playoffs.
Who said rookies don't make an immediate postseason impact? Tell that to Bobby Taylor, Antonio Freeman and Zack Crockett.
Those three rookies were chosen Players of the Week for the opening round of the NFL playoffs.
Taylor got the honor for his work in Philadelphia's 58-37 victory over Detroit, when the cornerback from Notre Dame shut down All-Pro receiver Herman Moore.
Freeman, who gave Green Bay a 42-yard return on Atlanta's first kickoff, then gave the Packers a 20-10 lead with a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown en route to a 37-20 victory over the Falcons.
Crockett was the surprise star as Indianapolis beat San Diego 35-20. Replacing injured Marshall Faulk, Crockett rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns after not gaining a yard all season.
While Taylor has been starting for most of the season, Freeman and Crockett have been role players whose contributions figured to be in the future.
``Anybody that's a backup player, they know when somebody goes down they have to step in and play as well, and perhaps even better, than the person they're replacing,'' Crockett said.
Crockett, a third-round draft pick from Florida State, is another fullback from that school to make an early impact in the NFL. William Floyd did it with San Francisco and so did Edgar Bennett with Green Bay.
Crockett knew that with Faulk around, he wouldn't get the ball often in 1995. But on the final day of the year, Crockett was a star.
``I wasn't discouraged,'' Crockett said. ``I was just taking this year as a learning process, like I was a freshman in college again. I just took things in stride, like I was playing my own game and waiting for my chance while working on special teams.''
Special teams has been where Freeman has made his living. A third-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Freeman took over as the Packers' return man when Charles Jordan required knee surgery and missed the second half of the season. Freeman finished fifth in the NFC and led the Packers with a 23.2-yard average on 24 kickoff returns. He also set a team record for most punt returns by a rookie with 37.
Freeman's 42-yard kickoff return against Atlanta ``got everyone going,'' coach Mike Holmgren said. Then came the big punt runback.
``We had been hoping all year long for a big return and there was no better time for it to come than in the playoffs,'' Freeman said. ``It gave our team a lift. I had one guy to beat and it was the punter. The blocking was great. Nobody had a penetration downfield. It was a clear picture to the end zone.''
The picture was somewhat muddled for Taylor, who was considered a weak tackler by many scouts, dropping him from a likely mid-first round pick to the second round.
``I think it had more to do with attitude,'' Taylor said. ``When I first started in camp, my practicing wasn't very good. I think watching some of the older guys, seeing how they practiced, that makes me want to pick it up a little more.''
He picked it up against Moore. Now comes Michael Irvin, whom he held to three insignificant receptions in an upset of the Cowboys a month ago.
Can he do it again?
``When the game comes,'' Taylor said, ``everything will be said and done then.''
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. While Virginia Tech made a postseason splash in theby CNBSugar Bowl against Texas, former Hokie Antonio Freeman had his own
postseason party last week with a 76-yard punt return for a
touchdown in Green Bay's victory over Atlanta.