ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 1996 TAG: 9603250022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
VIRGINIA TECH will highlight work on defense and receiving for its 1996-97 football season.
Now that it has moved into college football's high-rent district, Virginia Tech's main goal in 1996 is to hold its ground and fend off possible eviction.
``Once you get there,'' said Tech coach Frank Beamer, ``you want to stay there. Trouble is, I think staying there is probably harder than getting there.''
Less than three months removed from the greatest season in school history, the Hokies begin working on hanging with their new neighbors today with the start of spring practice.
Coming off a 10-2 season in which it won its first major bowl game - a 28-10 Sugar Bowl triumph over Texas - and finished No.10 in The Associated Press rankings, Tech faces a tough encore in 1996.
``Sure, we had a good year,'' Beamer said. ``But in this business I've found out usually it's what have you done for us lately.
``The big key now for Virginia Tech is whether we can do it on a consistent basis. If we don't, it was a short run. If we do, I think you've arrived at establishing the status of your program.''
In order to hang with the country's best, Tech must do some major retooling.
The Hokies' most serious work comes on the defensive line, where it loses starters J.C. Price, Jim Baron and Hank Coleman, plus reserve Jeff Holland. Consensus All-America end Cornell Brown and reserve tackle Waverly Jackson are all that's left from what was one of the nation's best defensive fronts in '95.
If Brown is going to make a serious run at the Outland Trophy, Tech's best defender since Bruce Smith will require some help up front.
``Price, Baron, Coleman and Holland ... those are some tough guys to replace,'' said Beamer, who also lost defensive line coach Todd Grantham to Michigan State.
``Guys who weigh 280 and who can run a 4.7 [in the 40-yard dash] don't come around every day. We've got some guys who can play, but no doubt that's a critical position for us this spring.''
Walk-on Danny Wheel, a redshirt junior, and redshirt freshman Chris Cyrus are expected to battle for Coleman's end spot. Candidates for the tackle slot beside Jackson include junior-college transfer William Flowers, junior Brad Baylor, whose career has been slowed by a nagging back problem, and redshirt freshmen Keith Short and Nat Williams.
Behind the line, Beamer must find replacement parts for a pair of All-Big East performers - linebacker George DelRicco and safety William Yarborough.
The best bets to fill DelRicco's void are junior Tony Morrison, who continues to be shadowed by off-the-field problems, and walk-on junior Steve Tate.
Yarborough's spot figures to land in the capable hands of senior Torrian Gray, a second-team All-Big East selection in 1995 who is making the move from rover back to free safety. Junior Korey Irby and sophomore Pierson Prioleau are leading the pack for the vacancy at rover.
On the other side of the ball, Beamer finds major trouble spot No.2 - the receiving corps. Sugar Bowl most valuable player Bryan Still, the fleet flanker who was Tech's top big-play threat, and split end Jermaine Holmes, whose last-minute touchdown catch beat Virginia, will be sorely missed.
Senior Cornelius White, who had 22 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns last year, heads an unheralded cast that includes junior Michael Stuewe (13 catches), junior Shawn Scales and sophomore Angelo Harrison.
Former Hampton High standout Walter Ford, one of Tech's three junior-college recruits, will be counted on to supply some receiver relief when he enters school in the fall.
``We have a lot [of] guys we think are capable, but not many have done it in game situations,'' Beamer said.
``I think Ford can fit in. I think Angelo Harrison can be very good. He has the tools, but now he has to get in there and play well. I thought Shawn Scales could be a great player, but he has to get in there and do it. Stuewe came up with some big catches last year and really has improved on his speed.''
In hopes of finding a deep threat to match quarterback Jim Druckenmiller's rifle arm, Beamer has moved redshirt freshmen Marcus Gildersleeve and Willie McGirt to receiver.
Gildersleeve, a defensive back last year, is small at 5 feet 7, but he has a team-best 4.4 in the 40 in pre-spring drills.
``He could be the deep guy for us,'' Beamer said. "The way Druck can chuck you absolutely have to have a guy who can get deep and catch it.''
McGirt, a quarterback, ran a 4.6 and possesses good hands. "He's another one we're eager to see,'' Beamer said.
Tech loses starters Chris Malone and Mike Bianchin off the offensive line, but unlike the receiving corps there are experienced backups ready to step up to surround holdovers Billy Conaty, Jay Hagood and Gennaroi DiNapoli.
In the backfield, tailback Dwayne Thomas is gone, but running backs coach Billy Hite has options with the trio of fullback Brian Edmonds and tailbacks Ken Oxendine and Marcus Parker.
On special teams, Tech's place-kicking question figures to be answered in the fall when all-everything freshman Shayne Graham of Pulaski County High shows up. Kicker Jimmy Kibble, signed a year ago by Tech, will be given a shot at taking the starting punting job from sophomore John I. Thomas.
``Our two main areas of concern are defensive line and receiver,'' Beamer reiterated. ``If we can get them squared away, and the other people do what I think they're very capable of doing at other positions, then I think we'll have another good football team.
``In order for us to be successful, a lot of young players will have to grow up in a hurry. Spring practice is critical this year.''
TECH TIDBITS: Beamer said senior linebacker Brandon Semones likely will not practice this spring. The former Glenvar High standout is still nursing a lower back injury sustained late last season. ... Senior defensive tackle Waverly Jackson also may sit out the spring after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee. ... Senior cornerback Larry Green will be held out of spring drills so he can devote his time to academics. ... Cody Whipple, a third-team quarterback last year, will get a look at free safety. ... Tech's four-week spring drills will conclude April 20 at 4 p.m., with the annual Maroon-White game at Lane Stadium.
LENGTH: Long : 114 linesby CNB