ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 TAG: 9604240025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
TECH COACH FRANK BEAMER says most people don't know the whole story about the problems that have affected the Hokies since the Sugar Bowl.
The giant trophy for winning the 62nd Sugar Bowl sits proudly on a table in the hallway on the second floor of Virginia Tech's Jamerson Athletic Center.
However, times are something short of sweet these days for Hokies coach Frank Beamer and the school's football program.
Instead of reveling in the success of Tech's greatest football season ever, Beamer instead has found himself spending much time tackling a rash of off-the-field legal problems involving his players.
Beamer has seen six of his players involved in well-publicized scrapes with Blacksburg police since last Nov.27.
Beamer said he realizes the growing public perception must be ``what's going on up here?''
``If the people knew these kids, if they knew the inside story, I don't feel like they'd feel these guys are just running wild,'' Beamer said.
``I expect our players to act right. When they don't, they're going to be punished within our program. We're not going to have a loose program, we're not going to have an undisciplined program, and I don't think we do.''
The problems started well before the Sugar Bowl, when two players - freshman receiver James Crawford and sophomore linebacker Tony Morrison - were suspended from making the trip to New Orleans for their parts in two separate incidents.
Both incidents occurred shortly after both players had been publicly accused of rape by a former Tech student. That case, which attracted hordes of national publicity, subsequently was dropped when a Montgomery County grand jury decided not to indict the players. A civil suit, however, still looms.
Another player, junior defensive back Antonio Banks, was charged with assault and battery in connection with a Dec.3 fight outside a party at a Blacksburg apartment.
Then, following Tech's 28-10 landmark victory over Texas in the Sugar Bowl, Beamer was faced with more excerpts from the police blotter.
Freshman punter John I. Thomas was hit with a felony hit-and-run charge on Feb.18.
Then, after a March 21 fight outside a Blacksburg bar, senior linebacker George DelRicco and junior quarterback Jim Druckenmiller were arrested and charged with assault and battery and malicious wounding, respectively.
And, suddenly, the term ``mug shot'' took on new meaning at Tech. No longer was it just a term for a player's photograph in the Hokies' football guide.
While Beamer doesn't condone his players' actions, he quickly pointed out there are ``two sides to every situation.''
``I think in some cases this thing thing has gotten out of whack a little bit,'' Beamer said. ``Things are not always as they seem.
``My contention is you have to look at the end result ... and wait to see what really happened.
``I really dislike all these charges that are coming around. What I told my players is what I'm interested in what they're guilty of. Don't get me wrong. If a guy has been charged of something, that's serious to me. But I really want to know what you're guilty of.''
Of the four players whose cases have gone to court, none was convicted of a serious offense. In two cases, the charges were reduced significantly. In the other two cases, the charges were dropped and thrown out of court.
Morrison was charged with public intoxication, petit larceny and destruction of property by Blacksburg police at a restaurant on Dec.9.
The judicial outcome was much less. Morrison was found guilty only of violating a traffic code - possession of his older brother's driver license. The other charges were dismissed when Morrison agreed to return money he took from a tip jar, paid to have a door fixed and agreed to enter an alcohol education program.
Crawford's original charges were felony hit-and-run and fraud. Crawford allegedly bumped a service station employee with his car, which had been impounded at the lot after campus police ordered it towed due to outstanding parking tickets.
In court, Crawford's punishment was reduced significantly. He was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined $1,000 (all but $400 was suspended) after the attendant admitted she wasn't hurt. The fraud charge was dropped when Crawford paid his towing and impoundment bill.
In addition, both Morrison and Crawford were punished inside the Tech program, Beamer said. Each was suspended from the team for the Sugar Bowl with their court cases pending.
``I felt like they were both wrong in that situation,'' Beamer said.
Banks' case was thrown out of court when he couldn't be positively identified as a participant in the fight.
``Another situation,'' said Beamer, ``that got big headlines in the paper, and it ends up, Banks wasn't even the guy.''
Of all the cases involving Tech players, none was blown out of proportion more than Thomas'. The Tech punter bumped into the back of another car at a traffic light. He got out of his car, gave the other driver his name and address, then left.
When police arrived on the scene, the other driver suddenly complained of neck pain. Thomas was subsequently arrested at his house and charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident in which there was an injury sustained.
The case was dismissed, ``laughed right out of court,'' Beamer said.
``But if somebody read the account in the paper, they'd think John I. Thomas had really done something big,'' Beamer said. ``But, again, once the facts were in, he did nothing wrong.''
The latest incident involved DelRicco, whose football elibigibity is over, and Druckenmiller, the junior quarterback who was instrumental in Tech's 10-2 season in 1995.
Both were involved in an early-morning scuffle on March 21 that left one man with with two black eyes and another with a fractured eye socket, according to police reports.
The preliminary hearing for both players will be held May 9 in Blacksburg General District Court.
Druckenmiller, who wasn't arrested and charged by police until April 13, faces a felony charge that carries five to 20 years of jail. However, since Druckenmiller used no weapon it's likely the charges against the Tech quarterback will be reduced considerably.
Beamer said he has punished Druckenmiller within the program. Beamer refused to reveal the nature of the punishment.
``My punishment for Jim was what I thought was proper for what I saw he did wrong,'' Beamer said. ``Now, if it's proven in court more is wrong, we'll address it at that time.''
Beamer and his coaching staff constantly warn players of the consequences they face when they do wrong in public.
``People are warned not to go out and do stupid things, but sometimes you just can't control it,'' said Bryan Still, a senior flanker. ``Coach is always reminding us to be smart. But we've had some guys who have made some mistakes.''
And when they do, the media is quick to react. While Beamer would say too quick, he also understands the media's desire to keep constant focus on his program.
``If most students here get charged with hit-and-run like John I. Thomas, there wouldn't have been anything written about it,'' Beamer said.
``But if you're a college football player, that's part of your responsibility ... because you're doing something that most other college kids don't - play football on Saturday. Because they make the newspaper and other college kids don't ... well, that's just a fact of life.''
As is people doing wrong.
``Sure,'' said Beamer, ``there's going to be some things happen when you're dealing with so many kids [112]. I don't think the percentage of football players getting into stuff is no higher than the percentage of the general student body.
``Don't get me wrong, we're not making excuses for 'em. I'm going to treat these kids just like they're my sons. If they're wrong we're going to kick their butts and if they're right we're going to stick with 'em until we find out the final outcome.''
LENGTH: Long : 143 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Beamer. color.by CNB