ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 30, 1996 TAG: 9608300026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Judging from early reports, NFL scouts may find themselves wearing out a path to Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium this season.
The preseason talk is that as many as six Hokies seniors are considered potential early-round picks in the 1997 NFL draft.
Besides consensus All-America defensive end Cornell Brown, a sure-fire early pick, other Hokies under the NFL microscope this fall will be quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, center Billy Conaty, tight end Bryan Jennings, offensive tackle Jay Hagood and free safety Torrian Gray.
While Frank Beamer cherishes having such talent at his disposal, Tech's head coach also realizes there's a flip side to the situation. After all, more than one college player has mailed in his senior season amid worries of serious injury and dreams of the NFL's big bucks.
There are some who claim it happened in Blacksburg two years ago, when a fast-starting Tech team lost three of its final four games and finished 8-4.
``I think there was some of that,'' said Conaty, a sophomore starter on that '94 squad. ``We had some guys who were more worried about their prospective NFL careers than what was going on on the field and it hurt us, no doubt.
``This year, I'd like to warn our guys about what we've seen in the past and how it screwed our team up. Hopefully, we've learned from those mistakes and we'll all put our professional careers out of the way.
``Last year, our seniors did a great job at that. Hey, you win games here first and then you worry about the next level.''
With the possible exception of Brown, none of the other five players' resumes is so impeccable that he can afford to run on cruise control this fall.
``I think that's what these guys here have got to realize,'' Beamer said. ``The harder they play and the better they play in their senior year the better chance they have on NFL draft day.
``Just look at last year. J.C. Price went way up in the draft because of his senior year, not because at the beginning of the year somebody thought he needed to be a high draft pick. It's because he played well, that's why his stock really rose.''
PRICE CUT: Speaking of Price, Carolina Panthers coach Dom Capers said the former Tech star was cut by the NFL club earlier this week because he was simply wasn't strong enough to play up front in the Panthers' 3-4 defensive scheme.
Capers said the 6-foot-3, 260-pounder wasn't powerful enough to take on blockers head-on and would be better suited to play in a 4-3 scheme that would have him lining up opposite a gap.
Price, when chosen by Carolina in the third round (88th overall) of April's draft, said he was shocked to be selected by the Panthers, one of the few NFL teams using the 3-4 defense.
JUST IN CASE: Although Brown said he doesn't think about his prospective NFL career being jeopardized by a serious injury this fall, the Tech star has taken precautions nonetheless.
``I've taken out a little [insurance] policy through the NCAA,'' Brown said.
Brown wouldn't reveal how much the policy is worth, saying only ``it's not as much as Peyton Manning's.''
Manning is Tennessee's Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback.
``I don't worry about getting hurt,'' Brown said. ``If you do, that's when you get hurt. If I'm able to go out there and have fun and fly around the ball I'm going to be OK.''
BRAINE BUMPED UP: Tech's athletic director, Dave Braine, has been appointed chairman of the NCAA's Special Events Committee. Braine has been a member of the committee for the past two years.
The committee certifies postseason bowl games and all-star games for football and basketball and overseas tournaments and other special events. Dave Cawood, NCAA assistant executive director, said Braine was appointed because of his experience in dealing with bowl officials and his knowledge of the overall bowl scene.
AROUND THE BIG EAST: Sophomore Scott Mutryn has emerged as Boston College's starting quarterback. Mutryn, who was redshirted last year after being pressed into emergency duty as a true freshman, beat out junior Matt Hasselback for the job. West Virginia faces the distinct possibility of starting two redshirt freshman running backs - Amos Zeroue and Mark Plants - against Pitt on Saturday night.
TECH TIDBITS: Junior Danny Wheel, the leading candidate to start at defensive end opposite Brown, broke a bone in his left hand during workouts. Wheel, however, is expected to play in Tech's Sept.7 opener at Akron. Druckenmiller, who turns 24 on Sept.19, may be the oldest college quarterback in the country. However, as Druckenmiller is quick to note, he's not the elder statesman on the Hokies' roster. That distinction belongs to junior cornerback Tony Joe. Joe, who enrolled at Tech in January after transferring from Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Community College, turned 25 on June 13. Tech will conduct its fourth and final preseason scrimmage at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lane Stadium. The session is closed to the public.
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