ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996 TAG: 9609040101
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
RAISED ON UVa FOOTBALL, the fifth-year quarterback is psyched for the first start of his career on Saturday.
When he was summoned to coach George Welsh's office Sunday, Virginia quarterback Tim Sherman didn't know what to expect.
``I put myself in the mind set of, `I'll just go in and listen to what he has to say,''' Sherman said. ``I didn't want to put myself on a pedestal and be knocked off.''
Sherman, who has spent most of his life around the UVa program, had cause for celebration upon learning that he would start Saturday in the Cavaliers' opener against Central Michigan.
``I've dreamed of this,'' said Sherman, whose father has been an assistant coach at Virginia since 1982. ``It's finally here. I'm elated. I'm ready to get out there. I wish we could play tonight.''
Welsh said he plans to use two quarterbacks, including sophomore Aaron Brooks. It will be the first college start for Sherman, a fifth-year senior who had some success last year as the back-up to Mike Groh.
``That was not taken into consideration at all,'' Welsh said Tuesday. ``We felt [Sherman] did a little better job overall in preseason practice. If Brooks had the edge, I would have started Brooks. ''
Sherman has attempted 24 passes in his college career. He was 11-of-17 last year, when he came off the bench after Groh was injured against Michigan and Virginia Tech.
``I wanted to win the job on performance - not on the past,'' said Sherman, who tossed a pair of touchdown passes before he was injured against Tech. ``It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business.
``I tried not think about [the competition], but it was a nerve-wracking camp. Aaron and I didn't get to look at the detailed stats of each practice and scrimmage, so I wasn't sure how things were going to play out.''
And, he didn't dare ask his father.
``That would put him in an unfair position and it would be unfair to Aaron, too,'' Sherman said. ``I'm not sure what role my father had in the decision process, if he had any.''
He didn't. Sherman was the unanimous choice of offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien, quarterback coach Joe Krivak and Welsh.
``There really wasn't a whole lot of discussion,'' Welsh said.
Sherman's father, Tom, played quarterback at Penn State and was Welsh's original quarterbacks coach at Virginia, but he has coached the Cavaliers' wide receivers since 1987.
``My decision to come to this school probably would have been different if he was the quarterback coach,'' said Tim Sherman, a 1992 Albemarle High School graduate. ``That's putting too much pressure on him and it's just not a good situation.
``It's great the way it is now. He's not the direct decision-maker, but he sees what's going on. He can help me.''
When asked recently if he could get used to a two-quarterback system, Sherman had the perfect response: ``If I'm not the starter.''
Both quarterbacks were saying the right thing Tuesday.
``It's one thing to go against your own team for three weeks,'' Sherman said. ``We're going to start seeing different looks now. How we adapt is going to be a big determinant in how we play the most.''
Said Brooks: ``I was pretty much `the man' until I got to college, so I'm not used to coming off the bench. It's going to feel a little weird, but it's just something you have to prepare yourself for. You've got to get in a groove and not lose a beat.''
Although Welsh remains undecided about the starters at four other positions, the quarterback battle has received all of the attention.
``We had to get that settled,'' said defensive tackle and co-captain Todd White. ``We needed to stop competing between ourselves. Competition is good because it helps you get better, but you don't need a rivalry. When the smoke cleared, I thought [Welsh] would go with Tim.''
The only thing that's for certain is that Sherman will start the opener, although Welsh has not been quick to change quarterbacks. In 1994, Symmion Willis was injured twice before Groh took over.
``As the weekend gets nearer, I'm sure I'll start getting a little nervous,'' Sherman said. ``It's a night game, so I'll have all day Saturday to sit around the hotel and think about things. It's been a while since I've had those type of butterflies and, actually, I'm looking forward to it.''
NOTES: UVa's most heralded recruit, running back Thomas Jones, suffered a concussion on a hit by safety Anthony Poindexter and missed four days of practice. Jones is one of four recruits on the ``two-deep,'' along with receivers Demetrius Dotson and Tim Spruill and defensive back Antwan Harris. Signee Kevin Coffey has been rejected by the NCAA clearinghouse and will not enroll at UVa this fall. Redshirt freshman Mark Lindsey has left the team indefinitely as the result of a heart problem.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: MIKE HEFFNER LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE Tim Sherman wasn'tby CNBjust handed the starting quarterback duties for the Virginia
football team. That has him excited heading into Saturday's season
opener against Central Michigan at Scott Stadium. color