ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609090131
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
THE CAVALIERS BREAK open a close game and win their opener 55-21.
More than once during the preseason, George Welsh said Virginia would have to rely on defense and kicking to win football games this year.
After 23 seasons as a head coach, what does he know?
On a night when Central Michigan quarterback Chad Darnell owned the Cavaliers for a half, Virginia simply had too much firepower for the Chippewas in a 55-21 triumph at Scott Stadium.
UVa tailback Tiki Barber scored touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball from scrimmage - on runs of 18 and 19 yards - and finished with 16 carries for 146 yards. Only two of those attempts came after halftime.
``No need to be greedy,'' said Barber, who had 204 all-purpose yards, counting a reception and a punt return. ``I probably could have gone back in, but I got kicked in the shin and my leg started cramping.''
Central Michigan got as close as 17-14 in the second quarter, but the Cavaliers got the spark they needed when fifth-year senior Joe Rowe returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.
``That was my first return since high school and I was a little nervous,'' said Rowe, who also made his first collegiate start at cornerback. ``I could see the opening right away, but I almost ran out of gas.''
Virginia quickly built its lead to 34-14 at the half on a 2-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Aaron Brooks and a 42-yard field goal by Rafael Garcia as time expired in the first half.
It was the 39th career field goal for Garcia, who broke the school record of 38 set by Wayne Morrison from 1979-82. He later was knocked senseless on a kickoff, but was feeling no ill effects after the game.
Penalties nullified what would have been long touchdown passes by both teams during a first half in which they combined for 480 yards, 264 for the Cavaliers. There also were seven first-half turnovers, four by the Chippewas.
``It was a strange game,'' said Welsh, whose 99th victory at Virginia moved him atop the all-time ACC list. ``I was worried till we got the 41st or 48th point. We never had control. We just had more points than they did.''
The Cavaliers blocked a Central Michigan field-goal attempt in the first half and began the second-half scoring with 5:10 left in the third quarter, when Anthony Poindexter blocked a Ben Kroft punt. Rowe picked up the loose ball and returned it 4 yards for his second touchdown of the game. It already was a memorable night for Rowe, who was not in school in the spring and did not know he would be eligible until early August.
Darnell, who completed 11 consecutive passes during one stretch in the first half, lost his touch after halftime and eventually was replaced after he was intercepted by James Farrior, whose 55-yard touchdown return made it 48-14 to end the third quarter.
The Cavaliers began substituting liberally at that point and no move electrified the crowd of 41,300 more than the insertion of running back Thomas Jones, a true freshman from Powell Valley who was one of UVa's most prized recruits. Jones ran for 57 yards on his first play from scrimmage.
``I was really hyped up about the game,'' said Jones, who carried five times for 76 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run that closed the scoring for UVa with 8:47 remaining. ``I played a lot compared to what I thought I would.''
The teams were fairly close in total yardage, with the edge going to Virginia 480-441, but that was deceiving. The Cavaliers, who got three touchdowns from their special teams and defense, had only 58 offensive plays. The Chippewas ran 85.
``Maybe our defense needed to wake up a bit,'' said Welsh, referring to the Chippewas' early success through the air. ``Most of those people have been on the field before, [but] maybe Central Michigan's pretty good on offense.
``I hope I make myself clear. I'm not unhappy with the defense. I thought we played pretty well at times. I thought we played poorly at times, on both sides of the ball. We got big plays, though.''
Fifth-year senior Tim Sherman, making his first start at quarterback, completed six of 10 passes for 103 yards. Brooks settled down after an interception on his first attempt and finished 3-of-6 for 53 yards. see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP Jason Husband (23) of Central Michigan breaks up aby CNBpass intended for UVa receiver Germane Crowell. color