ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, September 13, 1996 TAG: 9609130139
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Marcus Parker's junior season with the Virginia Tech football team remains on hold.
Frank Beamer, the Hokies' head coach, announced Thursday afternoon that Parker will not be reinstated to the team for Saturday's Big East Conference opener at Boston College.
Parker, expected to be a vital cog at tailback for Tech this season, was suspended indefinitely by Beamer on Aug.13 after the Hokies' coach learned Parker had pleaded no contest to a July shoplifting charge.
Parker, who has continued to practice with Tech's scout team, has run some plays with the Hokies' first-team offense in practice this week. But Beamer, whose program has come under intense media scrutiny the past week because of off-field incidents, elected not to reinstate the former Salem High School star.
The Hokies (1-0), whose offense has produced two touchdowns in the past two games against BC (1-0), could have used Parker in their Big East opener.
Nineteenth-ranked Tech also will be without Ken Oxendine, its other top tailback. Oxendine separated his right shoulder in Saturday night's season-opening 21-18 victory at Akron and likely won't return to the lineup until the Sept. 28 game at Syracuse.
With Parker and Oxendine out, Tech will turn to true freshman Shyrone Stith at tailback. Stith, who carried 21 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns against Akron, will make his first college start against BC.
Redshirt freshman Marcus Gildersleeve, who ran for 22 yards on eight carries against Akron, will be Stith's backup. Redshirt junior Aaron Layne, a former defensive back who never has carried the ball in a college game, will be the No. 3 tailback.
There is some good news for Tech's offensive backfield, however. Senior Brian Edmonds, suspended for the Akron game, will return at fullback, where he had started 36 consecutive games.
Parker, who has been attending professional counseling sessions at Beamer's orders for the past month, ran for 267 yards in 1995 as Edmonds' backup. The explosive 5-foot-10, 222-pound back scored five touchdowns in Tech's final six regular-season games and added another touchdown in the Hokies' 28-10 Sugar Bowl triumph over Texas.
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Parker.by CNB