ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, September 18, 1996 TAG: 9609180078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Coach Frank Beamer was somewhat befuddled Tuesday when asked the whereabouts of the lunch pail, the much-discussed totem of Virginia Tech's tough, blue-collar defense in 1995.
When asked if former co-defensive coordinator Rod Sharpless had taken the Hokies' lunch pail with him to his job at Rutgers, Beamer started searching for a quick safety valve.
``I don't know what happened there,'' Beamer said. The Scarlet Knights ``have one up there now, too, I think.
``They don't have our lunch pail, do they? They'd better not have taken our lunch pail.''
Well, coach, you can rest easy. The Hokies' lunch pail is in your nephew's football locker this week.
``This is the first time I've had it,'' said Brandon Semones, a senior linebacker for Tech. ``I'm pretty excited about getting to carry it to meetings, to practices, to the hotel on the road and to games.''
In light of his defensive feast in the Hokies' 45-7 romp at Boston College on Saturday, Semones deserved the lunch pail. It's the weekly prize given to the Tech defensive player who grades out the highest when the coaches go over the game film on Sundays.
Semones scored big-time at BC, making 12 tackles (nine unassisted) and recording two sacks for 30 yards in losses.
``I feel like that game and the Sugar Bowl are among my better two games'' at Tech, Semones said.
The small kid from Glenvar High School - at 6 feet, 202 pounds, Semones is one of the smallest linebackers in NCAA Division I-A - continues to do big things for the Hokies. Through two games, he leads the team in solo tackles (13) and tackles for losses (three) and is third in total stops (17).
Semones said all the attention devoted to Cornell Brown, Tech's All-America defensive end, by opponents will aid his numbers.
``Cornell is taking double and triple teams at times, and that frees up guys like myself and [fellow linebacker] Tony Morrison to make some big plays,'' Semones said.
Semones, who is getting married in June 1997, said he realizes his days of playing football are dwindling.
``This is my last year, so I'm trying to enjoy it and appreciate everything,'' he said. ``Hopefully, we'll end up in another bowl game.''
But first things first. He's got to take care of the lunch pail.
``It's under lock and key,'' Semones said, laughing. ``I'm almost kind of nervous having it, because if I lose it they're going to kill me.''
RECOUNT: Beamer said the coaches gave Brown credit for two solo tackles and three assists in the BC game. Game statisticians in Chestnut Hill, Mass., had failed to credit the All-American with a single stop.
For most of the game, the Eagles double- or triple-teamed Brown.
``I was really proud of what Cornell said after the game about him not worrying about who makes tackles,'' Beamer said. ``That shows how unselfish he is.
``When teams do that, some other guys are going to have to step up and a lot of guys are. Cornell will get in there, too. He had four harassments [of the quarterback]. For as many people as he had blocking him, that was a heck of an accomplishment.''
PARKER UPDATE: Beamer said he will make an announcement later in the week on the status of tailback Marcus Parker for this week's home opener against Rutgers (noon, WSLS Channel 10).
Parker has missed the Hokies' first two games after being suspended indefinitely by Beamer on Aug.13 after pleading no contest to shoplifting charges.
When asked Tuesday about the possibility of Parker redshirting this year, Beamer refused to comment.
But on his Monday night radio show, Beamer left open that option, saying, ``I think that's always a possibility.''
TRAINER'S TABLE: Eight players, including Brown (swollen knee) and center Billy Conaty (sore back), sat out Tuesday's practice. However, the only starter questionable for Saturday's game against Rutgers is Morrison, who sprained his left foot against BC and was on crutches Tuesday.
Beamer said he's hopeful tailback Ken Oxendine, who separated his right shoulder in the Sept.7 opener at Akron, will be ready for the Sept.28 game at Syracuse.
``I think that will be a tough call,'' Beamer said, ``because we're off the next week and that would give Ken more time to recover.''
TECH TIDBITS: Tech officials are expecting a crowd of 40,000 to 45,000 for Saturday's home opener. The Hokies have sold close to 16,000 season tickets, an all-time high for the program. The most likely redshirt candidates among Tech's freshmen are DB Ike Charlton, DL Carl Bradley and DB Andre Kendrick, Beamer said. With his two touchdown catches against BC, senior Bryan Jennings became the first Hokies tight end in 30 years to register more than one score in a game. Ken Barefoot, in 1966 vs. VMI, was the last to do it. Split end Cornelius White had a career-high 103 yards on five catches vs. BC. Tech has been installed as a 28 1/2-point favorite over Rutgers.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 linesby CNB