ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609230133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Add another category to Virginia Tech's growing list of ongoing football streaks.
Number of former Hokies defensive coordinators Tech has taken to the woodshed this season: two.
It was Rod Sharpless' and Rutgers' turn Saturday afternoon.
In running the second-longest NCAA Division I-A winning streak to 13 games, Tech ran up 516 yards total offense in downing Rutgers 30-14 before 47,204 onlookers at Lane Stadium.
Thing was, the 18th-ranked Hokies' school-record eighth straight Big East conference win could have been - make that should have been - much easier. Unlike their near-perfect 45-7 victory against Phil Elmassian and Boston College on Sept.14, Tech (3-0 overall, 2-0 Big East) was far from mistake free in its home opener.
"We were our own worst enemy at times,'' said quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, speaking about a day in which he totaled a personal-high 335 yards total offense (282 passing, 53 running).
"I couldn't complete a ball, we'd drop a ball, or fumble a ball. Yeah, this one should have come a lot easier. We had our chances to blow them away.''
But three turnovers, including a Shyrone Stith fumble at the Rutgers 5 and a dropped touchdown pass by Angelo Harrison, made things stickier than they should have been for the Hokies.
Tech started out like a 281/2-point favorite should.
On their first possession, the Hokies marched 59 yards in 11 plays, efficiently mixing pass and run. Stith notched the score, following 290-pound right guard Gennaro DiNapoli into the end zone from 3 yards.
Tech made it 14-zip 61/2 minutes later. Druckenmiller found Cornelius White in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 64-yard drive.
After Rutgers (1-3, 0-2) gave the ball back on a punt, the Hokies drove from their 4 to their 44, where Druckenmiller uncorked a 56-yard bomb toward an open Harrison streaking down the left sideline.
"I was saying the whole time [while the ball was in the air] this was [a] touchdown,'' Harrison said.
It could have been. It should have been. But the ball caromed off Harrison's hands to the ground.
"It seemed like it was so easy I couldn't believe it,'' Harrison said. "I guess I took my eyes off the ball for a split-second or so. If I make that catch we go ahead and blow 'em out.''
Even Frank Beamer, the ever cautious Tech coach, admitted as much.
"That play really turned the game around,'' Beamer said. "We were going to make it 21-0. It could have made it a different type of game.''
Harrison's costly drop appeared to take the steam out of a Tech team looking for a second consecutive Saturday appearance on Romper Room.
After Tech punted, the Scarlet Knights drove 79 yards, the final 27 coming after losing starting quarterback Mike Stephans to an injured left (non-throwing) hand.
Sophomore Corey Valentine took Rutgers home against Tech's uninspired defense, going the final yard on a quarterback sneak.
After three straight Druckenmiller completions - two totaling 23 yards to Michael Stuewe and a 31-yarder to Harrison - took Tech to the Rutgers 5, Stith fumbled after taking a big hit from Rutgers' Aaron Brady.
So Tech went to the locker room at halftime up 14-7, despite running up 275 yards total offense and dominating.
"Just another missed opportunity,'' Druckenmiller said. "We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot.''
Rutgers, fortunate to still be in the same area code with Tech, shocked the big crowd and the Hokies by tying the score at 14 less than three minutes into the third quarter.
After Peter Clarke picked off a Druckenmiller square-out intended for White at the Hokies' 34, the visitors used an untimely personal foul penalty on Tech star Cornell Brown and five plays to find the end zone. Stephans, back in for Valentine, found fullback Rob Seegar on a 10-yard touchdown pass on fourth down for the tying score.
"Things were getting serious then,'' Druckenmiller said. "We knew then it was time to roll up our sleeves and go back to work. We couldn't let this one get away.''
Set up at Rutgers' 38 when Knights punter Jared Slovan dropped a snap and fell down, Tech drove into position for the first of three field goals by Shayne Graham. The freshman nailed a 35-yarder with 5:45 left in the third quarter and Tech was never in trouble again.
After Tech's Danny Wheel blind-sided Stephans and forced a fumble, Tech made it 23-14 on Graham's 31-yarder 1:49 later.
Graham's 25-yard field goal with 10:49 to play put Tech up by nine.
Fullback Brian Edmonds, who had a monster day, running for 80 yards on 12 carries and catching two passes for 61 yards, sealed Tech's victory with 6:25 left, blowing up the middle for a 19-yard touchdown.
"I thought Brian Edmonds was the difference in this game,'' Beamer said.
The burly senior, suspended for Tech's opener at Akron, hinted he's on a mission right now.
"I've got a lot to prove since I've been here,'' Edmonds said. "Since I've been here I've been doubted by a lot of people. I want to help this team as much as possible and show what I'm capable of doing.''
As a team, Tech did - and didn't - do that Saturday.
"We'll have to be better next week,'' said Druckenmiller, referring to Tech's Big East biggie at Syracuse.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for statistics.
LENGTH: Long : 108 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. 1. Virginia Tech fullback Brian Edmondsby CNB(32) celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown run with teammates
Angelo Harrison (top) and Cornelius White. The Hokies beat Rutgers
30-14. 2. ALAN KIM/Staff. Tech wide receiver Cornelius White (left)
cradles a touchdown pass as Rutgers defender Peter Clarke arrives
too late. 3. GENE DALTON/Staff. Rutgers quarterback Mike Stephans
(left) is sacked by Cornell Brown in the third quarter. color.