ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609250010
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
MEMBERS OF VIRGINIA'S defense fight among themselves for a prestigious number - sacks. They weren't picking numbers between one and 10, but it sure sounded like it.
Virginia's defense sat around in its makeshift locker room - a party tent - after the 20th-ranked Cavaliers whipped Wake Forest 42-7 on Saturday at Groves Stadium. They were spewing numbers as if they were playing the lotto. Could it be they were counting sheep?
No, what the Cavaliers were doing was counting sacks. Who had what was difficult for them to determine. All they were sure of was that they had eight in all, one shy of the school's single-game record.
``They just took it to us,'' said Wake Forest quarterback Brian Kuklick, who ate the ball six times as part of Virginia's sack sandwichmakers.
Defensive tackle and team captain Todd White told his mates before the game, ``Bring the firewood, because we're going to camp out at the quarterback.''
The Cavaliers did that, but once on Kuklick's turf, they were anything but environmentally friendly. The only thing green was the back of Kuklick's pants.
``It was like roasting marshmallows all over him,'' said defensive end Duane Ashman. ``I brought the marshmallows and roasted them all over their quarterback, uh, whatever his name is.''
Ashman had three of the Cavaliers' sacks. The rest were split five ways. ``The defensive ends, when they come clean, they're definitely trying to destroy everything so we don't get anything,'' said defensive tackle Tony Dingle, who was sackless for the day.
Ashman said he had Chris Slade's single game record of five in his sights, but two slipped out of his hands. ``That ticked me off all day,'' he said.
Sacks, it seems, are placed at a premium among Virginia's defenders. Lots of glory is involved, not to mention the opportunity to do a little dancing. They're also hard to come by. According to some Cavaliers, stocking up on sacks is almost as great a challenge as stopping the opposing offense, although it offers different rewards.
``I think the biggest competition comes between us on the defense,'' Dingle said. ``We're trying to outrun the linebackers and the linebackers are trying to outrun us.''
After the game, the whole gang sat in a circle, counting sacks like wads of cash. Their makeshift surroundings, a large tarp supported by poles, was the big top for this crew, which calls itself ``The Showstoppers.''
Equally as impressive as their individual highlights was their collective effort. They spread the wealth around so much, no one had more than six tackles. In the past two games, Virginia's defense has made 27 tackles for losses.
The Cavaliers gave up only 21 pass completions out of 50 attempts, and set a new record for fewest rushing yards allowed in a game: minus-45.
``They had great pressure on us all day,'' said Jim Caldwell, Wake Forest's coach. ``The running game, the passing game, whatever they decided to do, they were physical.''
Kuklick threw 39 times, completing 15. ``Put him back there with no running game, he had problems,'' Caldwell said. ``He took some licks back there.''
Questions surrounded Virginia's pass rush and blitz package in the off-season. Although none of the Cavaliers said there is any more emphasis now than in the past, the gang wants recognition and that always vague but ever so precious aspect of sports, respect.
Ashman said he saw Clemson's gaudy sack statistics after its game against Furman, and he kept count of Florida State's total against N.C. State on Thursday night.
``They call it a basketball conference,'' Ashman said. ``I think that's bull. I think we're a big powerhouse. We can do anything.''
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN STAFF Virginia's Jamie Sharper (left) getsby CNBhis sack against Wake Forest quarterback Brian Kuklick in the second
half of the Cavaliers' 42-7 win. UVa finished with eight sacks. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL 2DA