ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996 TAG: 9610020031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Admitting there's no excuse for what happened at Syracuse, Virginia Tech's shell-shocked football team went back to the drawing board Tuesday.
After being beaten in literally every phase of the game in Saturday's crushing 52-21 loss in the Carrier Dome, the Hokies plan on spending much of this off-week staring in the mirror.
``What we're doing this week is look at what we need to do to get better,'' said Frank Beamer, Tech's coach. ``We've got a lot of work to do in a lot of different areas.''
Offense, defense, special teams, you name it. In light of the dome disaster, the Hokies plan on tweaking their entire operation before Temple comes calling at Lane Stadium on Oct.12.
Offensively, the Hokies were stuffed by an SU defense that stacked the line of scrimmage and dared their receivers to beat it one on one.
``It was one of the worst days I've been around,'' said Rickey Bustle, the Hokies' offensive coordinator. ``I don't know if I felt as bad after Cincinnati [a 16-0 loss last season] as did that one.''
The offensive line that looked so strong in romps over Boston College and Rutgers never flexed its muscles against the Orange. Tech couldn't run - it had a season-low 111 yards rushing - and couldn't take advantage of countless one-on-one matchups between its wide receivers and SU's defensive backs.
``This was the first time I think our receivers have really been challenged with people in their face all day,'' Bustle noted.
``It's something we're going to take a hard look at because I believe now more people will try to do that.
``We took three or four shots [with deep routes]. We're not going to let people sit in there and play us like that without taking shots, but you've got to connect on them. You've got to get them back off you by hurting them, and we didn't hurt them.''
Defensively, Tech was whipped badly in the trenches and was stampeded for 338 yards rushing and 461 yards total by quarterback Donovan McNabb & Co.
Beamer said the defense will get a good dose of Tackling 101 this week.
``We ended up missing 18 tackles,'' Beamer said. ``I think the one telling stat we counted up [in the game film] was after we missed a tackle, Syracuse went on to gain 146 yards. That's a lot of first downs right there.''
And special teams? Except for Cornelius White's blocked punt and ensuing return for a touchdown, the Hokies were anything but special in the kicking game.
Tech's John Thomas had a punt blocked for the second time in four games, and the miscue led to a momentum-turning Orange score.
``Our punt protection is not very good,'' Beamer said. ``We're looking at a couple people there. Rest assured, that's going to be a high-priority item this week.
``We also will be working on kickoff return. We averaged starting on the 181/2-yard line and that's not good.
``I thought Syracuse beat us in the kicking game. Not many people do that, but they sure did.''
TALKING SMACK: SU offensive lineman Brad Patkochis told Syracuse newspapers the Hokies offered plenty of on-field commentary.
``They're trash-talkers,'' Patkochis said. ``But I'd say around the third quarter, it started to calm down a little bit.''
Patkochis said he and his teammates were stoked by some Tech talk well in advance of the game.
``You don't usually need a lot of newspaper stuff,'' he said. ``That's more high school. But when you read Cornell Brown saying, `I can't be blocked,' it makes you question things.''
Concerning pregame bulletin-board fodder, the Orangemen had no room to talk, the Hokies said. Taped to each locker in the visitors' dressing room was an orange card with three quotes, all supposedly originating from SU players:
Written on the cards were the words: ``Overranked we've got something for them Tech is just what we need.''
The Orangemen ``don't respect us and they felt they were a lot better than us,'' said Jay Hagood, a Hokies offensive tackle. ``By these comments they showed the immaturity they have. A lot of our team lost respect for them because of them talking trash.''
MIA FULLBACK: Except for his usual blocking assignments, senior fullback Brian Edmonds hardly was involved in Tech's offense.
Edmonds, who averaged nearly 10 yards every time he touched the ball against BC and Rutgers, rarely had his number called against the Orange. Edmonds, who rushed for 125 yards on 17 carries and had two catches for 61 yards the previous two weeks, ran twice for minus-1 yard and had one reception for 11 yards.
Bustle said the SU defensive scheme wouldn't permit Edmonds' to become involved.
``They play a different kind of defense with a stand-up end and a couple plays we have for Brian were just not there,'' Bustle said. ``Plus, they were sitting on the screen [play] to our backs.''
RINGING ALARM: During the aftermath of Saturday's game, several Hokies players said the loss will serve as a ``wake-up call'' for the remainder of the season.
Beamer, however, said nobody should have hit the snooze button before Syracuse.
``If we needed a wake-up call, we weren't smart enough,'' Beamer said. ``Syracuse may have been 0-2, but I thought it was very obvious what kind of team we were getting ready to play up there.''
LENGTH: Medium: 99 linesby CNB