ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 7, 1996 TAG: 9610080005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Monday morning QB
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Don't think Virginia cornerback Ronde Barber didn't notice his brother's absence Saturday when the Cavaliers ran their last offensive play in a 13-7 loss at Georgia Tech.
Tiki Barber, leading the ACC in rushing by 180 yards, was on the sideline when UVa failed to gain a first down on fourth-and-one from the Yellow Jackets' 18-yard line with 56 seconds left.
``It's the mark of a good team that you put the ball in the hands of the guy who can win it for you,'' Ronde Barber said.
``It seems like they lost faith in him. I don't know. He'd been doing the things all game. He just didn't get the call.''
UVa head coach George Welsh said after the game he wished he had given the ball to Tiki Barber on third down and tried to run for the first down.
``It's easy to say, `Do it over,''' Ronde said. ``But in the heat of battle, when the question comes up, the call comes up I don't know. But, that's coaching. I can't get into that.''
Tiki said he had no problem with the run-pass option chosen for the fourth-down call. Mostly, he expressed regret that quarterback Aaron Brooks couldn't get the ball to him on a third-down swing pass.
Tiki Barber, who rushed for 100 yards in the first half, finished with 24 carries for 123 yards. However, only three of those carries came in the fourth quarter, when Virginia had the ball for more than nine minutes.
``The way things developed, we had bad field position,'' Tiki Barber said. ``Things didn't turn out as far as me getting the ball. In the future, I'm going to tell them, `I want the ball. I'm going to produce.'''
Record sharing
Tiki Barber has rushed for 100 yards or more in five consecutive games - six if you count the Peach Bowl - and tied Johnny Papit's 46-year-old school record of 15 100-yard rushing games for his career.
At the midpoint of his college career, Barber had two 100-yard games following the 1994 season. His five consecutive 100-yard games ties the school record shared by Barry Word and Terry Kirby.
Feeling low
Virginia punter Will Brice averaged 47.6 yards on eight punts, but was disappointed with his performance in the swirling winds at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
``I actually think I punted better against the wind than with the wind,'' said Brice, whose 46.5-yard average was ninth in the country before Saturday. ``Maybe I was trying to kick the ball too hard.''
Brice boomed a 62-yarder into the wind to start the fourth quarter, but the ball rolled into the end zone. His other seven punts were all returned by Nathan Perryman, who had 83 yards on returns, including a 14-yard interception runback.
Fast starters
VMI, Ferrum and Washington and Lee shared a common trait Saturday. All three teams scored first and lost their football games. None scored in the second half of their games, either.
VMI led 17-6 at halftime of its 20-17 loss at Georgia Southern, Ferrum (0-4) led 6-0 at halftime of its 7-6 loss at Newport News Apprentice, and W&L (1-3) held a 10-7 halftime advantage over Randolph-Macon in its 21-10 loss.
Threat to pass
Georgia Southern's Cloise Williams intercepted Greg Ellen at the VMI 46-yard line with 3:09 to play to set up the Eagles' winning touchdown drive. VMI coach Bill Stewart said the Keydets needed to throw on the play, a third-and-eight situation, to get at least one first down and bury the Eagles deep.
He also defended Ellen, who started at split end, after the game.
``I'll drop anybody who says a word about our quarterback,'' Stewart said.
Ellen replaced Al Lester, who injured his left collarbone in the first half, and completed seven of 12 passes for 71 yards. Lester will start at quarterback against Marshall next week and Ellen will be back at split end.
End or beginning?
Junior linebacker Kelly Cook has moved to defensive end to give the Keydets more speed at the position. It looked like a smart move when Cook stuffed Georgia Southern running back Kenny Robinson on a fourth-and-two play at the VMI 22 with 7:17 left in the game.
``If [Cook] wasn't playing end,'' Stewart said, ``we wouldn't have made it.''
Thunder on horizon
Marshall, ranked No.1 in Division I-AA, makes its final Southern Conference appearance in Lexington on Saturday.
``I'm glad they're number one,'' Stewart said. ``But I'd hate to see the odds on that one.''
Marshall (5-0) has won six straight in Lexington, and was No.1 the last two times it has played at VMI, in 1992 and 1994.
Bad habit
VMI is 0-5 for the fifth time in the past nine seasons. The Keydets' 1996 losses have come against four Division I-AA top 25 teams and Ole Miss.
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Virginia's Tiki Barber spins away from the tackle ofby CNBGeorgia Tech cornerback Nathan Perryman during the first quarter of
their ACC game Saturday in Atlanta. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL