ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, October 8, 1996 TAG: 9610080051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: UVA NOTES
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
As commentator Mike Gott-fried and others were gushing over Virginia quarterback Tim Sherman and his play against Texas, Cavaliers coach George Welsh privately had misgivings about the UVa passing game.
There was reason for such apprehension Saturday, when quarterbacks Sherman and Aaron Brooks threw four interceptions in a 13-7 loss to Georgia Tech.
``I think our passing game needs to be improved,'' Welsh said. ``I said that even after Texas. Maybe I didn't say it to you guys [in the media]. We're a little bit off. We don't catch the ball well enough. We're not really accurate [with] either quarterback yet.''
The Cavaliers, who have not had fewer touchdown passes than interceptions since 1986, have a 1-9 touchdown-interception ratio after five games this year.
``We've got to go back to the proverbial drawing board,'' said Welsh, whose Cavaliers (4-1 overall, 2-1 ACC) are idle this week before entertaining N.C. State. ``I thought we were making progress up to Texas, but maybe we hadn't.''
* X-rays of Sherman's right thumb showed no broken bones and, with the open date, he should not miss any playing time. Sherman hit his hand on a helmet on his third interception Saturday and did not play in the final 9:19.
OPEN TO DEBATE: Tom O'Brien, Virginia's offensive coordinator, did not necessarily share Welsh's sentiments that a running play might have served the Cavaliers better on a third-and-one from Georgia Tech's 18.
Tech defensive end Ralph Hughes batted down a swing pass from Brooks to Tiki Barber on third down; then, Brooks overthrew Germane Crowell on fourth down to end UVa's last threat.
``I think we could have run it for a first down or we could have thrown it for a first down, but we didn't do either,'' said O'Brien, when asked why Barber wasn't on the field for fourth down.
``We had everything we wanted on the third-down call. You have Tiki wide open on the swing. You know, he might walk into the end zone if we get the ball to him. All you've got to do is put it over the guy and he might score.''
DISAPPEARING DOTSON: Five games into the season, the Cavaliers have failed to utilize ``true'' freshman wide receiver Demetrius Dotson, a high school All-American from Staten Island, N.Y.
Dotson does not have a reception, but has seen just enough playing time to lose a year's eligibility. He has been unable to crack a receiving corps that dropped five passes Saturday against the Yellow Jackets.
It's not the first time UVa has used a promising skill-position player as a freshman, only to give him negligible playing time. Barber, the Cavaliers' All-ACC tailback, had 16 carries in 1993.
SCORING LEADER: UVa kicker Rafael Garcia, with 218 points, has become the Cavaliers' leading scorer of the ``modern era,'' recognized as the period after the NCAA started keeping statistics in 1937.
Garcia has moved into second place on UVa's all-time list behind Gene Mayer, who scored 293 points from 1912-15. Barber, with 29 touchdowns, has moved into ninth place on the scoring list with 174 points.
BEING PARTICULAR: Georgia Tech wanted to wear white jerseys Saturday, but Virginia refused the Yellow Jackets' request. The NCAA requires that the home team wear dark jerseys unless it receives permission from the visitor.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB