ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 20, 1996 TAG: 9611200050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller says his Blacksburg apartment mailbox is stuffed daily.
"Fan mail all kinds of mail,'' Druckenmiller said.
Some letters get opened and read immediately, some get pushed to the back burner.
However, there was one piece in Tuesday's pile that struck Druckenmiller's eye.
It was from Jim Kelly, the former University of Miami and current Buffalo Bills star QB, whom Druckenmiller often has been compared to by coach Frank Beamer and others.
"The letter came to my apartment, I don't know how. I think it just had my name on it and Blacksburg, Virginia,'' Druckenmiller said.
"He just sent a brief letter of congratulations [on Tech's 21-7 victory at Miami last Saturday].
"Basically, he said, `Congratulations on your success, because Bruce Smith won't shut up in Buffalo.'''
The senior said he has tried to put off any NFL thoughts until 17th-ranked Tech is through taking care of business this season.
After all, the Hokies (8-1 overall, 5-1 Big East) will play No.21 West Virginia (8-2, 4-2) on Saturday at home and No.19 Virginia (7-3) on Nov.29 in Blacksburg.
"Oh, there were times when I thought about it,'' he said. "When you guys asked me.''
SOUND OF 'DOZERS: The official groundbreaking for Tech's new Merryman Athletic Complex will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The two-story, 48,000 square foot structure, which will house expanded weightlifting, sports medicine and training facilities, coaches' meeting rooms and an academic training center, will be built between Lane Stadium and Jamerson Athletic Center.
"The old bulldozer is going to be moving dirt Saturday what a day,'' an elated Beamer said.
"That's a key deal for us. I think when we get those facilities built, we'll have the best one on the East Coast. Then we'll have everything we need to compete at the level we're trying to compete at - a top program year in and year out.''
The $7.4 million building is scheduled to be completed sometime next season.
TEMPLE OF DOOM?: Tech athletic director Dave Braine, after attending Monday's Big East gathering in Philadelphia, said the league is strongly considering developing certain membership criteria for its football-playing members.
Braine, speaking on Tech's Monday night radio show, said the league "wants to strengthen itself and make sure all its schools are committed to having a good football program.''
Early proposals include such stipulations as a school must have its own playing field, or a field it controls, and must average at least 25,000 spectators for home games.
Hear that, Temple?
The Owls, who have won only one Big East game in the past four seasons, have averaged a paltry 11,543 fans for four home games this season. That includes 24,847 for an Owls' home game at Giants Stadium against Penn State.
TRAINER'S TABLE: Beamer said senior starting cornerback Antonio Banks (pulled groin) and backup tight end-special teams ace Shaine Miles (swollen knee) are doubtful for Saturday.
If Banks can't go for the second straight game, Beamer said true freshman Anthony Midget will start at corner. Also look for free safety Torrian Gray to spell Midget at corner, with last week's hero against Miami, Keion Carpenter, coming off the bench to man Gray's safety spot.
If Miles is out, Beamer said either redshirt freshman Pedro Edison or junior Sean Sullivan will get the nod in dual tight-end and goal-line sets.
Beamer said linebacker Tony Morrison (sprained ankle) is questionable.
BAD NEWS FOR TECH: West Virginia's freshman running back sensation Amos Zereoue, who missed WVU's 10-7 loss to Miami on Oct.26 because of turf toe, finally is back at full speed, Mountaineers coach Don Nehlen said.
"Believe it or not, last night in practice he looked like Amos Zereoue,'' Nehlen said Monday. "He was running around. And he hasn't been running for a month.''
Noted Beamer: "Yeah, I figured he would be [100 percent]. That's just a perfect example of what that off week can do for you.''
TECH TIDBITS: Braine noted there has been talk of an ACC-Big East merger. Not leagues, but officiating crews. "That would enable us to get a better group of officials,'' Braine said.... Despite the fact it has beaten WVU 31-6 and 27-0 the past two seasons, Tech was listed as a slim 4 1/2-point favorite over WVU on Tuesday. It's a pretty chintzy margin for a team that's won 18 of 19, eight straight at home and beaten the past five nationally ranked teams it has faced.... A sellout crowd of 50,000 is expected for the noon game that will be televised by ESPN2.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 linesby CNB