ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 16, 1996 TAG: 9612170019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
JOSH LAWSON DOESN'T let the departure of Tom O'Brien, the Cavaliers' offensive coordinator and line coach, to Boston College affect his decision.
Josh Lawson was heading out the door on a recruiting visit to North Carolina State when the call came that Virginia was offering him a football scholarship.
Lawson and his father got 30 minutes down the road and decided to turn around.
``I always had Virginia in the back of my mind,'' said Lawson, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound offensive tackle from Gar-Field High School in Dale City. ``It took them a little while to evaluate me, but it was worth the wait.''
Lawson, a first-team All-Metro selection by The Washington Post, was rated the No.24 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times before the season. He said he received scholarship offers from UVa, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and N.C. State.
Lawson, who expects to play offensive tackle in college, arrived on campus Friday - the day offensive coordinator and line coach Tom O'Brien was named head coach at Boston College.
Head coach George Welsh said ``never worry about the assistant coaches, because the assistants come and go,'' Lawson said. ``Besides, it's like my high school coach told me, `They bring in somebody new and everybody starts with a clean slate.'''
Although several on-line recruiting services had listed Lawson as a UVa commitment for some time, he reserved final judgment until he returned Sunday from his visit. He is the ninth player known to have committed to the Cavaliers.
LENGTH: Short : 39 linesby CNB