ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 19, 1996 TAG: 9612190058
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: LISA GARCIA AND ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITERS
Virginia Tech's president said Wednesday the university's problems with its Orange Bowl-bound football team are "correctable" and that by February a tougher plan for dealing with team members charged with crimes will be presented to the board of visitors.
Paul Torgersen said specifics of the plan still are being developed, and that he was "greatly disappointed" by the latest in a string of criminal charges against football players.
On Monday, starting fullback Brian Edmonds and reserve wide receiver James Crawford were charged with rape and attempted sodomy in connection with an incident that another Tech student said happened early Saturday. Since late last year, 18 current or former Tech football players have been arrested on charges ranging from misdemeanor shoplifting to felony abduction.
Edmonds and Crawford filed a $32 million lawsuit against their accuser Tuesday morning that alleges she broke into their apartment and assaulted Crawford. The multimillion-dollar judgment the men seek, according to the lawsuit, is to compensate for emotional distress and potential lost income from the National Football League as a result of what they called "slanderous and false reports" the woman made to police.
Torgersen, who in September declared that criminal activity involving football players had to stop, said in an interview Wednesday that he has received full support from the university community for his handling of the latest allegations.
"This last incident, I think, has taken us all by surprise, and I think it is fair to say we're greatly disappointed - the whole university community," he said.
While he has not talked to the board of visitors about football coach Frank Beamer and athletic director Dave Braine, Torgersen said allegations of criminal activity by players will not jeopardize the men's jobs.
"I'm very pleased with Dave Braine as an athletic director, and very pleased with Frank Beamer and his staff as coaches," Torgersen said. "I'd like to think these incidents are correctable and will be corrected."
Torgersen would not say specifically what types of sanctions will be instituted. But he gave an example how drastically the university's treatment of football players could change: A player who gets arrested on a drunken driving charge could be off the team for the rest of the season, he said.
Currently, a player charged with DUI may or may not be suspended from the team at the coach's discretion.
Torgersen's comments came one day after the Faculty Senate voted 20-10 in favor of a resolution against misconduct by athletes that also condemns violence and "unlawful conduct by any member of the university community."
The measure, first discussed last month, also endorses further "severe measures imposed on players, teams or coaches and other administrators should these be necessary to prevent or address any further serious misconduct by student athletes."
The Aug. 31 brawl on College Avenue that led to the indictment of eight current and former football players prompted a review by the athletic department of its recruitment and education programs earlier this fall, Braine said.
"We're to that point now, there will be specific sanctions laid out," he said. "I regret we have to do that, but we're at that point."
High school background character checks appear likely, and recruiters could call high school guidance counselors or principals, he said.
And anyone who gets arrested - "for anything" - probably will be sanctioned, although Braine said he doesn't yet know what those sanctions will be.
"I just don't think you end there. Obviously, if somebody has a DUI, they have a problem. Part of our job is to also help," he said, suggesting that counseling or other treatment could accompany such a situation.
Alcohol has been a significant presence in the events that have led to athletes' problems.
"I'd like to ban it," he said. "But I know that's impossible."
Some kind of program on responsible drinking might be a starting point, Braine said, but added that the players have had plenty of education when it comes to alcohol.
Background checks for high school recruits were raised earlier this fall, and Torgersen discussed them Wednesday. If recruiters find evidence of past problems, "maybe that ought to be grounds for not bringing him in or extending an offer of a scholarship," he said.
Torgersen said there is also a strong possibility that Tech will look to other universities with strong football programs for advice, such as Penn State.
"We need to put into place some fairly definitive steps that we can take, not necessarily to eliminate forever the chance of a football player getting in trouble, but to reduce dramatically the likelihood that a player will get into trouble," Torgersen said.
Meanwhile, Capt. Walter Mosby of the Blacksburg Police said the department is investigating the complaints Edmonds and Crawford filed against their accuser. He said no final report has been done, but when it is it will be up to the Montgomery County commonwealth's attorney to decide whether charges will be brought.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Skip Schwab said since Crawford and Edmonds filed a lawsuit that essentially claims the same thing that their criminal complaint does, that will be a factor in the timing of any charges and whether charges are brought against the woman.
"We look at whether it was done because they truly believe their criminal rights were violated or are [the players] seeking it for something else," Schwab said, referring to the criminal complaints the players made after they were charged.
LENGTH: Long : 104 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Torgersen. color.by CNB