ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 26, 1996 TAG: 9612260095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
MANY PEOPLE HAVE offered grades of the Virginia senior quarterback's passing this season.
No matter what happens Friday night in the Carquest Bowl, questions about Virginia's 1996 football season will persist.
Who wanted Tim Sherman to start at quarterback? Who didn't? Would the Cavaliers have been better served by looking to the future?
There are indications backup quarterback Aaron Brooks had his supporters on the staff, possibly including offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien, who recently was named head coach at Boston College.
Nevertheless, head coach George Welsh said he saw no signs that assistants were uncomfortable evaluating Sherman in the presence of his father, UVa receivers coach Tom Sherman.
``I think the discussions in the meetings have been very frank when we've talked personnel,'' Welsh said. ``I've said what I've thought, [quarterbacks coach] Joe Krivak has said what he's thought about him.
``After every game, I meet with the defensive [coaches] and they give me the grades and the same thing with the offensive staff. Most of the time, I look at the whole tape with the offensive staff. So, I don't think anything's been held back.''
Sherman, who played at nearby Albemarle High School, said before the season that he didn't think he would have signed with Virginia if his father had been the quarterbacks coach, as he once was, or the offensive coordinator. Sherman's father, Tom, coaches Virginia's wide receivers.
``We're not the first team to do it,'' Welsh said. ``Head coaches' sons have played quarterback some places. [But] if I had a son who was a Division I-A quarterback, I would recommend he went somewhere else, not here.
``I don't think it would work. There would always be something. You'd always have to explain yourself. Even if you were 10-1, there would be people out there saying the quarterback screwed up or something.''
Welsh credited Sherman, a fifth-year senior, for the poise he showed in dealing with the situation. Sherman never refused an interview request, never dodged a question, never snapped at a reporter.
And, there were times when the criticism was fairly harsh.
``Honestly, it really didn't get to me,'' Sherman said. ``The people it bothered the most were my fiancee, my mother and my sister. They were ready to really go after some people.
``It actually got to be humorous at points for me. My fiancee [Justine Granski] would get all bent out of shape about it and I'd have to calm her down. Having her react like that was helpful in having me deal with it.''
Tom Sherman started at quarterback for Penn State in the 1960s when Welsh was a Nittany Lions assistant. Tom had some experience with the constant scrutiny his son faced.
``His big thing is, he tells me not to worry about what other people say,'' said Tim, who is more comfortable with the media than his father, who rarely does interviews. ``He tells me before every game to let my hair down and go out and play.
``It always helps to have him come by and state some words of encouragement. He's taught me this game since I was in the second or third grade. If I have a problem with my throwing mechanics, I'll go to him.''
``I would never go over coach Krivak's head, but he understands that [my father] is where I learned it from. It's really been a special season, having him around. Not many people have this opportunity.''
Tim Sherman played a vital role in UVa's victories over No.13 Texas and No.6 North Carolina and threw a late touchdown pass in a 31-24 loss at Florida State as the Cavaliers scored more points against the Seminoles than any other team.
But that was Oct.26 and since then neither Sherman nor Brooks has thrown a touchdown pass. UVa had five touchdown passes for the whole season - fewer than all but two of the 111 teams in Division I-A, Indiana (four) and Rice (three).
When asked to give himself a grade, Sherman showed a good sense of humor.
``Can I grade on the curve?'' he asked. ``There have been some games where I have had good grades and some games where I have had bad grades. I really think I could have done better in some games.
``I think my play went a long way in us losing some of those games, especially Georgia Tech. We didn't look good at all and I had a lot to do with that. That was probably the low point of our season.''
O'Brien talked little about the quarterback situation late in the season, leading to speculation that he second-guessed his original choice of Sherman, but Brooks had his chances and did not accomplish great things.
``Overall, I'd give myself a B-minus,'' Sherman said, ``but that could still change. I think, if we could finish with a win over Miami, there would be more ups to our season than downs.''
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Sherman. color.by CNB