ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: ORANGE BOWL NOTES
DATELINE: MIAMI
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
For the Stuewe family of Somerset, N.J., there couldn't have been a juicier pairing for the 63rd Orange Bowl.
Dennis Stuewe, the father of Virginia Tech wide receiver Michael Stuewe, played for Nebraska from 1960-62.
So needless to say, tonight's Tech-Nebraska game at Pro Player Stadium is nothing short of a matchup made in heaven for the Stuewes.
``I often wondered how this could happen,'' said Dennis Stuewe, a 55-year-old physical education teacher who played halfback (1961-62) and cornerback (1960) for the Cornhuskers.
``Basically, I thought it would be impossible for these two teams to ever play.''
Craving such a pairing, the elder Stuewe had to do the unthinkable - he had to pull for Nebraska to lose in the Big 12 Conference title game against Texas on Dec.7.
``Nope, never done that before,'' Dennis Stuewe confessed.
He'll do it again tonight, when he'll be sitting with a bunch of Hokies, pulling like heck for his beloved Cornhuskers to lose two games in a row for the first time sine 1990.
``I still watch [the 'Huskers] and I root for them like you wouldn't believe,'' he said. ``But I'll be wearing orange and maroon [tonight].''
Michael Stuewe, the Hokies' third-leading receiver, said he grew up following Nebraska.
``I saw them play in the Orange Bowl when I was younger,'' the junior said. ``Dad had his old team photos in the house.
``It's like a dream come true to play my dad's alma mater. Dad has told me he's a Hokie all the way, but he I think he hopes Nebraska plays well, too. Just as long as it's not too well, I guess.''
VACATIONING PLAYER: More than one Hokie beat writer was rather puzzled to see junior defensive tackle Brad Baylor in a Tech uniform on Media Day.
The junior defensive tackle, who was suspended by Tech coach Frank Beamer from the team on Nov.6 after a Montgomery County grand jury indicted him on charges of abducting a Virginia student, won't play in the game.
Baylor, however, has continued to practice with the team here and in Blacksburg.
While Baylor was invited to make the trip south, Brian Edmonds and James Crawford, suspended from the squad Dec.10 after being charged with rape and attempted sodomy of a Tech student, are not in Miami.
Beamer said the difference was Baylor was suspended from competition, while Edmonds, Crawford and two other players disciplined earlier - Walter Ford and Angelo Harrison - were dismissed from the team.
``[Baylor] is suspended from competition, but he's still part of the football team,'' Beamer said.
Beamer said sophomore linebacker Tyron Edmond and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Nat Williams didn't make the trip for violation of team rules before the club left Blacksburg.
Williams was involved in a fight outside Cassell Coliseum, but no police charges were filed. Edmond, Beamer said, was suspended for violation of team rules.
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Tech's Ken Oxendine offered a unique perspective on the lengthy build-up to game day. The Hokies have been in south Florida since Thursday.
``The week before the game is like a storm building up to flood,'' Oxendine said. ``It keeps raining and raining and finally on game day, the emotions explode and the flood breaks down the dam.''
SEEING RED: In the last three weeks, Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle has watched tapes of Nebraska's defense, and he's repeatedly turned off the VCR with the same impression.
``They're the best defense we've coached against, period,'' said Bustle, who has been on Beamer's Tech staff for nine of the alumnus-coach's 10 seasons. ``They're big kids, strong, and they run as well as anyone we've played.
``They don't miss tackles. They'll press us, get up in our faces and try to use their strength. Their front seven are really good. The passing game will be crucial for us.''
TATTOO PARLOR: The 'Huskers might be from the conservative midwest, but it's obvious they're not just bunch of big, ol' hick farmboys.
They are heavily into art - as in body art.
From the looks of things at Sunday's Media Day, Nebraska has to be among the country's leaders in tatoos.
The most creative body art? Defensive tackle Jason Peter's left bicep is covered by a ``Peterbilt'' logo, in reference to the manufacturer of tractor-trailer cabs. I-back DeAngelo Evans' left arm has a picture of a locomotive, which is enscribed with the title ``The D-Train.''
LOTS OF LOOKS: The Hokies always have cried about not getting enough national exposure. Well, tonight's their big shot at making headlines.
In addition to a national television audience via CBS (WDBJ, Channel 7), Tech will play in front of reporters from Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington and Kansas City, in addition to hordes of writers from Virginia, Nebraska and Florida.
TV-Tokyo has a crew covering the game. There are print publications from Germany, Sweden and France covering the action.
OFFICIALLY SPEAKING: Tonight's officiating crew will be from the Big 10 Conference. NCAA bowl rules require that the officials not be from the conference of the competing teams.
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: APby CNBVirginia Tech defensive tackle Anthony Lambo gives Sean Stewart a
small football during a visit by the team to the North Broward
Medical Center in Pompano, Fla.