ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 2, 1997 TAG: 9701020072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MIAMI
TYPE: ORANGE BOWL NOTES
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech may have lost the Orange Bowl, but the Hokies do rank No. 1 in one poll following this postseason.
Among the 36 Division I-A teams that reached bowl games, Tech is taking home the biggest check after its fourth straight season ended with a 12th game.
Thanks to the Big East Football Conference's revenue-sharing plan, the Hokies will take $3.981 million from their 41-21 Orange Bowl loss Tuesday night to Nebraska.
Of the $8.486 million payoff the Big East receives from the Bowl Alliance, Tech, as the school with that bid, retains $3.5 million. The Hokies, like the other seven Big East teams, get $481,250 as a split of the remaining revenue.
The Hokies' payday is the largest for a couple of reasons. The Big East rewards its alliance team more than other conferences. Also, the Big East, with eight teams, has the fewest members among the top seven football leagues.
The Cornhuskers are among five Big 12 members with the payday ranking next to Tech's riches. Each bowl team in that conference receives $2.5 million.
The other Big East bowl payoffs will be $1.98 million to West Virginia (Gator) and $1.78 million apiece to Syracuse and Miami for their victories in the Liberty and Carquest bowls, respectively.
GREAT 48: In setting a Tech record with his 48th consecutive start, Hokies senior center Billy Conaty had a unique perspective on the legacy of his four seasons that ended with bowls.
"They got to remember us as the class who did a lot for this program,'' Conaty said. "Hopefully, they won't have to remember us. That's means we'd still be winning.
"We took it from the Independence Bowl to the Orange Bowl. It's sad. I'll miss these guys, but life has to go on. What else is kind of hard is to have worked so hard to get here and then just sort of have the door shut in your face.
"It wasn't a blowout. Your goal is to win. Your other goal is to not get blown out. We're a good team, and Nebraska couldn't stop our offense much. It was more us stopping ourselves.
"Nebraska has solidarity. They have stars everywhere. We might have weaknesses at a few places and it shows up at times. That's the difference.''
IN COURT: In a brief Wednesday news conference as an Orange Bowl postscript, Tech coach Frank Beamer said he would deal "individually'' with arrested and indicted players suspended who have eligibility remaining.
Beamer said any guilt or innocence wouldn't necessarily determine who does or doesn't return to his team.
Whatever happens in court, Beamer said, "I can assure you, some of those guys will not be here [in the future].''
HELP: With two bowls in Pro Player Stadium this year and the lowest attendance for an Orange Bowl since 1947, bowl officials in South Florida are considering changes for the Orange and Carquest.
The Orange, moved to Pro Player Stadium this year, hopes to keep its high profile when the "Super Alliance'' adds the Rose to three bowls starting with the 1998 season.
Orange Bowl executive director Keith Tribble said the Sugar, Orange and Fiesta will have exclusive 60-day periods to renegotiate for a slot in the Super Alliance, probably within the next two months.
The Orange Bowl gets the Nos. 1-2 alliance matchup next Jan.2.
The Orange made a $107 million bid over six years to be part of the Bowl Alliance. The final three years of that deal would be voided by the Super Alliance. Tribble said it would probably take a bid in the $120-125 million range to stay in the big four.
As for the Carquest Bowl, there is some sentiment among business and community leaders in South Florida to have the Orange Bowl take over operation of the lower-tier bowl and move it to the Orange Bowl stadium.
It may be necessary should the Miami Dolphins return to NFL prominence. Had the Dolphins reached the playoffs, Pro Player would have been home to three games in five days.
MR. JENNINGS: Tech certainly will miss tight end Bryan Jennings, who obviously has bowl fever. The two biggest receiving days of Jennings' career came in the Hokies' two Bowl Alliance dates.
The Forest, Va., resident and NFL prospect had four catches for 58 yards in the Orange Bowl loss to Nebraska after having only 11 receptions in 11 regular-season games.
Last year, Jennings had 17 catches during the season, then grabbed six for 77 yards in a Sugar Bowl victory over Texas.
RETURNING: After a two-loss regular season on the heels of two straight unbeaten national championship years, Nebraska (11-2) hopes to use the triumph over the Hokies as a springboard to a familiar postseason location.
The Cornhuskers would like to return to the Orange Bowl next year, for their sixth trip in seven years.
"The plan is to definitely come back here next year for the [national] championship game,'' said Nebraska defensive tackle Jason Peter.
"This game was important to the team for next year and how we are perceived,'' said Orange Bowl MVP Damon Benning, one of a flood of Nebraska I-backs. "There was a lot riding on this game - a lot more than people thought.''
GOING DEEP: Nebraska dressed 108 and played 63 players in the game, or approximately as many players as the Hokies dressed. Tech used 52 players.
"It's an issue we're going to have to look at,'' said Beamer, raving about Nebraska's imposing depth. "We used to bring in about 140 players, now we've got 112. There's a big difference.''
THE 1997 SCHEDULE: Virginia Tech's 1997 schedule will begin with three Big East games.
"It's not exactly what you'd want,'' said Beamer. "You'd like to have those non-conference games mixed in there, but there are considerations for television.''
The Big East doesn't expect to finalize its '97 schedule until next week. However, the Hokies know they will be opening Aug.30 at Rutgers in an ESPN telecast game.
On the tentative schedule, Tech's home opener is Sept.13 against Syracuse. In November, Beamer's team is scheduled for open dates sandwiching a Lane Stadium visit by Miami.
Three non-league home games are bunched in three weeks, against Arkansas State, Miami of Ohio and Alabama-Birmingham.
The tentative schedule: Aug. 30, at Rutgers. Sept. 6, open; 13, Syracuse; 20, at Temple; 27, Arkansas State. Oct. 4, Miami of Ohio; 11, Alabama-Birmingham; 18, Boston College; 25, at West Virginia Nov. 1, open; 8, Miami (Fla.); 15, open; 22, at Pitt; 29, at Virginia.
ORANGE SLICES: Ken Oxendine's 150 rushing yards for Tech were the fifth highest total in the Orange Bowl's 63-yard history. . . . Tech extended its streak of games of 20 or more points to 18. . . . Jim Druckenmiller's three scoring passes for the Hokies put him in good company. The only quarterback to throw for more touchdowns in an Orange Bowl is Danny Kanell, who had four in Florida State's victory over Notre Dame a year ago. . . . The Hokies had 13 players start all 12 games this season. Of those, only five will return in 1997. However, 18 of the 31 who made at least one start will be back for Beamer's 11th season.
LENGTH: Long : 131 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN STAFF Nebraska's Damon Benning (right)by CNBshakes Virginia Tech's Loren Johnson on his way to a third-quarter
touchdown in Tuesday night's Orange Bowl. Benning delivered 95 yards
on 15 carries for the Cornhuskers.