ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 4, 1997 TAG: 9701060048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
VIRGINIA TECH survived almost every controversy imaginable to put together an outstanding 10-2 season.
Virginia Tech may not have upset heavily favored Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, but never let it be said the Hokies didn't beat the odds.
All said and done, this Tech team, considering the rocky path it had to travel, surpassed all reasonable expectations.
"This team should be remembered as one that overcame the odds and played well,'' said coach Frank Beamer.
"And our coaches. What a job they did. I don't know if any staff did a better job, really.''
Obviously, somebody did something right.
To finish 10-2 and No. 13 in the country in Friday's final Associated Press poll, the Hokies had to survive a veritable jungle of injuries, arrests, suspensions and outside distractions.
"About every week it seemed like there was something going on,'' said Billy Conaty, senior center. "Either somebody was hurt, somebody was arrested or somebody was suspended.
"Somehow, though, we found a way to get it done. Considering everything we had to go through, I think we can feel pretty good about what we got done.''
This Tech team wasn't as talented as last year's 10-2 Sugar Bowl champion, especially defensively. But Bud Foster's unit, despite having only four players who started all 12 games, stood tall in every game but the Hokies' two losses.
Except in those losses - 52-21 to Syracuse and 41-21 to Nebraska - the Tech defense never allowed more than two touchdowns in a game.
That's pretty impressive for a group that was, at times, walk-on city. Former walk-ons John Engelberger (end), Danny Wheel (end), Kerwin Hairston (tackle) and Steve Tate (linebacker) each made at least six starts for the Hokies.
"They weren't as spectacular as J.C. [Price] and those boys last year,'' Conaty said. "But as long as they get it done, I don't care what your name is.''
Despite losing its two best wideouts, Sugar Bowl hero Bryan Still and Jermaine Holmes, Tech was better offensively in '96. The Hokies averaged 31.7 points and 417 total yards per game, up from 29.2 and 384 from '95.
Quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, good in '95, was superb this season. The rifle-armed senior threw for nearly 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns, and was intercepted just five times.
Junior tailback Ken Oxendine, despite missing 21/2 games with a separated right shoulder, had the year everyone's been anticipating. The "Ox'' had a career-high 890 yards in the regular season, then tacked on 150 more against Nebraska.
Junior Marcus Parker and freshman Shyrone Stith each just fell shy of 500 yards rushing.
Oxendine, Parker and Stith figure to carry even more of the load in 1997. Tech loses six offensive starters - Druckenmiller, split end Cornelius White, tight end Bryan Jennings and offensive linemen Conaty, Jay Hagood and T.J. Washington. Each made All-Big East except for White.
Druckenmiller, who likely will be playing on Sundays this fall, is without question the toughest act to follow.
"The key to a good program is how that quarterback plays,'' Beamer said. "That guy behind the center is really important.''
Al Clark, who will be a redshirt junior next season, figures to be the leading candidate to win the job. Clark, who threw just five passes this season in rare duty behind the durable Druckenmiller, will be pushed by rising redshirt junior Mike Kocika and rising redshirt freshmen Nick Sorensen and Dave Meyer.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on Al and those other guys,'' said Beamer, "but I guarantee when it's all said and done it's on that quarterback guy.''
The quarterback sweepstakes victor will have Shawn Scales and Michael Stuewe back as wideout targets. Jennings' tight end spot likely will be inherited by redshirt sophomore Pedro Edison.
"We've been trying to get quite a few linemen,'' said Beamer in reference to recruiting. "We're losing quite a few there. We do have G-Man [Gennaro DiNapoli] and Todd Washington back, and those two have been been as good as we've had at guard.''
Defensively, Tech's biggest losses come at linebacker, where All-Big East selections Brandon Semones and Myron Newsome graduate, and in the secondary, which loses All-Big East picks Torrian Gray at free safety and Antonio Banks at cornerback.
Up front, the Hokies lose All-America end Cornell Brown and tackle Waverly Jackson.
Tate and Jamel Smith likely will take over the vacant linebacker spots, while Keion Carpenter and Anthony Midget are the likely candidates to fill Gray's and Banks' positions.
Jason Berish and Wheel will contend for Brown's spot, while Carl Bradley is the leading candidate for Jackson's inside position.
As far as special teams go, Tech will be set again with Shayne Graham, the Big East's freshman of the year, and punter Jimmy Kibble.
While some may wonder about '97 with the loss of such staples as Druckenmiller, Conaty, Gray, Brown, Hagood, Newsome, Semones and Banks, Beamer doesn't seem to be too concerned.
"Coming out of the Gator Bowl two years ago, I remember saying we're going to get back and some people kind of looked around because we were losing some good players,'' said Beamer in his post-Orange Bowl news conference.
"But I feel like we're going to get back after this game, too, and continue on to being a good program. We will be back in games like this and keep on building this program.''
Beamer said the ever-changing faces of college football present a challenge he likes.
"That's kind of the fun part of it,'' he said. "Taking it and see how good you can be next time around.
"Last year, who'd thought Engelberger would have been the player he was. And Shyrone Stith. Everyone was talking about Thomas Jones up at Virginia, but Shyrone Stith is a pretty good back.''
The seniors who suited up for the final time in a Tech uniform have set some tough standards. Each is leaving as part of a group that played in four consecutive bowl games.
"I think we set a foundation,'' Druckenmiller said. "Hard work and practice every day - those are the type things we've established here. I'll never forget and now I can come back and make sure these boys are still going. I think they will.''
So does Waverly Jackson.
"We've got a lot of great, young guys coming back next year and I guarantee I'll see 'em in the in the top 20 again.''
Hokies everywhere hope the big guy is right.
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN/Staff. Cornelius White let this pass slipby CNBthrough his hands in the Orange Bowl against Nebraska, but overall
the Hokies didn't drop the ball too often during a 10-2 campaign.
color.