ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230006
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
Defensive lineman Ljubomir ``Lube'' Stamenich, who had 15 tackles for losses this past year at Langley High School, announced Wednesday he had committed to Virginia. Stamenich also visited Maryland, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
``I know it was close because, when we sat down [Tuesday] to make a list of the pros and cons, Virginia and Maryland were dead even,'' said Bill Renner, Langley's coach.
Renner said Virginia had an edge because it plans to use Stamenich as a defensive end. Most of the other finalists viewed him as a defensive tackle and, at a listed 6-foot-31/2 and 255 pounds, his size concerned a few recruiters.
``I can see that,'' Renner said. ``He had shoulder problems that limited his weightlifting, so he was down about 15 pounds when he made his visits. I have no doubt that he can carry 275 or 280 pounds, but he won't have to weigh that much if he's an end and not a tackle.''
Stamenich, who is of Serbian descent, was rated the No.9 prospect in the state by The Roanoke Times. Stamenich and No.10 Chad Beasley, who has committed to Virginia Tech, are the only top 10 prospects not to leave the state.
New Maryland coach Ron Vanderlinden has targeted Virginia as an area where the Terrapins hope to make an impact in recruiting.
REINSTATEMENTS: UVa defensive back Adrian Burnim and defensive tackle Tony Agee, suspended for academic reasons at the end of the 1995 season, have been readmitted to school and are planning to participate in spring practice.
Burnim frequently is credited with the touchdown-saving last tackle in Virginia's 33-28 victory over Florida State in 1995, and Agee started 11 of 13 games. Both will have two seasons of eligibility if their classwork permits them to play in the fall.
RECRUITING: Dan Ellis, who committed to Virginia in August, has been named Northeast offensive player of the year by SuperPrep magazine. Ellis, from Downingtown, Pa., was named to SuperPrep's 242-player All-America team and was rated the No.11 quarterback prospect.
The focus of Virginia Tech's recruiting has shifted to four players - defensive end Monsanto Pope from Hopewell; nose guard Josh Mallard from Savannah, Ga.; running back-linebacker Yubrenal Isabelle from Bluefield, W.Va.; and wide receiver Adrian Pressey from Newark, Del., and Hargrave Military Academy.
WADE TO WOLFPACK: N.C. State hopes it has the answer to its punting woes in Martinsville's Jess Wade, who made first-team All-Group AA as a kicker and was named first-team All-Timesland as a punter.
The Wolfpack was trying to decide between Wade and another prospective punter, Mike Abrams of Aiken, S.C., before Abrams committed to Virginia. State then offered a grant to Wade, who had a 39.5-yard punting average and had the longest field goal in the state this year, 53 yards.
``I think he could do both at that level,'' said Martinsville coach Taylor Edwards, for whom Wade started at quarterback this year, ``but State likes to split the two. They talked about him possibly kicking off, in addition to the punting.''
INSTEAD OF BUSTLE: Clemson, spurned last week by alumnus Rickey Bustle, wasted no time in turning to Steve Ensminger as its offensive coordinator.
Ensminger replaces Darrell Moody, who came to Clemson from North Carolina after the 1995 season, but complained he was required to use Clemson's ``old'' run-oriented offense. That would be in sharp contrast to the no-huddle look Bustle has favored at Virginia Tech.
``Tommy [West] and I are on the same page,'' said Ensminger, who has been at Texas A&M for the past three years. ``Clemson's known to run the football and we're not going to abandon that. But, we'll build [the passing] off the running game.''
ELMO A BADGER: Former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian has resurfaced at Wisconsin after new Boston College coach Tom O'Brien elected not to retain any of predecessor Dan Henning's assistants.
It will be the fourth stop in four years for Elmassian, who was Tech's defensive coordinator in 1994, Washington's defensive backs coach in '95 and BC's defensive coordinator last year. He also has coached at Ferrum College and Virginia.
ACC HOOPS: If second-ranked Clemson can get past No.3 Wake Forest tonight at Clemson, the Tigers need only win Sunday at North Carolina to remain undefeated in conference play. However, in the 70-year history of the series, Clemson is 0-42 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Going into tonight's game, Clemson is 27-1 during the past two seasons when guard Merl Code has played. The Tigers were 11-0 last season when Code suffered a knee injury against Virginia and missed the rest of the season.
LOCAL UPDATE: Shannon Yopp, a junior from Northside High School, had a career-high 29 points in 27 minutes for Averett College in a recent 72-61 victory over Methodist. Averett has its best record ever after 11 games. Yopp was 12-of-18 from the field and added 11 rebounds.
Joel Nester, a 6-4 freshman from Roanoke Valley Christian, has moved into the starting lineup for the men's team at Averett. Nester, who is playing 15 minutes per game, is averaging 7.2 points and 2.8 rebounds.
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