ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 25, 1997 TAG: 9701270100
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: RECRUITING
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY WAS A BUSY day as the next football classes were taking shape for UVa and Virginia Tech.
A football program's recruiting strategy changes hourly at this time of year. Witness developments Friday on the recruiting front.
Although Virginia sources were mum on the subject, coaches at other schools have been alerted that All-Group AAA defensive end Monsanto Pope plans to sign with the Cavaliers. Pope, a 6-foot-4, 235-pounder from Hopewell High School, was rated the No.15 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times.
Virginia Tech, one of the finalists for Pope, received a commitment from 6-5, 252-pound defensive lineman Derrius Monroe from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Hokies continue to pursue All-America defensive lineman Josh Mallard but felt they had to make a move on Monroe or risk losing him.
Monroe had a team-high 85 tackles this year, including 13 sacks and 15 other tackles for losses. He was named defensive player of the year in his region. Monroe visited Tech, Syracuse and Howard, and he canceled trips to Georgia and Central Florida. Godby coach Mark Feely said Monroe is close to meeting NCAA academic standards with his grades and Scholastic Assessment Test score.
In addition to Pope, Virginia has received a commitment from John Duckett, a 6-1, 215-pound linebacker and running back who was rated one of the top 10 prospects in Maryland by SuperPrep magazine.
Steve Hoopengardner, the coach at Great Mills (Md.) High School since 1979, calls Duckett ``the most intense player I've ever coached.'' Duckett rushed for more than 2,500 yards over his career, but is expected to play defense in college.
Hoopengardner said Duckett received scholarship offers from 10 Division I-A programs before visiting UVa, Mississippi and Rutgers.
Also, there apparently is some substance to rumors that running back Antoine Womack from Phoebus High School in Hampton has resumed talks with UVa. Womack, rated the No.1 prospect in the state, publicly committed to Penn State on Jan.16.
Virginia has 16 commitments, while Tech remained at 19 with the addition of Monroe and the loss of Rodney Wells, a linebacker from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla. Wells reneged on his commitment to Tech and said he will sign with Syracuse.
The Hokies are optimistic about their chances of signing Yubrenal Isabelle, a linebacker and running back from Bluefield, W.Va., who canceled a trip to Notre Dame this week in order to visit Blacksburg. Isabelle was at UVa last weekend.
Tech may sign as many as four more players and is looking at Isabelle, Mallard, linebacker Dwight Perkins from Plantation, Fla., and wide receivers Adrian Pressey and Butch Patrick from Newark, Del., by way of Hargrave Military Academy.
The Hokies are also involved with Tyrone Robertson, an All-Group AAA defensive lineman from George Washington High School who may be a ``non-predictor.'' If he does not qualify, Robertson would have to pay his way for one year and would not count against a school's scholarship quota.
This weekend, Robertson will visit Virginia, which has not accepted a non- or partial-qualifier since the NCAA standards changed last year.
Tyree Foreman, a running back from Sherwood High School in Sandy Springs, Md., hopes to decide by Monday between Maryland and UVa. Foreman rushed for 1,883 yards and 35 touchdowns this past season.
UVA-TECH RECRUITING
VIRGINIA: Mike Abrams, 6-4, 225 p, Aiken, S.C.; Billy Baber, 6-5, 240 te, Crozet; Tony Brown, 6-2, 245 de, Dayton, Ohio; Scooter Clark, 6-3, 195 wr-lb, Perth Amboy, N.J.; Bryce Cox, 6-4, 220 lb, Jacksonville, Fla.; John Duckett, 6-1, 215 lb, Great Mills, Md.; Dan Ellis, 6-3, 215 qb, Downingtown, Pa.; Josh Lawson, 6-5, 275 ot, Dale City; Chris Luzar, 6-8, 215 te, Williamsburg; Greg Owens, 6-0, 200 pk, Stuart, Fla.; Monsanto Pope, 6-4, 235 de, Hopewell; Evan Routzhan, 6-7, 286 ol, Middletown, Md.; Devon Simmons, 5-11, 197 db, Highland Springs; Earl Sims, 6-2, 205 lb, Miami; Ljubomir Stamenich, 6-31/2, 255 dl, McLean; Jared Woodson, 6-8, 250 ol-dl, Crozet.
VIRGINIA TECH: Larry Austin, 5-10, 165 db, Norfolk; Chad Beasley, 6-6, 235 de, Gate City; Barney Bowman, 6-21/2, 218 lb, Berwick, Pa.; Derek Carter, 6-3, 255 ol-dl, Smithfield (Fork Union Military Academy); Ron Cook, 6-3, 215 lb, Montclair, N.J.; Jim Ferugio, 6-3, 222 lb-te, Pottsville, Pa.; Ricky Hall, 6-21/2, 200 wr, Chester (Butler County, Kan., Community College); Camm Jackson, 6-0, 215 lb, Amherst; Dave Kadela, 6-7, 240 ol-dl, Dublin, Ohio (Fork Union Military Academy); Matt Lehr, 6-4, 265 ol, Woodbridge; James Lomax, 6-5, 250 te, Lynchburg; Derrius Monroe, 6-5, 252 dl, Tallahassee, Fla.; Lamont Pegues, 5-11, 205 rb, Thomasville, N.C. (transfer from Clemson, eligible 1997); David Pugh, 6-3, 265 ol-dl, Amherst; Reggie Samuel, 6-1,175 db, Milford; Bob Slowikowski, 6-6, 230 te, Pittsburgh; Wayne Ward, 6-0, 195 rb, Plant City, Fla.; Brian Welch, 6-0, 225 lb, Vienna; Dan Wilkinson, 6-2, 225 lb, Palm Beach, Fla.; Matt Wincek, 6-6, 270 ol-dl, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 linesby CNB