THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409030628
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
We'll finally begin to uncover the answers to a number of nagging questions about Virginia's Division I-AA teams today:
Can William and Mary replace its entire offensive line and three of its defensive backs and garner another postseason bid?
Is James Madison, which returns 18 of 22 starters, truly a juggernaut?
Will Richmond and Virginia Military Institute emerge from bitterly disappointing finishes last season with new quarterbacks?
And will a talented cast of transfers be enough to finally propel Liberty into postseason play?
All five state teams open today. William and Mary, ranked No. 21, travels to Yankee Conference rival Rhode Island at 1 p.m. Elsewhere, Richmond visits VMI at 1:30, James Madison hosts the University of Buffalo at 7 and Liberty is at home against Concord at 7:30.
William and Mary, 9-3 last season, has one of the nation's top quarterbacks in senior Shawn Knight, who set a Division I-AA passing efficiency record last season.
But coach Jimmye Laycock is concerned about how much time Knight will have to throw. Also, Knight's arm might be a question mark, since he spent the summer tossing a baseball for Spokane's Class-A team.
``Shawn's had a fine preseason,'' Laycock said. ``We've purposely brought him along a little slower as far as his throwing is concerned. He's turned over the big plays in scrimmages. He is where I want him to be at this point.''
But the offensive line is a different story.
``We've got some good players,'' Laycock said. ``In time they will be very good players. So much of playing the offensive line is communication, knowing what you're supposed to do in a certain situation. If we ask them to just line up and block another guy, we're in great shape. But it's more complicated than that.''
The Tribe does know that it won't be walking into a snakepit. Rhode Island's students haven't arrived on campus, and a crowd of less than 3,000 is expected.
Rhode Island was 3-8 last season and last in the Yankee Conference's New England Division.
Madison hosts a Buffalo team that was 1-10 last season, its first in Division I-AA. Coach Rip Scherer is optimistic the Dukes will continue the hot streak of last season, when they won four of their last five.
``I think we're going to be successful,'' he said.
Quarterback Mike Cawley, a Syracuse transfer who last year threw for 1,988 yards and 14 touchdowns, will call signals behind an experienced line, but injuries have felled two of the top four running backs for tonight.
Bill Stewart makes his debut as VMI's coach, and he has made major changes. Gone is the wishbone offense, which failed to stem a tide of 12 losing seasons. It has been replaced by a more pass-oriented offense and an aggressive, blitzing defense.
Freshman quarterback Al Lester will start in place of returning senior Spike Johnson. Stewart said the Keydets could surprise.
``If I didn't think we could win,'' he said, ``I wouldn't be here.''
Jason Gabrels will start for the Spiders after beating out Joe Elrod in preseason practice. Only three starters are back from an offense that stalled in the stretch last season, when Richmond was 5-6.
``People don't think we'll be very good,'' coach Jim Marshall said. ``They better wait until the season's over.''
Liberty expects big things from a pair of transfers. Coach Sam Rutigliano said tailback J.T. Morris could be an All-American. Morris, a Lynchburg native, transferred from Penn State.
There is so much interest in Morris' debut that the Flames expect a near-capacity crowd of 11,000 for Concord, an NAIA team.
Florida transfer Antwan Chiles, who passed for 1,487 yards in a limited role at Liberty last fall, will start at quarterback. by CNB