THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409150630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
The Virginia Cavaliers must feel a little better about their game Saturday against Clemson (noon, WAVY) now that Tigers coach Tommy West has promised not to play Dexter McCleon at quarterback.
McCleon was switched from defensive back to quarterback only days before last year's Virginia game. He came off the bench in the first quarter to lead the Tigers to a 23-14 victory, rushing for 127 yards and accounting for two touchdowns.
Several Virginia players were expecting to see McCleon back at quarterback this Saturday after Clemson managed only 21 yards rushing in losing to North Carolina State.
No so, West said.
McCleon was moved back to defense after missing spring practice to play baseball, something he was promised he could do when recruited by former coach Ken Hatfield.
West honored the agreement, but he didn't like it.
``He (McCleon) has to do what he feels is best for him, and I have to do what I feel is best for the team,'' West said.
McCleon isn't playing much on defense, but West vows he won't move him back to quarterback this season.
``A lot of people believe Dexter should be our quarterback, but none of those people have been at our practices,'' West said.
West said starting quarterback Patrick Sapp couldn't be blamed for the poor offensive performance against N.C. State.
``We blew too many assignments and committed too many penalties,'' West said. ``Dan Marino couldn't have played well under those circumstances.''
If Sapp gets off to a slow start, however, reserve Louis Solomon will be available.
The Cavaliers are familiar with Solomon, too. He came off the bench two years ago to lead Clemson to victory after the Tigers were down, 28-0.
CAVALIER BLUES: The Cavaliers will be wearing their new home uniforms, with blue replacing orange as the dominant color, for the first time Saturday.
It is the first major uniform change in 10 years, and it seems not everyone got the word.
The seventh annual ``Paint the Town Orange'' rally is scheduled for Friday night at the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, and promoters are urging Wahoo fans to wear orange to Saturday's game.
But the only team in orange Saturday will be Clemson.
``It is a little strange,'' Virginia coach George Welsh said, ``since our main color now is blue.''
ESPN GAME: Duke's game against Army tonight is its first national television appearance since the 1989 All-American Bowl, and coach Fred Goldsmith realizes it is important for the Blue Devils to play well. ``This will be the only time some people will notice us all season,'' he said.
The Blue Devils, though, already have attracted some attention with a 2-0 start - their best since opening 5-0 in 1988.
The most impressive Blue Devil has been fullback Robert Baldwin, whose 339 rushing yards in two games already is 7 yards more than his total output last year.
WHAT CONTROVERSY? Some Georgia Tech players have criticized coach Bill Lewis openly for starting transfer Tommy Luginbill over returnee Donnie Davis at quarterback, but Lewis insists there is no problem.
``We have a starting quarterback and a No. 2 quarterback, and we certainly do not have any kind of quarterback controversy,'' Lewis said when the subject was brought up during Wednesday's ACC media conference call.
Maybe Lewis will use the open date this week to convince his players of that.
J&J UPDATE: North Carolina fans are expecting better performances from the Johnson & Johnson kids when the Tar Heels play Tulane on Saturday in Chapel Hill.
Tailbacks Leon and Curtis Johnson each rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season but struggled to break 100 yards together in UNC's 27-17 season-opening victory over Texas Christian. Leon had 76 yards on 15 carries, and Curtis 36 yards on 11 carries.
Coach Mack Brown said he is as eager as the fans for his tailbacks to break loose, but he understands that they don't have the same experienced blocking up front as they did a year ago.
Also, North Carolina's game at Florida State on Sept. 24 will be televised by ABC.
BIGGER AND BETTER: N.C. State coach Mike O'Cain credits improvement in his team's defense to his players getting bigger and stronger in the offseason.
In victories over Bowling Green and Clemson, the Wolfpack defense permitted only 45 total yards rushing.
``We are 20 pounds heavier per player up front without losing any of our quickness,'' O'Cain said. ``We are not getting pushed around like we were last year.''
N.C. State has an open date this week.
SAY, WAS THAT . . . : Of course, that was not Lou Holtz parading behind the Florida State bench last Saturday in College Park, Md.
Holtz was in Michigan with his Notre Dame football team.
The guy behind the Seminoles' bench waving a couple of Foot Locker bags was some prankster wearing a Holtz face mask.
GAP UPDATE: The gap between Florida State and the rest of the ACC may be narrowing, even if it is not noticeable in the won-lost column.
In the first two games, both Virginia and Maryland scored on their first offensive drives against the Seminoles - something no team did last year.
Also, against Maryland, the Seminoles found themselves behind, 20-17, at halftime for the first time in 18 ACC games.
The gap could go the other way this week, though, when the Seminoles play at Wake Forest, a team they beat, 54-0, last year.
DEFENSELESS: Maryland became the first team in Division I-A history last year to give up 6,000 yards in one season.
The Terps, who play at West Virginia on Saturday, seem on their way to becoming the second team this year, surrendering 1,262 yards and 101 points after two games. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
Florida State linebacker Sam Cowart, who has 18 tackles in his first
two games, takes his act to Wake Forest on Saturday.
by CNB