THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409220558
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
A pair of coaching buddies will be reunited Saturday when William and Mary hosts Virginia Military Institute at Zable Stadium.
First-year VMI coach Bill Stewart was offensive line coach from 1981 to '83 - in Williamsburg under Tribe head coach Jimmye Laycock.
``I'll never forget how well Jimmye Laycock treated me, and I've always appreciated it,'' Stewart said. ``He let Bill Stewart grow as a coach and as a person. He allowed me to coach and he allowed me to teach. It's not always that way. Assistant coaches aren't always allowed the room to grow.''
But, he added: ``There's nothing in the world I'd love to do more than beat the guy who started me.''
Stewart said the game will be ``real emotional'' for him and defensive line coach Bob Solderitch, who played for the Tribe under Laycock and Stewart. Solderitch was named to William and Mary's all-time team in 1990 in conjunction with the school's celebration of 100 years of football.
Emotions also will be high for VMI assistant trainer Stacey Keeney and Tribe assistant coach Dan Quinn. They plan to be married in June.
TRIBE INJURIES: William and Mary limped home from its 28-26 victory over Furman. Four Tribe starters were felled by injuries, including fullback Greg Parker, who may be lost for the season.
Parker took a blow to the head and temporarily lost his memory. The same thing happened last year against Rhode Island. The 230-pound junior from Leicester, England, who is primarily a blocking back, has worn a specially padded helmet this season.
``We hope to know something on Greg soon,'' Laycock said. ``It's a very serious matter.'' When asked if Parker might never play football again, Laycock said: ``That's a possibility.''
Also out are wide receiver Terry Hammons (shoulder), safety Jason Steiner (knee) and defensive end Brian Giamo (wrist).
``We've got to regroup, play some younger guys and take care of the mistakes we made Saturday against Furman,'' Laycock said.
SHAWN SHINES: William and Mary quarterback Shawn Knight has recovered nicely from a less-than-stellar opening-game performance at Rhode Island. After leading the Tribe past Delaware, 31-7, he connected on 15 of 19 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another touchdown against Furman.
``The best thing I did all night was to shut up and send him out there and let him play,'' Laycock said.
Knight, who set a Division I-AA passing efficiency record last season, has quickly vaulted back into the national efficiency ratings at ninth.
AROUND THE STATE: VMI tailback Thomas Haskins ranks second in I-AA rushing at 174.5 yards per game, a half yard behind Butler's Arnold Mickens. He's also third in kickoff returns (44.4), third in all-purpose running (218.5) and tied for eighth in scoring (12). . . . Strong safeties Damon Pinero and DeShawn Johnson from Virginia Beach both made their first career appearances last week for VMI. . . . Hard-luck Liberty, which lost at Division I-A Toledo, 47-37, a week after falling to Villanova when a late-game rally was killed by a fumble, travels to Boise State Saturday to take on a 3-0 team that has beaten Division I-A Nevada. ``It doesn't get any easier,'' said coach Sam Rutigliano, whose Flames are 1-2. Tailback J.T. Morris, the Penn State transfer who had been counted on to carry the Liberty offense, is still sidelined with an injury and could miss up to a month. . . . Daniel Whitehead, who scored nine points for Liberty against Toledo, needs eight points to become the school's career scoring leader. Antwan Chiles completed 31 of 55 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns against Toledo. Robert Butz, Tony Dews and Dion Cook each had more than 100 yards receiving for the Flames. . . . William and Mary will be seeking a school-record 13th consecutive home victory against VMI. Troy Keen's 170-yard rushing effort against Furman was a career high.
WOUNDED EAGLES: A message for the head coaches from VMI, James Madison, Richmond and Liberty, who are lamenting last weekend's losses: It could be worse. You could be coaching at Georgia Southern.
The Eagles dropped to 0-3, the first time they've been winless after three games, with a 34-13 loss to Marshall. That followed a 56-0 drubbing at Miami, which was covered by The Sporting News for a profile on the Eagles, and a 15-14 defeat to Division II West Georgia.
Quite a comedown for a program that has won four Division I-AA national titles since it began playing football in 1982, has never fielded a loser and has been making noises about moving into Division I-A.
``One of the great things about coaching in the South is that everyone has high expectations,'' said Georgia Southern coach Tim Stowers. ``A lot of people are asking what's wrong with us.''
What's wrong? Stowers lost his top two quarterbacks and nearly a dozen other players to injuries. Redshirt freshman Kenny Robinson is now quarterbacking the Eagles.
``We've lost six players to broken hands,'' he said.
``We played two tough football teams in Marshall and Miami. Against West Georgia we fumbled on the one and on the six and had a touchdown called back.
``This is something we've never experienced before. Nobody likes it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
William and Mary's Greg Parker lost his memory after a blow to the
head last week, as he did last year.
by CNB