THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, September 26, 1994             TAG: 9409260234
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Steve Carlson 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                         LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

DESHAZO IS BEGINNING TO DOUBT HIS QB ABILITY

Two years ago, Virginia Tech lost to West Virginia at Lane Stadium and Maurice DeShazo got booed at home in his worst game as a college quarterback.

Thursday the Hokies recorded their largest margin of victory in their 40-game history with the Mountaineers in winning, 34-6, to run their record to 4-0.

But you wouldn't have known the difference between those two experiences from looking at DeShazo's demeanor Thursday night in the interview room after a poor performance.

``I'm not playing to my ability,'' DeShazo said. ``No one's blind, everyone can see it.''

The pollsters continue to see one of the best teams in the country in Virginia Tech - the Hokies remained at No. 14 in The Associated Press media poll, but jumped two spots to No. 10 in the USA Today/CNN coaches poll.

Generally a team doesn't attain that status with a quarterback who has begun to doubt himself, but the Hokies have done just that.

``It seems like everything I touch is going bad,'' DeShazo said. ``I'm tired of not playing well.''

DeShazo was looking forward to a long weekend at home in Stuart, Va., to attempt to alleviate the pressure he has admittedly succumbed to.

Tech had better hope he returns to campus refreshed and rejuvenated. Probably the second-toughest of Tech's remaining league games comes Saturday at Syracuse (3:30, WVEC) in a regionally televised game on ABC.

DeShazo will have to be sharper because the Carrier Dome is a difficult place to play and the Hokies may not have a healthy Dwayne Thomas, the starting tailback who was listed as questionable Sunday with a sprained left ankle.

The Orangemen (3-1) represent the biggest roadblock to the Hokies heading to Miami in the Orange Bowl on Oct. 29 with what they to be an 8-0 overall mark, a 5-0 league record and chance to play for the Big East title.

For Tech to get there, DeShazo needs to snap out of this funk. by CNB