THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 5, 1994 TAG: 9410050682
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday that linebacker Tony Morrison has been reinstated, but wouldn't discuss the transgression that caused Morrison to be suspended for the Hokies' game at Syracuse Saturday.
Morrison, a true freshman from Chesapeake's Indian River High School, declined an interview request.
``It's a personal matter between Tony, the football team and myself,'' Beamer said. ``He made a mistake - like a lot of us do - and if you had the choice you'd go back and do it differently.
``He's a good person and comes from a good family. He'll have success in our program, and he'll learn from this situation.''
Morrison has nine tackles and a sack in four games as a backup outside linebacker.
PERSONNEL MOVES: Sophomore right cornerback Larry Green, who Syracuse burned repeatedly last Saturday for big gains, will be replaced in the starting lineup against Temple by redshirt freshman Baron Spinner.
``It's not so much that Larry isn't a good player, it's that we want to give Baron Spinner an opportunity,'' Beamer said.
Beamer reiterated Tuesday that tailback Dwayne Thomas is doubtful for Saturday's 1 p.m. home game with an ankle injury and said true freshman Ken Oxendine will get his first start. He also said senior co-captain Damien McMahon, Tech's right guard, will miss his second game with a sprained left foot.
Also, backup cornerback Quinton Waller had to have his appendix removed after Tech returned from the Syracuse game. That was already a thin position for Tech.
``I'm not sure who would be our fourth corner right now,'' Beamer said.
LOOKING AHEAD: So much for the Hokies going to Miami 8-0 and ranked in the top 10 nationally. Syracuse nixed that last week.
``We were looking forward to being 8-0 when we went down to Miami,'' wide receiver Antonio Freeman said. ``I don't think anybody looked past Syracuse, but we may have been looking ahead a little too much.''
Assistant head coach Billy Hite said the loss exposed the problem of dealing with the attention and looking ahead to a big game. Tech isn't accustomed to lofty rankings and national exposure.
``They shouldn't even know what weekend we're playing Miami right now,'' Hite said. ``Even the Syracuse paper had something about it that morning. Obviously the concentration wasn't what it needed to be to beat Syracuse.
``It's been very exciting around here, no question, but the main thing is to stay focused on who we're playing this week, and I promise we'll remain focused from here on.''
WILLIAMS' GETS HIS KICKS: Senior placekicker Ryan Williams, who is from Suffolk, was the Big East special-teams player of the week for his field goals of 27, 21, 25 and 37 yards against Syracuse. The four field goals in one game was a career high for Williams and matched the Big East record.
Williams has made eight consecutive field goals since missing a 50-yarder in his first attempt of the season.
Punter Robbie Colley had a career-best average of 47.6 yards in five punts at the Carrier Dome.
``Overall, our special teams have been pretty good,'' Beamer said.
FREEMAN GETS FREE: After a slow start this season, Freeman broke out Saturday at Syracuse. His eight catches and 124 yards surpassed his season totals through four games.
``I was a bit frustrated,'' Freeman said of the first four games. ``But not to the point where I was hanging my head.
``I wanted the ball, and things didn't work out where I was getting the ball - there would be an overthrow or the line broke down. This past week I guess you could say I was in the zone.''
QUICK HITS: According to Hite, Tech has had first-and-10 inside the opponents' 30-yard line 25 times this season and has come away with four touchdowns and 12 field goals on those possessions. . . . Syracuse's 278 yards rushing were the most surrendered in a game by Tech since West Virginia gained 313 in 1988. . . . Syracuse had two backs who rushed for more than 100 yards. The last team to do that to the Hokies was Kent State in 1976. by CNB