THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 9, 1994 TAG: 9410090200
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Mike Groh came to the rescue of a sputtering Virginia office once again Saturday night and led the Cavaliers to a 42-6 victory over Wake Forest.
It was the third game in Virginia's four victories this season that Groh played a starring role.
The redshirt junior, whose father coached the last Wake Forest team that beat Virginia, took charge in the second period when starting quarterback Symmion Willis suffered a pulled hamstring muscle.
The Cavaliers (4-1, 2-1) were ahead, 7-0, at the time, but the lone touchdown had been scored by the defense on a blocked punt.
Six plays after entering the game, Groh threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Patrick Jeffers.
He took Virginia to touchdowns on three of their next four possessions also for a 35-0 lead at the end of the third period.
Groh's pinpoint passes balanced Virginia's best rushing effort of the season, as junior tailback Kevin Brooks became the first Cavalier this season to rush for more than 100 yards.
It marked the sixth straight game in the series against Wake Forest that a Virginia runner has surpassed 100 yards.
Brooks, responding to more playing time, carried 18 times for 114 yards, and scored Virginia's third touchdown on a 5-yard run.
Earlier this week Brooks disclosed he had asked coaches to keep him on the field for longer periods of time to help him get into the flow of the game.
``I was able to do that tonight, and I think it helped,'' said Brooks, who sat out most of the second half.
Brooks topped the century mark during a 54-yard scoring drive early in the second period.
He ended the drive with four consecutive carries for 14, 9, 1, and 5 yards for a 21-0 lead.
Before leaving the game, the former Great Bridge High player had an 11-yard carry to the Wake Forest 13 on the next scoring drive that ended on a 12-yard pass from Groh to Tyrone Davis.
Groh's re-emergence came only one game after coach George Welsh had confirmed Willis as the starting quarterback.
After guiding Virginia to seven of their eight touchdowns in the first three games, Groh played very little in last Saturday's victory over William and Mary.
Until he entered against the Deacons, the Cabaliers had turned the ball over twice on fumbles and another stalled drive resulted in an unsuccessful 42-yard field goal attempt by Rafael Garcia, ending his streak of seven straight hits.
Willis had the Cavaliers threatening again when he left the game with the pulled hamstring in his right leg.
He missed the Navy game four weeks ago because of a hamstring injury to his left leg.
``I planted my foot and felt something pop,'' Willis said. ``No one hit me.''
Willis completed a 16-yard pass to Pete Allen on the play for a first down on the Deacons' 44.
``I think we would have scored if Willis had stayed in the game,'' said Brooks. ``But when Groh came in, we had confidence that he could do the job for us, and he didn't miss a beat.''
Virginia coach George Welsh said he did not know if Willis, who was on crutches after the game, would be ready for next Saturday's game against Georgia Tech.
``If he doesn't practice by Wednesday, he probably won't play,'' Welsh said.
Groh completed 10 of 14 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns. His only miscue was an interception that Mike Neubeiser returned 55 yards for the Deacons' only touchdown.
The victory was the 11th straight by the Cavaliers over Wake Forest, which dropped to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the ACC.
Ironically, Groh was on the winning side, too, the last time Wake Forest defeated Virginia.
That was in 1983 when his father, Al (now an assistant with the New England Patriots) was the Deacons' head coach.
``I have lot of good memories about Wake Forest, but some bad ones, too, about the way they treated my father,'' Groh said.
The elder Groh resigned following the 1986 season when Wake Forest refused to give him a contract extension.
Virginia's first touchdown was scosred by defensive back Joe Crocker, who ran into the end zone after teammate Stephan Phelan had blocked Mike Strazzeri's punt.
The Cavaliers' defense held the Deacons to only 23 yards rushing. The defense, not on the field when Wake Forest scored on the interception, has not given up a touchdown in the last 12 quarters. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.Va.'s Tyrone Davis gets a foot down in bounds for a catch in front
of a Wake defender. Davis caught two TD passes to tie the ACC career
record.
by CNB