THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 13, 1994 TAG: 9410130613
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLIE DENN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
You never hear much about defense at William and Mary. Perhaps that's because the offense is usually so productive, or maybe it's a case of the defense not being terribly effective.
But there are signs the trend is changing. Last week against Northeastern, for instance, the offense turned erratic after producing touchdowns on its first two possessions. Without a good defensive effort, the 5-1 Tribe would have been in serious trouble.
The defense answered the call. The Tribe allowed only 231 yards, its second lowest yield of the year. Entering Saturday's 1 p.m. home date with Massachusetts (3-2) at Zabel Stadium, seventh-ranked W&M actually is third in the Yankee Conference with a very respectable 312.3 yards-per-game average.
``The image is changing,'' said sophomore defensive tackle Brian Giamo.
``Last week we were successful because we got a lot of people to the ball. That's what defense is all about to me.''
The good thing about the evolution of W&M's defense is that it is young. Only one senior, linebacker Greg Applewhite, is a starter, and six of the regulars are either sophomores or freshmen.
``We are playing a lot of young guys,'' said W&M coach Jimmye Laycock. ``But they are also the best people we have at those positions.''
KNIGHT WATCH: Starting quarterback Shawn Knight's status is doubtful for Saturday. ``He's improving,'' Laycock said, ``but he's still not mobile enough to play right now.''
Laycock said it could be Saturday before he makes his final decision. He'll talk with the training staff and with Knight himself before ruling Knight in or out.
``If he can play, he'll play,'' Laycock said. ``But if the trainers tell me he can go, I still wouldn't commit until I talk with Shawn and see how he's feeling.''
RECORD PACE: James Madison quarterback Mike Cawley, who also leads the team in rushing, is closing in on several school one-season passing records.
Cawley has completed 73 of 128 passes for 984 yards to help lead JMU to a 4-1 record and a No. 17 national ranking. Cawley set the yardage (1,988) and attempts (239) records last year, while Eriq Williams holds the single-season completion mark with 134 in 1992.
The Dukes host Villanova (1-3 league, 3-3 overall) Saturday at 1:30. If they win there, that makes next week's date with William and Mary the probable Yankee Conference Mid-Atlantic Division title game. The Tribe is 3-0 in the conference, JMU is 2-1.
QB DEBATE: Richmond coach Jim Marshall likely won't decide until late in the week who his starting quarterback will be for Saturday's game at home against Delaware (1-3, 2-3), but the suspicion is he's leaning toward junior Jason Gabrels.
Gabrels began the year No. 1 but sprained the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener against VMI. So sophomore Joe Elrod took over and has been the starter ever since.
Then last week Gabrels played most of the second half in a loss to Maine, completing 7 of 15 passes for 108 yards. Elrod was ineffective in the first half, completing just 2 of 10 passes for 35 yards with an interception that was returned for a TD as the Spiders (1-2, 3-3) lost for the third time in four weeks.
``Jason gave us a spark,'' Marshall said after the game.
RUSHING WOES: After starting the year with a 251-yard effort against Richmond, tailback Thomas Haskins' performance has tailed off.
Last week against Marshall, Haskins gained only 9 yards on five carries, and his two first-period fumbles helped set up easy Marshall TDs. For the year, Haskins now has 577 yards, an average of 115.4 per game.
Freshman Jabaar Bean did rush for a team-high 49 yards on 20 carries against the Thundering Herd, but had to leave the game with a sprained ankle.
This week the winless (0-3 league, 0-5 overall) Keydets play at Tennessee-Chattanooga (0-2, 1-4). The teams have played some wild games in the past, most notably the 1992 clash when VMI rallied from a 31-7 fourth-quarter deficit to win 37-34 in overtime. ILLUSTRATION: FILE
William and Mary starting quarterback Shawn Knight is listed as
doubtful for the Tribe's game against Massachusetts. Coach Jimmye
Laycock said he will make a final decision Saturday.
by CNB