THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9410150360
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Progress always has a downside.
Virginia Tech's football team has learned that the better you get, the better teams play against you and the more fervent crowds become on the road.
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said the Hokies noticed it a couple weeks ago at Syracuse, and he expects to see the same dynamic today when Virginia Tech - ranked 19th by The Associated Press, 14th by USA Today/CNN - plays at East Carolina.
``It's kind of different for us,'' Beamer said. ``Wherever we play now, it's a pretty enthusiastic place. I can remember times a few years ago we could get in town and get out, and a lot of people wouldn't realize we'd been there. It's not that way anymore.
``But that's kind of nice, too. I think it's respect for the program. It's a good atmosphere to play in. I'm kind of proud of the fact that we are going places, and they're packed, and they're waiting for us and they know we're in town.''
About 4,000 Hokies fans are expected to be among the nearly 35,000 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium today at 1:30 p.m. Virginia Tech (5-1) will be trying to win its eighth consecutive game against a non-conference foe. The last team outside the Big East to beat the Hokies was Virginia, at the end of the 1992 season.
East Carolina (3-2) has lost by three points to both Duke and Syracuse, a pair of nationally ranked opponents who are a combined 10-1. Last week, the Pirates outslugged South Carolina in Columbia, 56-42. ECU amassed 621 yards of total offense with sophomore quarterback Marcus Crandell having a career day (19-of-28 for 344 yards and four touchdowns) and fullback Junior Smith running for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
``They've got a whole lot of weapons,'' Tech freshman linebacker Tony Morrison said.
Virginia Tech has been proficient so far this season at arms - and legs - control. The Hokies are eighth nationally in total defense (246.7 yards allowed) and have the top-ranked passing defense in Division I-A. East Carolina averages 257.8 yards per game passing, but no one has thrown for more than 183 yards against Tech, which surrenders and average of 132.8 passing yards.
``We haven't seen anything like their defensive scheme,'' ECU coach Steve Logan said. ``They come off the bus blitzing you and don't stop until it's over.''
Defense, a bane to the Pirates for years, has actually been much-improved in Greenville. ECU leads the nation in turnover margin (plus-2.2 per game) and total interceptions (14). But the Pirates lost outside linebacker Willie Brookins and defensive tackle Walter Scott to knee injuries last week.
``We were playing really good defense here for the first time because of those kids, and now they're gone and we're trying to outscore people again,'' Logan said. ``It's a bad deal. We've been down that road before.''
Senior Dealton Cotton from Norfolk's Granby High will start at defensive tackle for ECU. He had six tackles and 1 1/2 sacks against South Carolina.
Freshman tailback Ken Oxendine will get his second start for the Hokies. Junior Dwayne Thomas is still nursing an ankle injury and didn't make the trip.
The Pirates are members of the recently formed Liberty Bowl Alliance along with fellow Division I-A independents Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Tulane and Cincinnati. The school with the best record against Division I-A opponents qualifies for the bowl, and ECU and Memphis currently are tied for the top spot at 3-2. by CNB