THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410160202 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO DATELINE: GREENVILLE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Underneath the stands at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, safe from the whipping winds and East Carolina's gritty ambitions, Frank Beamer addressed a group of inquiring minds with a question of his own.
``Do you know,'' the Virginia Tech coach asked a cluster of notebooks and minicams, ``how many teams in the country have six wins?''
He was greeted with shrugs. How many college teams have won six games? Very few, the safe answer seemed to be. Besides, who's asking the questions here?
``There were only 13 teams going into today's games who could have six wins,'' Beamer said. ``There's fewer now because some of them played each other. I've got a list in the locker room.''
The list now can include Virginia Tech, along with some traditional football elites, and at least one surprise - Duke.
``When you put yourself up there at this time of the year with six wins,'' Beamer said, ``you're putting yourself up there with some good football teams.''
Nobody could deny Beamer his boast. Saturday, when it mattered most, Tech showed itself to be a very good, and composed, football team.
In the fourth quarter, neither team scored a point, yet the Hokies dominated.
``We were in a tough situation,'' Beamer said following his team's 27-20 victory, ``and our guys handled it well. We held onto the ball. We killed the clock. We held the lead.''
Tech held on against the slings and arrows of Marcus Crandell. East Carolina's sophomore quarterback burned the Hokies for more yards through the air - 332 - than Beamer's team has surrendered in any game this season.
``You talk about a guy who was in control out there,'' Beamer said of Crandell.
The coach could have said the same about his own quarterback. After going from marginal Heisman Trophy candidate to No. 1 whipping boy, Maurice DeShazo may be on the way back.
``It was his best game this year,'' beamed Beamer, who predicted DeShazo was just getting started.
``It's the same as last year,'' he said. ``By the middle of the year, he got better. That's what's happening now.''
Tech isn't as dependent on Tommy Edwards. Or wasn't until Saturday, when the sophomore tailback subbed for an injured Ken Oxendine and rushed for 96 yards.
Edwards' father, Ken, was a running back for Virginia Tech in the late '60s. Tommy Edwards wears the same number - 33 - as his father once did.
Lately, though, Tech hadn't been calling his number.
In gusty conditions, Edwards ran as if the wind was always in his face. He's not a burner, but unlike Oxendine, Edwards isn't apt to fumble.
Tech might have put this game away earlier had Edwards not been denied a touchdown in the third quarter, forcing the Hokies to settle for a field goal.
Hitting into the line, he bounced off a tackler and plowed into the end zone, only to have an official's whistle blow the play dead.
``About the quickest whistle I ever heard,'' said Edwards.
It was one of several decisions that did not please Beamer, who was on the field more than Oxendine.
Tech came into the game leading the Big East with an average of 10 penalties per game.
Determined to shield his team from an avalanche of laundry, Beamer kept up a running dialogue with the striped shirts, walking onto the playing surface to get their attention.
``We calmed down in the second half,'' said Beamer, meaning he calmed down. ``It wasn't doing any good. But I thought there were some bad calls out there.''
Saturday, Tech's penalties were down (five), and its play in the clutch was good enough that Beamer will now have to update his list. by CNB