The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994               TAG: 9410230174
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                         LENGTH: Medium:   96 lines

HOKIES BURY PITT IN TUNEUP FOR MIAMI VA. TECH PUTS IT ALL TOGETHER IN 45-7 ROUT, SETTING UP THE TEAM'S BIGGEST GAME EVER.

It was a day of many happy returns Saturday for Virginia Tech in its 45-7 victory over Pittsburgh.

Tailback Dwayne Thomas returned from an ankle injury and rushed for a game-high 82 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

Stacy Henley returned from a 10-game defensive exile to start at cornerback after he had been all but excised from the team late last season.

And Antonio Freeman returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown, the first Hokie to do so in 18 seasons.

No. 17 Tech improved to 7-1 overall, 4-1 in the Big East. The win gave the Hokies their best start since they opened 7-0 in 1967. It was their 10th consecutive home victory and the 11th straight home game in which they scored 30 points or more.

More importantly, it sets up perhaps the biggest game in the program's history next week at Miami. The Hokies would be in position for a major New Year's Day bowl and, possibly, the Big East title if they upset the seventh-ranked Hurricanes.

``There's not many teams that you can play that, in reality, you can change the way your program is thought of,'' Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``I think you can do that in one afternoon there.''

Saturday's game before 48,462 at Lane Stadium didn't alter the way Pitt (1-7, 0-4) is perceived. The Panthers' offense moved past midfield only once in the game's first 44 minutes, and the Hokies scored a season-high 45 points against Pitt's defense.

``We were beaten by a very good football team - soundly and impressively,'' Pitt coach Johnny Majors said. ``They certainly, in my opinion, are a championship-contending team.''

Pitt's lone touchdown came early in the fourth quarter, after the Hokies had put 45 on the board. Pitt was outgained by more than 100 yards (364-258), and its three quarterbacks were sacked six times.

The Panthers struggled with field position all afternoon. Their drives began, on average, at their 17, while Tech's began, on average, at their 46.

``We were backed up to our goal line a lot of times,'' Pitt offensive tackle Reuben Brown said. ``It doesn't help with morale, especially when you're on the road and playing against a great defense.''

Morale was never a problem for Virginia Tech.

Quarterback Maurice DeShazo got the Hokies in the end zone first with a 4-yard first-quarter touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman on a timing pattern. Thomas added a pair of short second-quarter touchdown runs as the Hokies built a 24-0 halftime lead.

Kicker Ryan Williams, a Suffolk native, added a first-half field goal - three of his nine points that pushed him to 235 points - the Tech career record.

DeShazo finished 16-of-29 for 183 yards and two touchdowns. For the third consecutive game, he didn't throw an interception. However, he suffered a mildly sprained left knee in the third quarter and sat in the postgame interview room with an ice pack wrapped around the knee.

``With time and rest, I think it will be OK for Miami,'' he said.

Time and rest are what Thomas has had too much of the last three weeks since suffering an ankle sprain in the West Virginia game. The Hokies tailback looked like the 1,000-yard rusher of a year ago in his return, catching four passes for 39 yards to go with his rushing totals.

``I came out hoping to prove something today, and I think I got my point across,'' Thomas said. ``It felt great to go out there and play again and be behind the line.''

As happy as Thomas was, it couldn't compare to the euphoria felt by Henley. Last year after the Boston College game, he went from starter to persona non grata. He didn't even dress for Tech's final three games or the Independence Bowl last season.

He was moved to special teams and a spot deep on the depth chart at flanker for his senior season. Suddenly on Saturday, after just a week of practicing with the defense, he was reborn as a starting cornerback, in place of Larry Green.

``If you remember, at this time last year, I was benched,'' Henley said. ``It's great. I'm back again - whoa.''

And now the Hokies look to move forward with a game at Miami that could define their season.

``We feel if we win, we probably would move to the next level and have the opportunity to play in a New Year's Day bowl,'' linebacker Brandon Semones said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Defensive end Rafael Williams throws Pitt quarterback Shawn

Fitzgerald for a loss - one of the Hokies' six sacks Saturday.

Photo

KEITH GREENE/Landmark News Service

Flanker Bryan Still set up Virginia Tech's second touchdown with

this heels-over-head reception.

by CNB