THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 18, 1994 TAG: 9411180609
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Steam rose from Tony Morrison's sweating head after football practice earlier this week as he looked around at the empty Lane Stadium grandstands.
How is he going to feel Saturday when those stands, including 3,000 bleacher seats added to one end zone, are full and he runs onto this field for his first collegiate start at Virginia Tech - against Virginia, no less?
``I don't know,'' said Morrison, a linebacker who was a two-way star last season at Chesapeake's Indian River High. ``I'm just comfortable right now. If I can keep being this comfortable until game day, I'll be all right.''
Morrison's comfortable slide into the starting role was engendered by the discomfort of others.
Inside linebacker Ken Brown, the only senior starter on Virginia Tech's defense, suffered a hamstring injury in the Hokies' last game. Vernon Dozier, a sophomore from Virginia Beach, probably would have filled in for Brown, but was indefinitely suspended from the team earlier this week for what the university called ``violations of athletic policy.'' Tech coaches and players would not elaborate upon Dozier's indiscretion.
So Morrison steps into the midst of the intrastate rivalry, being played Saturday for the first time between two teams ranked among the nation's top 20. He will start at outside linebacker, termed the ``whip'' linebacker in Tech's scheme, and smallish Brandon Semones (6-foot, 203 pounds) will move to inside linebacker in Brown's spot.
It wasn't too long ago that Morrison wasn't sure which side of the field he would be on when Virginia met Virginia Tech. Morrison, the most coveted athlete to come out of Indian River since Alonzo Mourning played basketball for the Braves, came down to a final choice between the commonwealth's two Division I-A programs.
``It was either here or there,'' Morrison said. ``I liked both schools.
``I really want to play against them. After everyone signed (in February), they made a statement in the paper that they wouldn't trade any of their picks for any of Tech's picks.''
Whether or not Morrison can pick up where Brown left off could be a key element to Saturday's game. Brown is second on Tech's team in tackles with 93 and is probably the defender Tech could least afford to lose.
``Tony will do a good job,'' said Brown, who was the last true freshman to start a game at linebacker for Tech. ``He's played consistently throughout the year. He has great potential. I can see him being the man in the future.''
At one time, the Hokie coaches determined Morrison would be the man to replace Brown at inside linebacker next season. They began to groom him as Brown's heir apparent.
It didn't last long before Morrison was shifted back to outside linebacker. Coach Frank Beamer said learning two positions and playing inside - where opponents are coming at him from all angles - was asking too much of a freshman.
Saturday the Hokies will be asking a lot of the freshman as well. Beamer offered a modest endorsement when he said Morrison will play as well as he's capable, considering he is a freshman with limited experience. But clearly Tech has big plans for the only true freshman who has made more than a cameo appearance on defense this season.
``Sometimes guys get out there that can run like the wind and are big and strong, and they never make plays,'' Beamer said. ``Tony's not that way, he's quite the opposite. He makes plays. He'll be in on a lot of tackles Saturday.''
Morrison has been in on 19 tackles this season in nine games. He was suspended for the Syracuse game for unspecified violations of team rules. Asked the reason for the suspension, Morrison softly mumbled, ``Personal.''
The experience of staying home and watching the Hokies lose was, he said, one of painful personal growth.
``It was real hard watching that on TV,'' Morrison said. ``And seeing as how it was a loss, I could have helped because Brandon got kind of winded.
``After the game I got back up and told myself I had to learn from my mistake.''
Morrison came to Virginia Tech as a defensive back/quarterback, but has learned defense is where his future is. As a quarterback he led Indian River to the state semifinals last season. The Hokies told him he could take a shot at quarterback this coming spring, but now he wants to stay put.
``I'm starting to like playing defense a lot,'' Morrison said. ``I liked defense when I was in high school - I liked a lot of contact. Quarterback was just a lot of fame. But I'm pretty comfortable on defense now.''
When those stands are full Saturday, his comfort level will get a big test. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Freshman Tony Morrison will play outside linebacker in his first
collegiate start for Virginia Tech.
by CNB