THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190579
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLIE DENN, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
His college football coach has run out of superlatives to describe his accomplishments. Good thing his next game will probably be his last.
A career in professional baseball, which began last summer, is very much in his future plans. Law school after college is another prospect.
And now, the Canadian Football League beckons. Strongly.
But the ability to make decisions quickly, and correctly, is one of Shawn Knight's strongest assets. With so many choices in front of him, that talent may be sorely challenged in the coming months.
This much we know for sure. Knight, a Maury High product, will quarterback William and Mary against Richmond today at UR Stadium. That game will quite likely be his final one as a collegian.
After that, who knows? The possibilities are countless.
One man who figures strongly in Knight's future is Bob O'Billovich. The coach and general manager of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts feels Knight's physical tools would lend themselves perfectly to the wide-open style of Canadian football.
``He's got everything you need to be a successful quarterback up here,'' O'Billovich said. ``He's got the consistent arm strength, the movement and the ability to read. I think this league would be perfect for him.''
O'Billovich compared Knight with two current CFL standouts, Calgary's Doug Flutie and Baltimore's Tracy Ham. All three are similar in size (5-foot-10 or less) but have great mobility to react when things break down.
``He's a combination of Flutie and Ham,'' O'Billovich said.
The CFL field is 10 yards longer and nearly 12 yards wider than an NFL field. And teams get only three downs to make a first down.
``With the bigger field, a pass to a wideout here is totally different than in the NFL,'' O'Billovich said. ``And we move our pocket more to keep the linemen away from the quarterback.''
Knight, 22, is only 5-10 and weighs 175. His size, which scared away some Division I-A teams when he was being recruited, is seen as an asset in the CFL's style.
``Size isn't as important here as in the NFL,'' O'Billovich said. ``We depend on speed and agility. Those are things Shawn already has.''
The Argonauts made Knight their guest last week at a CFL playoff game against Baltimore. O'Billovich, who saw Knight play against Villanova in October, has since put him on the Argonauts' negotiation list, which gives them the rights at signing the Norfolk native.
O'Billovich plans to sit down with Knight soon after his college season is complete to discuss a contract. The Argonauts have ex-Syracuse standout Marvin Graves as their current starter.
``But I'm a firm believer that, in this league, you need two good quarterbacks to be successful,'' O'Billovich said. ``We're rebuilding (Toronto was 7-11 in 1994) and Shawn would fit right in up here.''
O'Billovich projects Knight as an alternate at first. The average salary for a CFL backup quarterback is around $55,000.
``But within two years, I can see Shawn starting in this league. If he does, he'll do all right financially,'' O'Billovich said.
Knight dismissed talk of his interest in the CFL with a polite no comment. ``My focus is on Richmond right now,'' he said. ``That's all I'm thinking of.'' Richmond for now, the CFL and baseball for later. Knight signed with the San Diego organization in June and spent last season with the Padres' Class-A affiliate at Spokane, Wash. There he batted in the .280s while making the transition from shortstop, his college position, to second base.
If he opts to play baseball again next season, he would likely be in the full-season California League.
Knight likes baseball well enough to project himself as a future major leaguer.
``I can see myself possibly playing in the majors some day,'' he said. ``I know I need to improve my offense for that to happen, but I believe I can.''
And what of his college football career? Has Knight considered the importance of his final game in a William and Mary uniform?
``I've had only casual thoughts about that,'' he said. ``But whether this is my last game or not won't change the way I approach it. I'll give the same effort. I want to win.''
Winning and the chance to quarterback were what drew Knight to Williamsburg in the first place. Shunned by some bigger schools such as Virginia because of his size, Knight found a level of comfort at William and Mary that he experienced no where else.
``This was a place where I knew I'd get a great education, where I could establish myself as a quarterback, plus play baseball,'' Knight explained. ``And there was no real great sacrifice with regard to the level of athletics.''
Knight knew of William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock's affinity for the passing game. He also realized the offense was extremely complex.
``We always felt Shawn could be a very successful quarterback here,'' Laycock said. ``We felt he could run the offense we had been using and expand it. His decision-making has really separated him from anyone else.''
Laycock did not say Knight had surpassed his expectations. ``But I have high expectations,'' Laycock said. ``I have ceased to be amazed at the things he does, though. I don't ask how or why.''
Knight understudied Chris Hakel for a year before he inherited the starting job. The two players are drastically different in size, with Hakel at 6-4 and 210 pounds. Knight was a much better runner than Hakel, however.
``I didn't want the stigma of just being another small running quarterback,'' Knight said. ``I wanted an offense that would challenge me. This offense isn't one you can learn in a year.''
But he learned it well. Last year Knight set the all-time record for a Division I-AA school for passing efficiency, a formula that factors in yardage, completion percentage, touchdown passes and interceptions. He threw for 2,235 yards and completed an amazing 69.4 percent of his passes.
His 1994 numbers don't quite match that performance, but an ankle injury in the fifth game of the season probably has affected his play since. He missed one full game and played only sparingly in another.
Still, he has thrown for 1,305 yards and is completing 63.3 percent of his passes. Those are figures that many college quarterbacks would love to have. But Knight isn't most quarterbacks.
``I've not been as good as I can get in any game I've played here,'' Knight said. ``I'm not sure there is such a thing as a perfect game, but if there was, I guess it would be one where you complete every pass and make every read correctly.
``In reality, that's probably a utopian concept. But you strive for that idea, plus try to win the game, every time you play.''
Maybe he's never found perfection. But there are a lot of opposing coaches who would hate to see Knight any better than he's been in the last three years.
And the future, whichever direction he chooses, looks even brighter. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, Staff
Shawn Knight will cap a successful career at William and Mary today
against Richmond.
by CNB