THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412290533
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said again Wednesday that he thinks a pulled hamstring will keep All-Big East linebacker Ken Brown, Tech's only senior starter on defense, on the sidelines for the Gator Bowl.
Tony Morrison, a freshman from Chesapeake, will get his second collegiate start against Tennessee on Friday (7:30 p.m., TBS).
Morrison started against Virginia in the Hokies' final regular-season game and said he learned a lot from his mistakes. He said he's more comfortable now with Tech's defensive scheme and professes to be unaffected by the hoopla surrounding the bowl game.
``I know after this press conference they'll come and talk to me and say, ``Don't let it get to your head, stay with business,' '' Morrison said Wednesday. ``I think the Virginia game helped me a lot.''
Morrison, a 211-pound inside linebacker, will be fending off an offensive line that averages 294 pounds per man and is the best Tech has faced this season.
``It doesn't intimidate me,'' Morrison said. ``I'll just try to use my quickness to offset my size. They're big and they can move around. They're real talented athletes.''
Morrison was a talented quarterback as well as safety at Indian River High School and, as promised, will be given the opportunity, if he wishes, to try out at quarterback in the spring.
``I personally feel his best position is inside linebacker, but we'll sit down and talk about it after the season,'' Beamer said.
TIRED LINE: Tennessee's talented offensive line has been touted all week, and Beamer was pumping up the Vols' up-front guys again Wednesday.
Tech offensive guard Chris Malone said he's tired of hearing it.
``But we knew coming down here it would be like that,'' Malone said. ``I'm kind of anxious to see them.''
BETTING LINE: The Hokies are ranked 15th by USA Today-CNN and 17th by The Associated Press, while Tennessee is No. 24 in the USA Today-CNN poll. But Tennessee is a 7-point favorite.
If that has the Hokies riled, Morrison didn't let on. He said that Tennessee has played a tough schedule, and that its closing streak (winning six of seven, and barely losing to Alabama) indicates the Vols' strength.
``Their ranking doesn't show that they're a talented team,'' Morrison said.
Beamer has been effusive about Tennessee, calling it the best team in the SEC right now. That might not sit well in Gainesville, where the Gator Bowl is being played this year at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. That's also known as ``The Swamp,'' where SEC champion Florida plays.
``You look at college football and you look at records, but (the Vols') four losses are very misleading as to where they are right now,'' Beamer said. by CNB