THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 28, 1995 TAG: 9508280140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The Virginia football team is much like the fisherman who told better stories about the big ones that got away than the ones he caught.
There was Tennessee a few years ago in the Sugar Bowl. Clemson at home three years ago. North Carolina State last season.
They were all big fish - big games. Virginia had a hook in all of them before letting them get away.
But the biggest of all may have jumped off the Cavaliers' hook Saturday in Michigan Stadium.
For a glorious 59 minutes and 56 seconds the Cavaliers had the hook in blue-blood Michigan.
Then, in the final four seconds, the win Virginia so badly needed to gain national respect got away.
Michigan completed the biggest comeback in school history with a fourth-down, 15-yard pass in the end zone for an 18-17 victory.
Jubilant Michigan fans called it a miracle.
Hardened Virginia fans called it same ol', same ol'.
Virginia had led 17-0 with a little under 12 minutes to play before allowing a freshman quarterback to close out the game with three straight touchdown drives.
The last time Virginia had such a monumental collapse was against Clemson three years ago when it blew a 28-point lead.
Off to a 5-0 start that season, the Cavaliers never recovered and failed to win enough of its final games to get a bowl bid.
The Cavaliers are determined not to permit the emotional loss to Michigan to spoil this season.
Indeed, Welsh said before the game that Virginia would be better by playing the game, regardless of the outcome.
He still believed that Saturday.
``I said in the beginning when we took this game that I didn't necessarily expect to win,'' he said, ``but it would help us to be a better team.
``I'll say it again. I think it is going to help us down the road, especially when we go on the road in the ACC.''
Actually, Welsh liked what he saw most of the game.
U.Va. made some big plays and held their poise despite second-half injuries to quarterback Mike Groh and tailback Tiki Barber.
The collapse came because the defense was not deep enough to stay fresh on a hot afternoon.
``We rotated three ends and three tackles. Maybe we should have rotated four at those positions, but we would have had to go with young kids,'' Welsh said.
The depth problem was no surprise and it will be corrected when the young players develop.
``We have a chance to be a good team,'' Welsh said. ``There were positives and a lot of players played well.''
Welsh said he does not think it will be difficult for his team to get over its disappointment.
``We have been through this before,'' he said. ``We will bounce back.''
His players voiced a similar opinion.
``Yeah, we'll get over it,'' defensive back Percy Ellsworth said.
``It is tough, really tough, losing like that. But we haven't been going 11-0 in recent years, so it's nothing new for us to lose.''
Ellsworth said Virginia proved a point before the defense grew tired and weak in the fourth period.
``We showed everyone that U.Va. is for real and not some kind of joke,'' he said. ``We played them hard on their field, in front of their 100,000 fans.
``It is a setback, but I don't consider it that much of a setback.''
Defensive back Ronde Barber added, ``We could have put ourselves in a good position by winning, but it is not the end of the world. We still have 11 games to go. We can't let one play ruin a season.''
One of the Cavaliers who took the loss the hardest was Groh.
But Groh wasn't down. He was just angry.
``We played our butts off, but made too many mistakes,'' he said.
``We are going to dwell on he positives and learn from the negatives. We came here to win and didn't do it. But we have 11 more games we can win and that is what we are thinking about now.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
Michigan's Clarence Thompson tips away a pass intended for
Virginia's Germane Crowell in the first quarter Saturday.
by CNB