THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 30, 1995 TAG: 9508300664
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Opening the football season against Virginia was going to be tough enough for William and Mary, no matter the outcome of the Cavaliers' game against Michigan last Saturday.
But with the Cavaliers losing on the final play, the five-cent psychology question for Tribe players Tuesday was whether facing Virginia on Saturday will be that much harder, as the Wahoos vent their frustrations on their Division I-AA foes.
``I don't think it's good they lost at the end, personally,'' quarterback Matt Byrne said. ``If they had gone up there and won by 30 points, they might have been a little complacent.''
Defensive end Jim Simpkins wasn't buying that, however.
``Virginia's going to be hungry to come out and win no matter what they did last week,'' Simpkins said.
To coach Jimmye Laycock, the mere fact that Virginia has played gives it a big advantage.
``Experience has taught me you make a lot of improvements from your first to second game,'' Laycock said.
With 19 starters back from an 8-3 team, the Tribe is expected to be improved this year, and Laycock said he saw signs of that progress during preseason workouts.
``Whether that will be evident Saturday night, I don't know,'' Laycock said. ``I don't know that we'll be able to tell where we are as a football team or not.''
William and Mary has lost five straight to Virginia, and was manhandled by the Cavaliers in a 37-3 loss last year.
``There was a definite feeling among everybody that we could have played them much tougher,'' Byrne said. ``We definitely felt like we could have scored a few points. But last season is last season. We're way over it.''
Byrne said the Tribe is taking a positive, but realistic approach to the game.
``We can't focus on scoring 35 points,'' he said. ``We need to focus on how we move the ball against their defense because it should be the best defense we face all year. If we can move it on them, who knows?
``If we don't execute we can say, screw it, our season is the next 10 games.''
LAST TIME AROUND: Saturday's meeting will be the 32nd between the Tribe and the Cavaliers. It also will be the last in the forseeable future, a fact that bothers William and Mary more than Virginia.
``I'm disappointed,'' Laycock said. ``I certainly understand the reason for it, because of the way the setup is for I-A in bowl games and those type of things.
``It may not show any sign of intelligence on my part from the fact that I'm disappointed, when you look at the series record. But it's good for our players in that they get a chance to go against one of the top teams in the country and see how they stack up.''
William and Mary is 5-25-1 against Virginia and last beat the Cavaliers in 1986. The last time the Tribe beat a Division I-A team was in 1991, a 26-21 win over Navy.
William and Mary does not face a I-A team next year, but opens the '97 season at North Carolina State.
ODDS AND ENDS: The Tribe is ranked 12th in the Sports Network Division I-AA preseason poll. . . . .The Tribe's offensive line averages 286 pounds; Virginia's 283. . . . Only one Tribe starter, defensive tackle Brian Giamo, is doubtful because of injury. by CNB