THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 31, 1995 TAG: 9508310557
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Virginia Tech tailback Ken Oxendine will miss the Hokies' opener a week from tonight against Boston College with a broken hand.
Oxendine, a sophomore from Chester, Va., broke the third metacarpal bone in his right hand when he was tackled during Tech's final preseason scrimmage Tuesday in Blacksburg. The hand will be placed in a soft cast.
Running backs coach Billy Hite said Oxendine had beat out incumbent Dwayne Thomas - who missed five days of practice to attend his cousin's funeral - for the starting tailback spot. ``He just had a great fall practice,'' Hite said of Oxendine. ``I was going to end up starting him. It's a shame.''
Instead, Oxendine's season probably won't start until the Hokies' third game.
``I would definitely say he will miss the first game and then I would think they probably wouldn't play him against Cincinnati and will try to get him ready to play against Miami,'' said Dr. Duane Lagan, Hokies' team doctor. ``We're going to try to keep him still. They heal faster if they're not moved around.''
With the injury to Oxendine, one of Tech's top recruits in recent years, senior Thomas moves back into the starting role.
The Tech-BC game is on ESPN at 8 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Ken Oxendine
by CNB