THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070580
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
Did Florida State deliberately run up the score on Duke last Saturday to convince pollsters that it deserves its No. 1 ranking?
An angry Duke coach Fred Goldsmith thinks so.
And Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden admitted Wednesday that the polls were a factor in the 70-26 romp.
``If you want to stay No. 1, you do (have to score big),'' Bowden said in response to a question. ``We don't have a playoffs system, so I am afraid (the polls) encourage it, even for people like me.''
Even for people like him?
Bowden has a reputation for not playing down to his opponents, but he denied that he enjoys running up the score.
``I can't stand not trying to score,'' he explained. ``I get involved in the doggone ballgame and I can't be happy with failure. I can't be happy with one, two, three, punt. I just can't do it.''
Bowden defended using his first team in the fourth quarter by saying the players deserved playing time and needed the work.
``Every time Duke scored, I wanted my first team back in there,'' he said. ``That's my style and I am too old to change.''
Goldsmith said he ``really didn't appreciate'' Bowden running up the score and humiliating his players.
``I still think this game is played for the kids and not the pollsters,'' Goldsmith said.
Bowden's response was that if he were in Goldsmith's position, he would feel the same way. But with a national championship at stake, he is not about to change or apologize.
Duke is home against Rutgers on Saturday and Goldsmith said his players are ``mean, mad, and ugly . . . and I hope we play that way.''
Florida State is at Clemson for a regionally televised game Saturday.
KEEP IT QUIET: You would expect Miami to blame the stricter ``no celebration'' rule after its opening loss, but some ACC coaches agree that the crackdown is curbing enthusiasm and hurting the game.
``People don't understand there is a difference in the way kids in Miami and kids elsewhere are raised,'' Bowden said. ``There is a different breed of athlete down here in Florida. These kids like to have fun and play with enthusiasm.''
Virginia coach George Welsh also thinks the new rules dampened players' enthusiasm.
``I am not sure we are right and we might be going too far,'' he said.
Worse, Welsh added, it might be affect the quality of officiating.
``Officials in some ways are more concerned about controlling the game and no showboating than they are anything else,'' Welsh told his weekly radio audience.
GATHMAN OUT: Virginia center Dave Gathman, who suffered a knee injury against William and Mary, will require surgery and will be out from two to four weeks.
Tight end Bobby Neely, who missed the William and Mary game because of a sprained ankle, is expected back for Saturday's game at North Carolina State.
ABOUT TIME: The Cavaliers' game at N.C. State is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff, but television can't be blamed for the odd time. Wolfpack coach Mike O'Cain said the late-afternoon start is a compromise between him and State fans.
``I like to start games at 1 p.m., but some of our fans like night games early in the year,'' O'Cain said. ``This is a compromise.''
CAROLINA BLUE: Disappointed North Carolina fans are complaining about what they perceived as ``poor play-calling'' in the Tar Heels' 20-9 upset loss to Syracuse.
Coach Mack Brown admitted that the offense needs to be more balanced, but he said the play-calling wasn't the big problem.
``We have to be more consistent and take advantage of our opportunites,'' Brown said.
Defense end Mike Pringley (groin) will miss Saturday's game at Maryland.
Terps coach Mark Duffner said he is uncertain if quarterback Brian Cummings (ankle) will be ready to play.
Cummings was hurt in the first half of Maryland's 29-10 win over Tulane.
DEACONS SWITCH: Wake Forest, with a new starting quarterback, follows Maryland into the Louisiana Superdome to play Tulane on Saturday night.
Sophomore Brian Kuklick, who came off the bench in the second half of last week's 24-22 loss to Appalachian State to throw for 177 yards and two touchdowns, has replaced senior Rusty LaRue as the Deacons' starter.
``Brian has got a strong arm, he throws well and he's also mobile,'' Deacons coach Jim Caldwell said at his news conference. ``He can create a lot of problems for the defense because he is elusive once he gets out of the pocket.''
LaRue led Wake Forest to just 18 total yards and two first downs in the first half Saturday. He was replaced with the Deacons trailing, 24-0.
GEORGIA TECH TONIGHT: Georgia Tech will still be without flanker Derrick Steagall (hamstring) for tonight's game against 17th-ranked Arizona. Coach George O'Leary said Steagall, who missed the opener against Furman, should be ready for next week's game against Virginia. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``I still think this game is played for the kids and not the
pollsters,'' said Duke coach Goldsmith.
by CNB