THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 21, 1995 TAG: 9509210524
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
The best team in the Big East is coming to Blacksburg Saturday.
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer hopes that will spark a more inspired performance from his team than last Saturday's 16-0 loss to Cincinnati.
``I know there will be one good football team on the field Saturday and I'm hopeful there will be two,'' Beamer said.
Miami expects more out of Tech for their 12:07 p.m. kickoff (WPEN) than the Hurricanes saw against Cincinnati. Coach Butch Davis regards the Hokies' muddling performance in the mud a major aberration.
``Just from watching the film and looking at their films from last year, I would say that was a very un-Virginia Tech-like performance,'' Davis said.
Said Miami center K.C. Jones: ``It looked like they were really looking forward to playing us, to tell you the truth.''
LINEBACKER BACK: Miami linebacker James Burgess, arrested before practice began for assaulting a police officer during an altercation at a dance club, has been reinstated and is expected to start Saturday against Virginia Tech.
He has practiced with the Hurricanes all season. Coach Butch Davis said Burgess was exonerated by a jury last weekend.
TIMELY RETURNS: Virginia Tech also gets a boost Saturday with the return of three players, including two receivers. Flanker Shawn Scales has been cleared to play after missing the first two games for academic reasons. Tailback Ken Oxendine (broken hand) and flanker Bryan Still (separated shoulder) are also expected to play.
The Hokies can use all the extra hands they can get. They have dropped 11 passes in two games.
NO HUDDLE, NO OFFENSE: Despite its rugged start, Tech apparently will stick with the no-huddle offense that coordinator Rickey Bustle brought to Blacksburg from South Carolina.
``I don't think the no-huddle is a factor,'' Beamer said when asked about the offensive woes. ``We moved the ball a lot the first game.''
Bustle, who was Tech's coordinator two years ago when the Hokies had a record-setting offense, said he watched film until the wee hours of Sunday morning looking for answers. He concluded the offense was frequently thwarted by breakdowns by one or two players, which ruined what otherwise would have been effective plays.
BIG LEAST: Despite the Big East's problems, the Liberty Bowl announced as expected Wednesday it would take a fourth team from the conference this year to pit against a team from the Liberty Bowl Alliance (East Carolina, Tulane, Cincinnati, Southern Miss, Memphis). In 1996 and '97, the opponent will be the Conference USA champion or East Carolina - which is not in the league.
The question this year is: Can four Big East teams reach the necessary six victories to qualify? The Big East champion goes to the bowl alliance, a second team will play in the Gator Bowl and third choice goes to the Carquest Bowl.
The Big East went 1-5 last week in nonconference play, hardly a performance that titillates bowl scouts. ``I certainly didn't envision that happening ever,'' said Rutgers coach Doug Graber, whose team beat Navy for the lone victory.
The Big East is 5-11 in nonconference games. No. 17 Miami is the only team in the national rankings. Statistically, only Pittsburgh ranks among the nation's top 20 offenses, and only Miami is among the top 20 defenses. Both rank 20th.
``It's too early to say the league is poor,'' West Virginia coach Don Nehlen said.
Maybe, but it would be hard to prove it isn't.
INJURY BUG BITES BC: Boston College may be paying the price for such a taxing schedule. Linebacker Brian Maye tore his anterior cruciate ligament during Saturday's loss to Michigan. Tight end Brent Gibbons has a serious back injury. And center Tim O'Brien broke his foot in practice.
QUICK HITS: Virginia Beach resident Bruce Smith of the Buffalo Bills will be among the inductees this weekend into Virginia Tech's hall of fame. . . . Kickoff for the Hokies' game at Pitt Sept. 30 has been moved from 1:30 p.m. to 12:08 p.m. to be televised on the Big East Network. . . . West Virginia running back Robert Walker missed the Mountaineers' loss to Maryland and is tentative for the Kent game with an ankle injury. . . . Rutgers coach Graber began the week of preparation for Saturday's ESPN date with Penn State staring at a list of 17 players with injuries. by CNB