THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 28, 1995 TAG: 9509280487
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Hampton tailback Lamonte Still, a Cox High graduate considered one of the state's best running backs at any level, will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Still, who led the Pirates with 1,174 yards rushing last year, hurt his knee two weeks ago against Grambling, and missed last week's 45-22 loss to Southern. Swelling in his knee had prevented a firm diagnosis until earlier this week, Hampton officials said.
Still, a junior, was one of the most heavily recruited high school players ever in South Hampton Roads. He signed with Virginia but left halfway through his freshman year and transferred to Hampton.
Still sat out a year before joining the Pirates. He averaged better than 7 yards per carry last year and was named CIAA rookie of the year. Still had 164 yards on 28 carries this year. If granted a medical redshirt, he would have two years of eligibility left.
RICHMOND FOR REAL? Even if Richmond doesn't win another game, the 3-0 Spiders will have exceeded coach Jim Reid's expectations.
``I didn't think, honestly, that we were capable of winning three games,'' Reid says.
But of course, the 16th-ranked Spiders will win another game.
Won't they?
If recent history is an indication, Spiders fans have reason to be nervous. Richmond's past is littered with crash-and-burn finishes.
Last year, the Spiders started 3-1, only to finish 3-8. The year before, a 5-1 start became a 5-6 finish.
Reid, a Massachusetts yankee who has pumped life into the Richmond program, is aware of his team's nosedives. He's made sure his players are aware, too.
``We tell them all exactly the way it is,'' Reid said. ``We started talking about that last December. But we really don't have to worry about (remembering) because enough people are going to remind us anyway.''
Richmond has been the surprise of the Yankee conference, coming from behind to beat VMI, Massachusetts and The Citadel. But starting this week, when the Spiders host Boston University, the schedule gets considerably tougher.
``I guarantee you this: If Delaware, William and Mary and JMU were our first three games, we wouldn't be 3-0,'' Reid said.
Still, the Spiders are obviously improved over last year. Richmond is averaging 283 yards rushing and is allowing 16 points per game, and just 3.3 in the second half.
Reid, who had a reputation as a master motivator from his days as head coach at Massachusetts, has lived up to his billing. The best evidence is Richmond's three come-from-behind wins.
``We surprised a couple of people early,'' Reid said. ``But we've played with great effort and great intensity. We've just hung in there.''
THE CENTURY MARK: With its tough academic standards, William and Mary has never been an easy place to win football games. Just ask Marv Levy, who went 23-25-2 in five years there. Or Lou Holtz, who went 13-20 in three years.
So if someone had told Jimmye Laycock in 1980 he would win 100 games at William and Mary - he won his 100th Saturday against New Hampshire - the Tribe coach would not have believed it.
``I don't know anybody that would have gone along with that,'' Laycock said.
``I guess the the thing I'm most proud of is the consistency of the level of performance. It hasn't been just one team here or there.''
Laycock was certainly helped by the Tribe's move to Division I-AA in 1982. Levy and Holtz coached in I-A, when the annual opponents were teams like Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.
AROUND THE STATE: James Madison is running out of tailbacks. Starter Kelvin Jeter missed last week's game with a hip injury. He was replaced by D'Artagnan Townes, who left the game with a broken ankle. Townes will miss the rest of the season. His backup, Rhadshaun Miles, has been bothered by a knee injury. What's more, the Dukes are missing four of their first six defensive lineman. 20 yards to reach 2,000 for his career. Smith spent his first season at defensive back. ILLUSTRATION: Cox High grad Lamonte Still was CIAA rookie of the year in '94.
by CNB