THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 30, 1995 TAG: 9509300410
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PITTSBURGH LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
Playing Pittsburgh has been the prelude to good things for Virginia Tech's football program the last couple years.
The Hokies hope the same is true after their first road game of the season today at Pitt Stadium (12:08 p.m., WPEN)
In 1993, the Hokies were visiting underdogs early in a season that was not expected to produce many more victories than the previous year's 2-8-1 season. The Hokies rolled to a 63-21 victory, setting a bevy of school and Big East records while piling up 500 yards rushing and 675 total yards. Many regarded the win as the turning point in a Virginia Tech program that won nine games that year and has been to back-to-back bowl games.
Last year, Pitt came to Blacksburg and got steamrolled again, 45-7. The victory improved the Hokies to 7-1 and vaulted them to their highest-ever ranking in the national polls - No. 10 by USA Today-CNN, 13th by the Associated Press.
``I'm sure they're probably very confident coming into Pitt Stadium after what they've done the last two years and after a confidence-building win over Miami,'' Pitt coach Johnny Majors said.
The season seemingly teetered on a return to 1992-like drudgery until the Hokies (1-2, 1-1 Big East) upset Miami last week. That could be the win that swings Tech in a different direction this season after a poor start. But the Hokies need to dress up their record with more wins, especially against teams they are favored to beat.
``You never live off what you've done in the past, you have to go out and play today,'' Tech defensive end Lawrence Lewis said.
Pitt (2-2, 0-0) appears to be much better than the team Tech has outscored 108-28 the past two seasons. Majors' first two teams in his second tour of duty as Pitt's coach finished 3-8.
Today's game marks the fourth of five for the Panthers against 1994 bowl teams. They beat Washington State, took Texas to the wire and then trailed No. 7 Ohio State 20-14 last week at halftime before getting blitzed 40-0 in the second half.
Pitt has the top scoring offense in Big East with 31 points per game, but is allowing 33.8 per game. Panthers quarterback John Ryan is first in the Big East in total offense (232.5 yards per game), but has thrown 11 interceptions - eight in the last two games - compared to seven touchdowns. Pitt gets a boost today with the return of tailback Billy West, the 1994 Big East offensive player of the year who dislocated his collarbone in the season's first game. However, two Pitt starting offensive linemen are out with injuries.
Virginia Tech is the polar opposite of the Panthers. The Hokies rank last in the Big East and 107th out of 108 Division I-A schools in scoring (9 points per game), but are first in the league and 11th nationally in scoring defense (14.3).
Oklahoma is the only team in the nation holding opponents to fewer than the 66.3 rushing yards per game Tech allows.
The Hokies, meanwhile, finally got their running game geared up last week, rushing for 300 yards against the Hurricanes after managing just 199 total in losses to Boston College and Cincinnati, two games in which Tech threw 40 passes or more.
``I think we blocked better, we stayed with our blocks better and we slashed up in there and we broke some tackles,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said.
The Hokies also benefitted from the return of Ken Oxendine, who along with Dwayne Thomas gives Tech a potent 1-2 tailback punch. Tech's offense is most effective when it relies more on the run than the pass.
Thomas has averaged 103.4 yards against Big East teams since becoming a starter in 1993. His first Big East start was at Pitt Stadium, where he will surely have fond memories when he steps on the field today of that career-high 170-yard, two-touchdown performance. ILLUSTRATION: Chart
AT A GLANCE
VIRGINIA TECH vs. PITT
Where: Pitt Stadium (56,150) in Pittsburgh
When: 12:08 p.m.
Records: Virginia Tech is 0-2, 1-1 in the Big East; Pittsburgh is
2-2, 0-0
TV: WPEN
Radio: WGH 1310-AM; WPTG 107.9 FM
Key to the game: Pitt's Billy West, the leading rusher in the Big
East and ninth nationally a year ago with 123.5 yards per game,
returns to action after suffering a dislocated collarbone in the
season opener. He runs into the nation's second-best run defense of
the young season in Virginia Tech, which has allowed just 66.3 yards
rushing per game.
Favorite: Virginia Tech by 2 1/2
by CNB