THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 20, 1995 TAG: 9511200194
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Monday Morning QBs
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
``What is it about those George Welsh Virginia teams?'' asked the man on a national radio talk show Saturday night.
``They always fold up at the end of the season. This is the second straight year they have folded in the final game while being considered for a major bowl.''
It is true. Sad, but true.
The Cavaliers' fourth-quarter collapse in the final game last year against N.C. State cost them a bid to the Fiesta Bowl.
It was a longshot that they would have been picked for a major bowl had they won Saturday, but Orange Bowl observers were there to see them blow a 15-point, fourth-period lead and lose to Virginia Tech 36-29.
Of course, it doesn't happen only at the end of the season.
We saw the same thing in August at Michigan when Virginia blew a 17-point lead in the last quarter, and to a lesser degree at North Carolina and Texas in midseason.
Probably, Virginia was saved by the clock from another fourth-quarter disaster against Florida State.
If football games were three periods instead of four, the Cavaliers could be unbeaten.
But, alas, it is a fourth-quarter game and these Cavaliers were outscored 116-72 in the final periods this season.
So, just what is it about these George Welsh Virginia teams?
One guess is that Welsh's conservative nature comes through too much when the game heads into the stretch with his team in the lead.
The strategy seems to be to play it safe, keep it close, and set up the field goal.
In the first half Saturday, Virginia rushed 18 times for 36 yards and passed 18 times for 228 yards.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at those numbers and see what is working and what isn't.
But, look what happened in the second half.
Virginia rushed 25 times for 67 yards and passed only 16 times for 89 yards.
A problem with the conservative strategy is sometimes the kicker leaves a 46-yard attempt short, or you don't get close enough in the final seconds to even attempt a game-saving field goal.
For those still wondering, that's what happened to ``that George Welsh Virginia team'' on Saturday.
FRANK VEHORN Practice makes perfect for Hokies' winning play
The play that made Virginia Tech's season was installed in practice last week, where it worked just fine.
``Of course, it's going to work against the scout team,'' quarterback Jim Druckenmiller said.
Whether it could work against the Virginia defense was another story. But on film all week and on the field Saturday, the Hokies had seen indications that the play - a pump and run pass pattern to receiver Jermaine Holmes - was just the thing to catch the Cavaliers napping.
``It was the way the safeties were playing,'' Druckenmiller said. ``The safeties wanted to read and play the quarterback.''
The ball-hawking Virginia secondary prides itself on its interceptions. The Cavaliers have intercepted at least one pass in 29 straight games, and picked off three Druckenmiller tosses Saturday.
But trailing 29-23 with 47 seconds left Saturday, and with the ball on the Virginia 32, Druckenmiller thought it was time to try the pump and run.
``The pressure was on, and the timing was right. I thought it had a great chance to work,'' he said.
Holmes crossed the middle and when Druckenmiller pumped, safety Percy Ellsworth moved forward.
``I saw (Ellsworth) bite, and I saw Jermaine go by him,'' Druckenmiller said. ``I said, `Bingo, all I've got to do is throw the ball in there.' ''
And then celebrate.
``I jumped on top of everybody,'' Druckenmiller said. ``This is the biggest win I've ever been involved in.''
Made possible by the right call, at the right time.
ED MILLER by CNB