THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 28, 1995 TAG: 9512280057
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Virginia tight end Bobby Neely may be guilty of exaggeration when he says he feels ``like a soldier in Bosnia who has come home,'' but his excitement about playing in Saturday's Peach Bowl is understandable.
Not many college players have the opportunity to finish their careers in their hometowns in a bowl game against their state university.
``If we could not go to one of the major bowls, this is where I wanted us to go,'' said Neely, whose home is about 15 minutes from the Georgia Dome, where the Cavaliers will play Georgia next Saturday night (8 p.m., ESPN). ``Just the fact I was able to spend some of the holidays with my family for the first time in three years meant a lot.''
The biggest treat for the 6-foot-4, 254-pound Neely, though, is that he is back playing and the healthiest he has been since the season opener, the Pigskin Classic against Michigan on Aug. 26.
Big things were predicted for Neely coming into the season. Pro scouts had him listed as one of the best in the senior class. But he injured his left ankle in the Michigan game after catching six passes for 73 yards. He started only two other games the rest of the season.
The ankle injury, more serious than initially believed, sidelined Neely for five games.
He returned against North Carolina, only to injure his left shoulder and was not back again until the final three games of the regular season.
``What I went through during that time was worse than losing,'' Neely recalled. ``The ankle really got to me. Every week I thought I would be ready to go, and then I wasn't.''
Neely wanted to redshirt and return for a full 1996 season. He talked to coach George Welsh about doing so, but Welsh wanted what he could get from Neely this season.
``If we had redshirted Neely, we might have wound up having to play a freshman at that position, and I didn't want to do that,'' Welsh said. ``Sure, it would be nice to have a player like Bobby coming back, but I don't believe in next year. I believe in this year, and I wanted Bobby for those last three games.
``Our other tight ends can catch the ball, but none of them can get up the field as quickly as Neely. We are a better passing team with him out there.''
Despite the down time, it was not a totally lost season for Neely. He led U.Va. tight ends in receiving yards with 158, and he was honorable-mention All-ACC even though his name was not on the ballot.
Neely believes he deserved to be first-team, ahead of North Carolina's Freddie Jones.
``We both had 16 receptions, and I only played in five games,'' Neely said. ``I don't want to knock anybody, but Freddie Jones? Pleeeze! I had a better season than he did, and I was in only five games. Imagine what I could have done if I had been in there a full season.''
Apparently, pro scouts and agents have done just that. He still ranks high with them.
``It got so ridiculous with agents calling at one point during the season, I wanted to change my phone number,'' Neely said.
``A lot of the agents I talked to said my performance in the Michigan game was the best thing that could have happened, since that was a free opportunity for all the pro scouts to see me.
``My name already was out there, but that game really put me on the map.''
Neely has surveyed the market and is confident he will be a high draft choice at his position.
``There may be a lot of tight ends out there, but I don't see any with my size, strength, speed, and catching and blocking abilities,'' he said.
Ironically, Neely, who is majoring in art history, may have ended his college career playing against Virginia if Georgia had been more honest in recruiting him. He had almost decided on Georgia until he learned that the Bulldogs had signed another tight end without telling him.
``They said they still had a scholarship for me, but I wasn't interested after that,'' Neely said. ``There were too many other places I could go and play early.''
While this season's injuries prevented Neely from reaching some personal goals, he hopes to achieve another in the Peach Bowl. Of his 50 career receptions, none has been for a touchdown.
``I got down to the 1 yard line against Michigan and Virginia Tech, and just as close a couple of times last season,'' Neely said. ``After four years, I am long overdue. I want at least two touchdowns in the Peach Bowl.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Tight end Bobby Neely has a 15-mile commute from home to Dome, site
of Saturday's game.
by CNB