THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 2, 1996 TAG: 9601020163
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Virginia Tech defenders insisted all week their goal against Texas' vaunted running game in the Sugar Bowl was not a net amount, even though the two blemishes on the Longhorns' record came when they were held to less than 100 yards rushing.
Tech just wanted to hold Texas to less than 3 yards per attempt, not necessarily less than 100 yards.
The Hokies did both in Sunday's 28-10 victory.
The Longhorns ended up with 78 yards - almost right on the 77.4 yards per game average Tech's top-ranked rushing defense allowed this season - and gained just 2.4 yards per carry.
That from a Texas ground game that was ranked 22nd nationally with 207 yards per game and 5 yards per carry.
``We had said all week that it would be their strength against our strength, and as the game went along our strength started to overpower theirs a bit,'' Tech tackle J.C. Price said. ``Once our offense got some points on the board they had to pass, and when they got into a one-dimensional game we had them right where we wanted them.''
Texas (10-2-1) was held to less than 100 yards rushing three times - in a loss to Notre Dame, a tie with Oklahoma and Sunday.
``Their defense was every bit as good as anyone we've played this year,'' Longhorns coach John Mackovic said. ``They had better overall team speed than anyone we've played.''
MVP STILL: Tech flanker Bryan Still became just the fourth receiver to win the Sugar Bowl's most outstanding player award and the first since Oklahoma's Tinker Owens in 1972. Still returned a punt for a touchdown, caught a 27-yard pass that set up another touchdown and then grabbed a 54-yard touchdown pass.
``It was a goal of mine I set when I found out we were playing in the Sugar Bowl,'' Still said. ``I had dreams of making big plays. It's one of the best feelings of my life.''
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Tech continued a late-season defensive trend of scoring touchdowns when defensive tackle Jim Baron scooped up a fumble and returned it 20 yards for the Hokies' final score. In the final five regular season games and the bowl, Tech's defense scored seven touchdowns and allowed just nine.
Baron's return was the first fumble run back for a touchdown in a Sugar Bowl game since the NCAA rule was changed regarding the advancement of fumbles in 1990.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Perhaps one of the key plays of the Sugar Bowl was one that was not made. The Longhorns led 10-0 when Hokies quarterback Jim Druckenmiller's pass, intended for his tight end Bryan Jennings, was thrown right to Texas free safety Chris Carter, who had nothing but open field in front of him. But Carter let the ball sail through his hands and Jennings caught it.
``I knew after I dropped it and the tight end caught it that it was a big play in the game,'' Carter said. ``It changed the momentum. I'll never forget that play for the rest of my life. I can run that play 2,000 times and drop it only the one time that you saw tonight.''
Jennings, meanwhile, caught six passes for 77 yards, his best game at Tech. Jennings, a junior who was a Parade All-American in high school, has never put up big numbers in college.
``We understand we have a real talented tight end and we want to get him involved in the offense,'' coach Frank Beamer said. ``We're going to sit down here in the offseason and try to figure out more ways to get the ball to Jennings.''
QUICK HITS: Tech improved its record to 3-6 in bowl games. ... The Hokies went 4-0 this season against teams that were in the final regular season top 25, beating Miami, Syracuse, Virginia and Texas. ... The crowd of 70,283 was the smallest for a Sugar Bowl in the Superdome, where the game has been played since 1975. The 1974 game between Nebraska and Florida at Tulane Stadium drew 68,890. ... Texas All-American defensive end Tony Brackens said Tech had the best offensive line he'd ever played against, and that Hokies offensive tackle Jay Hagood was the best pass blocker he'd ever faced. Brackens was credited with one tackle. ... Beamer was asked Monday if the Hokies would be returning home to a ticker-tape parade: ``It wouldn't last long in Blacksburg,'' Beamer said. by CNB