THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9608020629
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: 64 lines
The short history of Big East football has always been marked by two constants: Going into the season, figure Miami will finish first, and Temple will finish last.
But everything changes, and for the first time in its six seasons as a football conference, the Big East's top and bottom picks are different.
According to the 24 media members polled Thursday at media day at Giants Stadium, Syracuse is the preseason choice, ahead of No. 2 Miami. Temple is projected to finish seventh of eight teams, ahead of Rutgers.
``There are a lot of teams in the conference that can go after it,'' Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said, doing his best to deflect the favorite's label. ``Ours is in there.''
Defending champion and Sugar Bowl winner Virginia Tech was picked third, and that suits coach Frank Beamer just fine.
``It convinces me sports writers haven't completely lost it,'' Beamer said.
Of course, the Hokies were not the choice of this group of pollsters last year, either.
``We're basically out to prove last year wasn't a fluke year,'' Tech linebacker Brandon Semones said.
SHY GUY: Tech senior All-American defensive end Cornell Brown has picked up where he left off last season.
Brown, who ducked the media during Sugar Bowl week in New Orleans, skipped out on Thursday's proceedings at Giants Stadium. Brown told Tech officials on Wednesday he had an unspecified scheduling conflict, and Semones was a last-minute fill in.
``I don't think he particularly likes the limelight,'' Beamer said of Brown. ``He enjoys playing football. We're going to sit down when we get back and see what the deal is.''
Beamer said he is most-concerned about how players perform on Saturday and how they conduct themselves off the field. He said Tech coaches encourage players to be accessible to fans and media, ``but it's their life,'' Beamer said.
EYE OF THE STORM: It wouldn't seem like football season was about to begin without controversy swirling around the Miami Hurricanes. The 'Canes summer fun allegedly included a group beating of a Miami track athlete - who supposedly said Hurricane wide receiver Jammi German was gay - and 330-pound offensive lineman Ricky Perry hitting his 17-year-old date in the face.
Second-year coach Butch Davis is determined to clean up Miami's image. It's an industrial-strength cleaning job.
Davis suspended first-team All-Big East receiver German, who Davis said on Thursday will redshirt this season, and has four other players on suspension. Among them are Perry, linebacker James Burgess - the second-leading tackler on the team last season - and projected starting linebacker Jeff Taylor.
Davis said he is not sure when or if the suspended players will be allowed to return.
``We're waiting to get these matters adjudicated,'' Davis said.
CHECK THE RULE BOOK: Hokie quarterback Jim Druckenmiller sat down at lunch with teammates Semones and center Billy Conaty following the interviews and asked, ``So, did you guys find out about the new tiebreaker system today, too?''
Druckenmiller was at a loss when reporters repeatedly asked him about the tiebreaking procedure enacted by the NCAA in the off season. Each team will get a series with the ball at the opponent's 25-yard line and play will continue until the tie is broken. Conaty was not aware of the new rule, either.
Presumably, Tech coaches will cover that sometime before the first game. by CNB