THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 15, 1996 TAG: 9608150579
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: 77 lines
Virginia Tech opens football practice today without the services of two of its top three tailbacks coming out of spring drills.
The Hokies announced that Marcus Parker, a junior from Roanoke listed as co-No. 1 on the depth chart with Ken Oxendine, has been suspended indefinitely from competition.
Also, Greg Melvin from Virginia Beach's Bayside High is no longer with the team because of medical reasons.
Tech coach Frank Beamer would not comment on the Parker case, other than to say Parker will be involved in a counseling program and will remain in school and practice with the scout team. Beamer will determine when Parker is available for games based on his attitude and the advice of counselors.
According to The Roanoke Times, Parker pleaded no contest to a shoplifting charge July 25 in Blacksburg General District Court. He was fined $100, given a suspended 10-day jail sentence and had to pay $159 in court costs.
Two employees at a supermarket saw Parker attempt to steal a package of condoms and a small jar of garlic salt at 1:42 a.m. July 9, according to police reports.
Tech running backs and assistant head coach Billy Hite said the player told him it was an honest mistake. Hite said Parker's hands were full with other items so he put the small items in his pants pocket, and then forgot that he had done so.
Parker, playing fullback last season as a sophomore, ran for 267 yards and scored six touchdowns. Hite said last year Parker had the tools to be the best running back in Virginia Tech history.
Hite said Tech will have to scramble to find a backup for Oxendine for at least the Sept. 7 opener at Akron. But his comments indicated he expects to have Parker back eventually.
``He has the opportunity to help us in a lot of spots in our backfield,'' Hite said.
Parker is the seventh Tech player to be arrested since November.
MELVIN GONE: Melvin's career at Tech apparently is over essentially before it began.
Beamer said Wednesday Melvin will remain on scholarship, but because he is medically unable to play he will not count against Tech's scholarship limit. Melvin had surgery on his left knee in November, showed flashes during spring drills but the knee repeatedly swelled. The problem persisted during summer workouts, and in July his season was declared over.
Melvin said Wednesday he will return to school this month.
``If it gets better I'm going to try to play again,'' Melvin said. ``I'm not sure I'll ever be able to, but I want to.''
Melvin was an all-state tailback at Bayside and went to Butler County (Kansas) Community College to shore up his academics before coming to Tech. He redshirted last year, partly because Tech wanted him to lose some weight - he was approaching 240 pounds - and regain his quickness.
``He was a special back in high school,'' Hite said. ``Coming out of high school he was as good a back as anybody I've seen. He was 6-foot-2, 210 pounds and ran a 4.5 40.
``The guy did it all. He was a great athlete. Everyone was after him.''
BROWN SPEAKS: Tech All-American defensive end Cornell Brown has avoided the media in recent months as diligently as ballcarriers attempt to avoid him. After taking a vow of silence most of Sugar Bowl week and then ducking a Big East media gathering two weeks ago, Brown held court for a long time with reporters Wednesday.
Brown said he spurned the media recently for several reasons. One was he did not want to overshadow other deserving teammates.
``I want my share (of the hype), but I don't want to get it away from everyone else,'' Brown said.
But he also acknowledged he was upset about seeing his name and roommates Tony Morrison and James Crawford repeatedly mentioned in connection with rape accusations by a former Tech student. Brown at one time was named in the civil lawsuit against the players as having watched the alleged rape, but his name was later dropped from the federal suit.
Those two were suspended from the Sugar Bowl for separate incidents, and Brown wore their jersey numbers over the Tech logo on his helmet during practices in New Orleans. ``I had to carry it on for them,'' he said. by CNB