THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609150174
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: 69 lines
With so many guests coming - not just the VMI football team but the entire corps of cadets, too - William and Mary apparently decided to play the generous host Saturday.
The Tribe all but giftwrapped the ball for the Keydets. They bobbled it all afternoon and in one sequence gave it to VMI inside the 40 on five straight possessions. The miscues allowed VMI to stay even for three quarters before the Tribe tightened up and pulled away with a 40-21 victory in front of 9,614 at Zable Stadium.
William and Mary (2-1) controlled the line of scrimmage, rolling up 532 total yards. But the Tribe had a hard time handling the football - fumbling five times - and the score was tied at 21 after three quarters.
``We were like, That's it, time to start playing here,'' Tribe receiver Josh Whipple said.
The Tribe's comeback started with a Brian Shallcross field goal, then a fumble by VMI's Thomas Haskins at the Keydet 40. That led to a 19-yard touchdown pass from Mike Cook to Dave Conklin that made it 31-21. Shallcross added another field goal and then Alvin Porch broke a 67-yard run to provide the final margin.
Porch's touchdown came on a pitch play, a play that had given the Tribe fits all day. Porch bobbled two of them, losing one. Another pitch was bobbled and lost by backup tailback Corey Nesmith.
``Sometimes it was the quarterback, sometimes it was the running back,'' coach Jimmye Laycock said. ``They were trying to force too many big plays. Just catch the ball and run.''
Added Cook: ``We've got to work on that.''
William and Mary was saved in the first half by its defense. On consecutive drives, VMI started on the William and Mary 30, then on the 37, the 12, the 28 and finally on the 35. The Keydets (0-2) scored only once, on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Greg Ellen to Marcus Griffin.
``That does frustrate you,'' VMI coach Bill Stewart said. ``That's when you've got to make your points. When you get down there and don't score, it hurts you mentally.''
VMI also may have been hurt mentally by a bizarre play midway through the second quarter. On second and seven from his own 4, Cook appeared to be standing when he was hit and fumbled the ball into the end zone. William and Mary recovered for an apparent VMI safety.
But after some discussion the officials ruled that Cook was down when he fumbled. The Tribe retained the ball at its own 1 and was able to punt out of trouble.
``I'm not complaining,'' Stewart said when asked about the play. ``The man said his (Cook's) knee was down. I said, thank you very much, and I let it go. The officials didn't lose this game for us.''
More culpable was VMI's pass defense, which had a hard time with Cook and an elusive group of Tribe receivers. The sophomore quarterback threw for 325 yards and completed nine straight in one second-half stretch.
``In the first half, they were really covering out wideouts underneath and we tried to get deep on them,'' Cook said. ``In the second half, we just took what they gave us.''
Cook found Whipple six times for 127 yards. Billy Commons caught eight passes, and Conklin four. Porch ran for 151 yards as William and Mary was able to get outside and use its speed advantage.
Haskins, VMI's All-American tailback, picked up 121 yards on 21 carries. He scored on a 25-yard run and threw a 25-yard TD pass to Griffin on a halfback option play.
But VMI could not do much through the air. Quarterback Al Lester left the game with a shoulder injury late in the first quarter and was replaced by Ellen. Lester returned but completed just three of seven for 16 yards.
``When you rebuild, it doesn't happen overnight,'' Stewart said. by CNB