THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609150203
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: 64 lines
George told us there would be days like this.
Before the season, Welsh said that his Virginia football team needed to win with defense and kicking.
Maybe some people didn't believe him.
Now they will.
Saturday against Maryland, the Cavaliers couldn't score an offensive touchdown for the first 57 minutes and 29 seconds.
Fortunately for the Cavaliers, the defense accepted the challenge. First, it knocked the shell out of Terrapin quarterback Brian Cummings in the first quarter.
With Cummings sidelined by a bum shoulder, Maryland turned to freshman backup Ken Mastrole, who had yet to try a pass in a college game.
That's some baptism for a kid quarterback, getting thrown into the deep end of a pool stocked with U.Va. sharks.
The Cavaliers harried and hurried Mastrole, sacking him twice, picking off two of his passes and forcing him into another turnover on a fumble.
``There's a lot of good people on that defensive football team,'' Welsh said after U.Va.'s 21-3 victory. ``I went around and shook all their hands individually.''
The defense set up two late touchdowns just when it appeared that the interception and 10-yard run by ``TD'' Tony Dingle would be U.Va.'s only visit to the end zone.
``He threw it directly at me,'' Dingle, a sophomore tackle, said of Mastrole's second-quarter screen pass gone awry. ``My feet hit the ground and I just kept running and had a party in the end zone.''
If this game eventually turned into a party for U.Va., the best the Cavaliers' offense could do was send its regrets.
``It was an ugly win,'' said starting quarterback Tim Sherman. ``We've got a lot of work to do.''
In the first half, when U.Va. could manage but two first downs, Sherman and backup Aaron Brooks were 0 for 6 passing.
Over the years, U.Va. has spoiled its fans with a wide-open, slick passing game.
Quarterbacks seem to thrive in Welsh's system, but while it's still early, neither Sherman nor Brooks look like the answer. So far, they make last year's quarterback, Mike Groh, look like Dan Marino.
``We misfired,'' said Welsh. ``The quarterbacks weren't accurate. Sometimes they held the ball too long.''
For now, debate about U.Va.'s quarterback derby is an empty exercise. In Sherman and Brooks, Welsh has a pair of No. 2 quarterbacks.
If neither comes around, maybe U.Va.'s best hope is to bypass the middle man and install an offense that allows the center to snap the ball directly to Tiki Barber.
As long as Sherman and Brooks struggle, opposing defenses will gang up on U.Va.'s tailback, as Maryland did, holding him to 123 yards rushing on 29 carries, though Barber did manage to wriggle free for a pair of touchdowns.
Afterward, Maryland players crowed about their rough treatment of a Heisman Trophy candidate. Never mind that Barber no longer poses a serious threat for the award.
The point is, Maryland will not be the last team to stifle Barber as long as U.Va. struggles to locate a passing game.
``You would think by now we wouldn't overthrow wide-open receivers,'' said Welsh.
It is never too early to worry. by CNB