THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611030180
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: 97 lines
George Welsh waved a hand toward the doorway of the dumpy old equipment room where he had held his postgame media conference and said firmly, ``Let's go home. Let's get out of here.''
Welsh dislikes bringing his Virginia team to play Duke in Wallace Wade Stadium, even though he usually leaves with a victory, as was the case again Saturday on a chilly afternoon.
The Cavaliers (6-2, 4-2 ACC) won 27-3 over a winless Duke team that lost for the eighth time this season.
Welsh was thankful for the victory that he said would allow him to sleep well. Thankful, too, that he wouldn't have to come back for another couple of years.
``It's a tough place to come play. When they aren't winning, then they don't have big crowds and it is dull,'' Welsh said.
``You have to generate your own excitement.''
For the most part, this sixth victory that guarantees a winning season and officially qualifies the Cavaliers for postseason play was dull.
The best plays, a couple of long punt returns by Virginia tailback Tiki Barber, were called back because of injuries.
Still, Barber tied an ACC record by rushing for more than 100 yards in his ninth straight game, including last season's Peach Bowl.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Barber gained 125 yards on 24 carries, including touchdown runs of 5 and 3 yards, and caught four passes for 42 yards.
``I don't know a back that can bounce outside, run north and south and turn down the sidelines like Barber can,'' Duke coach Fred Goldsmith said. ``He is just really, really good.''
So good that Duke never had a chance and the Devils knew it after Barber put Virginia ahead 24-0 with his second score just before halftime.
From there, the Cavaliers generated their own excitement, even if it failed to keep most Duke fans from ducking out early.
Two sections of Cavalier fans watched nervously until the final 2:54 when freshman defensive back Antwan Harris leaped to steal a pass and preserve the team's cherished NCAA-record interception streak.
Harris' pick pushed to 36 the number of consecutive games in which the Cavaliers have made at least one interception.
Harris contended he wasn't thinking about extending the streak when he made the steal.
``I was just trying to keep (Duke) out of the end zone. But once I caught it, I realized the streak was still alive,'' Harris said.
``I really knew it when all my teammates started running at me and hitting me on the head.''
Welsh, watching the celebration from the sidelines, said he failed to realize the reason for it.
``I figured it was because they thought they had a shutout,'' said Welsh, who is on record as not being enthusiastic about the interception record.
The shutout was spoiled in the final 47 seconds when Duke brought in placekicker Sims Lenhardt on fourth down to kick a 26-yard field goal instead of trying for a touchdown from the 4.
Other than that slight blemish, Virginia's defense kept the Blue Devils bottled up, allowing 44 net yards rushing and 101 yards passing.
Defensive back Anthony Poindexter scored Virginia's second touchdown on a 37-yard fumble return early in the second period for a 17-0 lead.
``The defense played very well the entire game,'' Welsh said.
Offensively, Welsh wasn't as pleased, especially in the second half when there were zero points and a couple of turnovers inside the Duke 15 that killed drives.
``We made too many mistakes in the second half. We needed 10 more points so we don't have to be playing our best defense in the fourth quarter,'' Welsh said.
``By my count, we had 17 penalties (12 officially). I can't understand it and I can't explain it, either.''
Barber rushed for 101 yards in the first half and had an 81-yard punt return for an apparent touchdown called back in the second period because of an illegal blocking penalty.
Another penalty nullified a 33-yard punt return in the fourth period.
Barber, though, was responsible for spoiling a promising scoring drive when he fumbled on the Duke 13 in the third quarter.
``We lost some intensity in the second half,'' Barber said.
``We came out a little flat and weren't ready to play like we were in the first half. We had the big lead and got complacent.''
Quarterback Tim Sherman was intercepted to stop another opportunity at Duke's 15 on the opening drive of the second half.
``We moved the ball well in the second half, but made some mistakes that kept us from scoring,'' Sherman said.
``Maybe it was because of mental lapses. I'm not sure, but I know it wasn't a lack of effort.''
Sherman, who played the first three quarters, completed 16 of 26 passes for 253 yards.
It was Sherman's best performances this season, but not good enough to change Welsh's opinion about how his offense had played.
``I don't care how you twist it, the offense was ragged,'' Welsh said as he walked briskly toward the bus that would take him away from Wallace Wade. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Duke quarterback Matt Rader is swarmed by U.Va. defenders Todd
White, 91, and Jamie Sharper. Rader had minus-29 yards rushing and
38 passing on a bleak day for the Blue Devils. by CNB