THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 12, 1996 TAG: 9611120379
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: 70 lines
Tiki Barber says Clemson didn't pull any surprises last Saturday when it became the first team this season to hold him under 100 yards rushing.
The only surprise was that it took eight weeks for a team to play him as doggedly as Clemson.
``They had someone spotting me all the time,'' Barber said. ``There seemed to be one extra person there all the time.''
Barber said most teams start out stacking their defenses against him, but eventually ease off.
``Clemson had a good game plan and stuck with it no matter what,'' he said. ``It was like if we beat them we were going to have to do it passing. I had been expecting to see what they did all year. Even when I ran to places I wasn't expected to go, someone was there waiting for me.''
Quarterback Tim Sherman threw for 346 yards but no touchdowns in the 24-16 loss, and Barber was held to 82 yards and shut out of the end zone for the first game this season.
Barber also muffed a punt on Virginia's 1 that set up a Clemson touchdown.
``It was my first bad game of the season,'' Barber said Monday. ``I was hoping it wouldn't happen, but it did. But Clemson played a helluva game, especially on defense. It did something that Florida State and no one else could do all season.''
MORE TO COME: Barber may face an even tougher defense Saturday against North Carolina.
The Tar Heels rank third nationally in rushing defense, allowing 72.3 yards per game. They held Louisville to one rushing yardlast Saturday.
``They have a solid defense with a lot of experience,'' Barber said.
Barber, averaging 124 yards per game, needs to average 102 yards in the final two games to break Terry Kirby's career record of 3,348 yards.
SHERMAN OK: Sherman said the shoulder injury he suffered Saturday isn't serious and he will be ready to play against the Tar Heels.
Sherman described the injury as ``like a stinger, a bruise,'' and was surprised that coach George Welsh said Monday that it was a pinched nerve.
``If it was a pinched nerve, I think it would be hurting a lot more than it is,'' he said.
Sherman said the motivation for Saturday's game will not come from trying to spoil North Carolina's hopes of getting a bid to the Orange or Fiesta bowls.
``They are one of our big rivals, but we need a victory for what it can do for us, and not for what a loss might do to them,'' Sherman said.
If the Cavaliers lose, they'll be in danger of missing the postseason bowl party.
SECOND THOUGHTS: Welsh now says he was a little too hard on his team after the loss to Clemson. He said following the game that it was the worst performance by one of his teams since the 1993 season.
``I have modified my views a little bit,'' Welsh said. ``Two of their touchdown runs came on blitzes and someone didn't get in the right gap. That's why they had the long runs.''
He also disclosed several defensive players are slowed by nagging injuries that have caused them to miss some practices since the Florida State game.
``They are college kids and it affects their play if they can't practice,'' Welsh said.
HO-HUM: Welsh may be the only person not surprised by the instant success of North Carolina quarterback Chris Keldorf in his first season of Division I-A competition.
Keldorf, a junior college transfer from California, is leading the ACC in virtually every passing category and is 11th nationally in passing efficiency.
``I'm not surprised at anything,'' Welsh said. ``I don't know how they found him, though. They sure found a good one.''
Welsh said his staff has looked at junior college players but Virginia's transfer requirements make it difficult to get them into school.
He said it is easier for junior college players to get into Carolina than Virginia. by CNB