THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 1, 1997 TAG: 9701010458
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STEVE CARLSON
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: 58 lines
The Orange Bowl was a big deal to Virginia Tech fans, but not to many others.
The announced crowd at the 75,192-seat Pro Player Stadium was only 51,212, although 61,000 tickets were distributed. Only twice in the last 10 years has the attendance been less than 61,000 - the 1993 Nebraska-Florida State game (57,324) and the '87 Oklahoma-Arkansas matchup (52,717).
The last time an announced crowd was less than 51,000 was 1947.
The Hokies' section of the stadium was packed, but Nebraska's was sparsely populated and there were gaping sections of empty seats throughout the stadium.
So long, seniors
The Orange Bowl marked the college finale for 14 Hokie seniors who were on the Tech two-deep roster, and suspended fullback Brian Edmonds makes 15 Tech players whose careers have come to a close. Included among the departing players are quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, defensive end Cornell Brown, center Billy Conaty, tight end Bryan Jennings, linebackers Brandon Semones and Myron Newsome and free safety Torrian Gray.
Field day
Pro Player Stadium's field could be described, at best, as patchy. The turf was thin and worn before the game, played just four days after Virginia met Miami in the Carquest Bowl on the same turf. When the teams returned to the locker rooms after pregame warmups, grounds crew members pulled out spray paint to touch up spots where the end zones - painted with school names - and the Orange Bowl logo at midfield had been trod upon.
ESPN's Corso tees off on Tech again
ESPN analyst Lee Corso, who routinely chided Virginia Tech last year, went after the Hokies and their off-field problems again recently on ESPN radio.
``It's bad enough when you have a team named the Hokies,'' Corso said. ``Then they get in trouble. Now you have double trouble - like dumb and dumber.
``They're starting to get some publicity, but the wrong kind of publicity.''
Quick hits
Linebacker Tony Morrison, who was out half the season with injuries and suspensions, was listed as the backup to Steve Tate but got the start. . . . Tech center Billy Conaty established school records for total and consecutive starts with 48, breaking Chris Malone's record of 47. Conaty started every game of his career, including 12 games at tackle his freshman season. . . . Virginia Tech is now 3-7 all time in bowl games, 2-2 under Beamer. Nebraska is 17-18 in bowls, 11-13 under Tom Osborne. . . . The loss snapped a Hokies string of seven consecutive wins against ranked teams.