
DATE: Thursday, September 4, 1997           TAG: 9709040637

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER  
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                   LENGTH:  120 lines

BROOKS AIMS TO MAKE A SPLASH U.VA.'S NEW QUARTERBACK PLANS TO PROVE THAT HIS DOUBTERS ARE ALL WET.

What word best describes Virginia's new starting quarterback Aaron Brooks, who leads the Cavaliers into their season-opener tonight against Auburn?

Frustrated? Disappointed? Or maybe even angry?

The 21-year-old Brooks has felt all three during the last three years while waiting for a starting role.

He considers playing backup to senior Tim Sherman last year was an injustice of sorts.

``I felt I should have been starting and it delayed everything,'' said the red-shirt junior from Newport News' Ferguson High School.

But while there was anger, disappointment and frustration the past three years, Brooks would use none of them to describe himself now.

What is the word?

``Excited,'' he says, breaking into a big grin. ``You can't believe how excited I am this day finally has arrived. I have been excited all summer that I am the lone starter. It is a relief I don't have to look over my shoulder and think if I mess up that I am going to get yanked.''

Brooks' excitement is understandable. So, too, is the lack of excitement on the part of some Virginia fans and even coach George Welsh.

Virginia's success may depend on how well Brooks performs, and there is not much in his past to generate excitement. He played in all 11 regular-season games last season, passing for only one touchdown and seven interceptions.

He entered one game his red-shirt freshman season, throwing two passes. One was incomplete, the other intercepted.

``He hasn't showed he can do it yet, that's for sure,'' Welsh says. ``But he is a better quarterback now than he was last fall. He's showed a lot of improvement.''

Brooks claims his unimpressive career stats - one touchdown, eight interceptions - are ``just crazy.''

``I know I am better than that, and so do the people who have watched me play,'' he says. ``I was coming into games cold and trying to do too much to make something happen. I never had a chance to start so I could play my game. But that is in the past and I am moving on now.''

Coaches said Brooks failed to win the starting job last year because he did not understand the offense as well as Sherman and made bad decisions.

``He had a tendency to run out of the pocket too soon and his throws weren't always accurate,'' Welsh says. ``But those are the areas in which he has showed improvement. We feel we can win with him.''

The Cavaliers' new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Sparky Woods has simplified the offense. Brooks feels more comfortable with it.

``It is pretty much the same ol' U.Va. offense,'' Brooks says, ``but coach Woods has given me more freedom. He has brought things to the program that has been very helpful.''

No one questions Brooks' physical assets. He has a powerful arm and the speed and agility to elude defenders on the perimeter.

``It is an element we didn't have last year,'' offensive tackle Doug Karczewski says.

Away from the practice field, the most promise Brooks showed was in last December's Carquest Bowl game against Miami. He came off the bench to throw for one touchdown and rush for another in a 31-21 defeat.

``I was more confident after that game,'' Brooks says. ``I felt if I could play well against Miami, I can play well against anybody.''

Confidence, though, never has been a problem for Brooks who passed for 1,167 yards and 11 touchdowns during his senior high school season.

He was labeled Virginia's ``quarterback of the future'' after he shuffled through a stack of offers and signed with the Cavaliers. Getting to the future, though, took longer than he expected.

``I didn't expect to play much my first couple of years,'' he says. ``Symmion Willis and Mike Groh were the quarterbacks when I got here. I had to wait my turn.''

With those veterans out of the picture last year, Brooks was stunned when fifth-year senior Sherman was declared the starting quarterback. Brooks says if he'd started last year no one would have any doubts about the quarterback position this season.

``Coach (Welsh) is his own man and has his own way of thinking,'' Brooks says. ``If it had been me, I would have gone with the younger guy so there would be no question coming into this year.

``I guess he was looking for experience, thinking experience would help out. But in that case it didn't help out.''

Brooks believes Virginia would have won as many or more games with him as it did with Sherman, who threw four TD passes, had 11 interceptions and was sacked 21 times. Virginia finished 7-4 in the regular season and fourth in the ACC.

``It wasn't a terrible year, but it was on the downside,'' Brooks says.

Most observers think a similar record this season would be on the upside, considering the heavy losses from last year's team. Brooks is more optimistic.

``I am shooting for high limits,'' he says. ``I want to be better than last year's team. Seven wins is pretty much the norm around here. We should get at least that many.''

If so, Brooks will be the one who has to make it happen. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Aaron Brooks

Graphics

AUBURN AT VIRGINIA

Where: Scott Stadium (40,000) in Charlottesville

When: 8 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Radio: AM-790

Last year's records: Virginia was 7-5, Auburn was 8-4.

Outlook: No. 16 Auburn is more stable on both sides of the ball

with an experienced backfield returning on offense and 10 starters

back on defense. Virginia has only eight starters returning overall,