DATE: Tuesday, October 14, 1997             TAG: 9710140482

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN

                                            LENGTH:   62 lines

U.VA. REPORT [BRIEFS]

Knee injury could sideline Womack for several weeks

Virginia freshman tailback Antwoine Womack is not expected to play against Duke on Saturday and could miss several games, coach George Welsh said Monday.

Womack injured his right knee in practice last week, but the injury was not announced until shortly before Saturday's game against Clemson.

``We will have to see how the knee does this week,'' coach George Welsh said. ``It could be he's out seven or 10 days, or it could be three or four weeks or longer.''

Womack could be redshirted if the injury keeps him out the remainder of the season.

Womack did not play in the season opener against Auburn but averaged 66.7 yards in the three games he played as backup to starter Thomas Jones.

With running back Anthony Southern also out with an injured leg, Jones had to carry a huge load against Clemson. He rushed for 100 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries and also caught three passes for 55 yards.

Virginia's 127 yards rushing were the most the Tigers have yielded this season.

Safety's status uncertain

Safety Anthony Poindexter, who had a key interception against Clemson, is still nursing a sprained ankle and a bruised shoulder.

Welsh said Poindexter practiced only briefly last week and was allowed to play only after promising to take himself out if the ankle bothered him. His status is uncertain for Saturday.

Freshman QB a possibility

Welsh said he was ready to use freshman quarterback Dan Ellis when Aaron Brooks had to be helped off the field following a hard hit against Clemson.

Brooks, though, only had the wind knocked out of him, and Welsh sent in David Rivers for just one play.

``If Brooks was going to be out for a while, Ellis was going in because he's been getting most of the work in practice,'' Welsh said.

Welsh said he isn't going to play Ellis if it is not necessary. If Ellis does not play this season, it will be counted as a redshirt year and he will still have four years of eligibility.

The one who got away

Junior linebacker Wali Ranier had one of the best games in Cavaliers history against Clemson, a school he once thought he would attend.

Ranier's 21 tackles, 15 of them solo, were the second-most by a Cavalier since 1978. Stuart Anderson holds the record, 24, set against North Carolina State in 1979.

Ranier, of Charlotte, said he grew up a Clemson fan but chose Virginia because of academic and social reasons.

Ranier leads the team in tackles with 71, including a team-high six sacks.

'Tis blessed to receive

Since committing four turnovers in the second half of the loss to North Carolina, the Cavaliers have not had a turnover in the last two games. It is the first time since games against Georgia Tech and North Carolina in 1994 that Virginia has gone turnover-free in consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Virginia's defense has forced seven turnovers in the last two games.

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