Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 1, 1993 TAG: 9305010082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Tennessee is on next year's schedule, Rice probably will follow and Foster is working on games with Vanderbilt and South Carolina. That should significantly improve Tech's non-conference schedule strength and attractiveness.
Last season, according to a ratings percentage index used by the NCAA to pick the tournament field, Tech's non-league schedule was 211th of 298 teams, next-to-last in the Metro Conference. Tech's full schedule was 133rd.
Off the schedule from '92-93 are North Carolina (No. 1 in the Sagarin ratings published by USA Today), Old Dominion (68), East Carolina (142), Morgan State (278), Western Carolina (285) and UNC-Asheville (299). Returning from last year are Virginia (17), West Virginia (40), William and Mary (163), Florida International (192), Liberty (238), VMI (294) and Florida Atlantic (296).
Vanderbilt was 10th last year, Rice 78th, Tennessee 85th and South Carolina 119th. Another first-time opponent is defending Big South Conference champion Coastal Carolina (156). Among the candidates to fill the last two of 14 non-conference slots, is George Mason. Mason was 233rd in the Sagarins last year, but has new coach Paul Westhead and Roanoke native Troy Manns.
The Tennessee series is a home-and-home deal that will begin in Blacksburg this season, and the Rice home-and-home could begin in Houston, Foster said. Discussions with Vandy and South Carolina are ongoing.
"I don't want to overschedule us, but I'd like to have four or five games a year where the sites rotate that are attractive games," Foster said. "You stay with 14 home games, keep Virginia and West Virginia, it should begin to pick up an attractiveness."
Tech feels academically compatible with Vandy and Rice. Another reason for adding stronger teams: Tech, 10-18 last year, expects to be better in its third season under Foster. Foster is juggling other needs, too.
"I don't want to play seven of the last eight on the road [so] a lot of what will work out has to do with dates," Foster said.
\ BIG EAST'S SUN: The recently announced deal that sends the Big East Football Conference's No. 3 team to the New Year's Day Sunshine Football Classic will mean a $1.1 million payoff for the Big East team, which does not have to be the league's third-place finisher, a Sunshine bowl official said. The Sunshine game is trying to line up the Southeastern Conference's No. 4 team, for which a payoff would be negotiated separately. The Peach and Hall of Fame bowls also have expressed interest in the SEC's No. 4. If the Sunshine deal was in effect last year, it would have had Tennessee playing Boston College - the real-life matchup in the '93 Hall of Fame Bowl.
\ P.J., HERE OR THERE: Tech football player P.J. Preston said Friday it's up to him to decide whether he'll play in the secondary or at linebacker next year. Expect the coaching staff to have something to say, too. Tech coach Frank Beamer said this week the staff still is discussing where the Martinsville native would fit best. Preston said his play against the run as a safety is being scrutinized.
"I feel I did OK. Could be a lot better," Preston said. "I'm not really in a hurry to make a decision. I am going to give it a lot of thought."
Linebackers coach Bud Foster, Preston's position coach for the past three years, said Preston could be effective in the secondary. "We can utilize his talents," Foster said. "It's a very similar position to what he's played in the past."
\ COMING BACK: At one point last basketball season, Virginia Tech's coaches talked with 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman Dwayne Archbold about his Hokie future. Archbold missed most of his senior high school season with an injury, then didn't play for the Hokies last year. Archbold said "they planted the seed, and it was my decision to make" about whether he should leave Tech and go somewhere where he could play regularly. He thought about it, but he's returning to Tech next fall to make a run at playing time.
"People may have some doubts, may question my ability, but I know I can play here," he said recently. "I've been out so long, it's time for me to wake up and get things going. I have to do something in order for everyone else to believe in me."
The Staten Island, N.Y., native will start by joining two summer leagues, one in New York City and the other across the state border in New Jersey. Tech would like to see him return with some reliable post-up moves.
\ HEAVY STUFF: Virginia Tech basketball player Ace Custis' rehabilitation from major knee surgery last fall is on course, and Custis isn't getting flabby in the process. At Tech's "max-out" weightlifting session Wednesday, Custis had the third-best bench press on the team, assistant coach Chris Ferguson said. Don Corker and Jay Purcell were the top two. Corey Jackson has the team's highest vertical leap, followed by Shawn Good, Delwyn Dillard and 6-8 Travis Jackson - who, Ferguson said, barely made the top 10 during the season.
by CNB