Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 24, 1993 TAG: 9310240139
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Still basking in the excitement of last week's two-overtime victory over Tennessee-Chattanooga, the Keydets were given an abrupt wake-up call Saturday. It came just in time for the Keydets to find themselves smack dab in the middle of a nightmare called Georgia Southern.
The Eagles, the sixth-ranked team in NCAA Division I-AA, pasted the Keydets 57-0 in a Southern Conference football game played before 5,600 spectators at Alumni Memorial Field.
"Overall, they beat us in every phase of the football game," VMI coach Jim Shuck said. "I was impressed with them going into the game. That was collectively the best defense we had seen. They made a believer out of me today."
The Eagles' defense swooped down on VMI quarterback Erik Reynolds the entire afternoon. He completed just two of 12 passes for 6 yards and rushed for 13.
"I have just one word: incredible," Reynolds said. "They had incredible speed. We watched a lot of film, and they didn't seem that fast. We thought we could get outside on them. That was the game plan."
The Keydets (1-6 overall, 1-3 conference) held their own in the first quarter, denying the Eagles a 27-yard field goal on the opening drive.
On their third possession, the Eagles looked destined to give the ball back to VMI. With Georgia Southern's Bill Thatcher back to punt on fourth and 3, the Keydets were called for holding. The Eagles turned the opportunity into a touchdown on the first play of the second period when quarterback Charles Bostick rolled in from 14 yards out.
Shuck described the penalty as a turning point and said he'd be "anxious to review it on tape."
Bostick started in place of Joe Dupree, who bruised a knee last week against Appalachian State. Bostick was a two-year starter for the Eagles before Dupree, a transfer from Georgia, became eligible this season.
Bostick ran for a career-high 180 yards on 25 carries, marking the first time this season a Georgia Southern player has run for more than 100 yards.
"We knew he was an exceptional athlete," Shuck said. "What really impressed me was the way he could throw [to the perimeter]."
The junior completed 11 of 12 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown, a 36-yard pass to Darren Willis in the third quarter that put the Eagles (6-2, 5-1) up 36-0.
"I am very pleased with the way Charles responded today," Georgia Southern coach Tim Stowers said. "He is an experienced quarterback, and it showed in his performance. We just finished an extremely grueling portion of the schedule, and now we have an open week to heal and get better."
The teams spent all of the second quarter and most of the third in VMI territory. The Keydets were forced to punt on their second possession of the third quarter when they gained 2 yards on three plays. But center Jason Barnett snapped the ball over Geoff Goff's head and the punter kicked it out of the end zone for a safety.
VMI suffered another blow on the next series when free safety Kevin Reardon, the Keydets' leading tackler, was hurt. He described the injury as a sprained left knee and did not know how long he would be sidelined. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB