Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 17, 1993 TAG: 9311170049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
He's trying to find some way to shake a slump that has resulted in eight intercepted passes in the past two games.
"I feel, if I have a pretty good game, everybody else's game will pick up," Willis said. "When we haven't played well, I haven't played well."
The Cavaliers haven't distinguished themselves of late, losing two of their past three games, both when they were favored.
UVa head coach George Welsh and offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien have been quick to stick up for Willis, as they did for then-quarterback Bobby Goodman during a similar slide in 1992, but Willis doesn't want to be babied.
"I'm my hardest critic," Willis said. "Even when things were going well, I was aware of mistakes that the media didn't see. I find myself fighting with myself. Even though I can be really critical of my performance, I just have to lay off at times."
Willis had passed for 200 yards or more in five of six games before Saturday and needs only 154 yards to break Scott Secules' single-season passing record and 210 yards to supplant Shawn Moore atop UVa's total-offense list.
"I was talking to [basketball player] Cory Alexander and he mentioned it," Willis said, "but I try not to get too involved in those sort of things. If I broke the record, it would only be meaningful if we finished off the [regular] season with a win and went to a bowl."
After throwing 15 touchdown passes in Virginia's first six games, Willis has thrown three in the last four. Last year, Goodman threw 19 scoring passes in the first six games, then went through a three-game stretch when he didn't throw any.
"I think Bobby Goodman lost confidence last year," O'Brien said. "I don't think Symmion has lost his confidence. He's made some bad decisions on throws early in the last two games and things have kind of cascaded.
"I don't think I'm defending him all the time. But people have been placing a lot [of scrutiny] on a first-year player. I don't think they were the same way to Shawn Moore in his first season as a starter."
A major difference between Goodman and Willis is that Goodman had a tendency to spread the blame.
"Symmion says, `It's me,' " O'Brien said. "I tell him it's not all him. The kid had a phenomenal start - he amazed me, too - but he had the same set of receivers from the start of practice through the [North] Carolina game. That's 10 weeks."
Three of Willis' primary targets - tight end Aaron Mundy and wide receivers Tyrone Davis and Larry Holmes - were injured in a 34-29 loss at North Carolina State. The next week, leading receiver Patrick Jeffers fractured a collarbone in a 21-9 victory over Wake Forest. A touch of tendinitis kept Willis out of practice for two days before the Wake Forest game, but he's experiencing no soreness now. He won't use injury or inexperience as an alibi.
"Those are excuses I can use," he said. "I don't want to look for excuses to explain my performance. Granted, it's my first year starting, but I've been in the offense three years. I should be better than I am right now."
Welsh fears that Virginia tried to tinker with its offense too much when the receivers were hurt and has asked his assistants to make Willis' job easier Saturday, when the Cavaliers entertain Virginia Tech at 12:10 p.m.
"I don't feel it's too complicated," Willis said. "I think I've been too uptight at the start of games. I'm trying to make perfect plays. I've been trying to make things happen when the opportunities weren't there."
Willis hasn't had much help the past two weeks. Three of the interceptions have come on balls that bounced off UVa receivers. Twice, the intended Cavalier slipped.
None of this happened at the beginning of the season, when Willis started 5-for-5 against Maryland, 8-for-8 against Georgia Tech and 8-for-8 against Duke.
"At the end of the season, when you start to make mistakes, it's mental," he said. "Maybe I need to go back to some of the [shorter] routes and run more to get into the flow."
Willis could take a cue from Virginia Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo, who was alternately brilliant and mistake-prone as a sophomore in 1992.
"Last year, he was sort of like me right now, forcing the ball into coverages," Willis said. "This year, he's taken what the defenses have given him and he's become a pretty good quarterback.
"I know all is not lost. I'm not going to let myself fall [from sight]."
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB