Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 17, 1993 TAG: 9312170089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Checking DeShazo's progression against Moore's at Virginia is easy. Just don't leave the two buddies in a room together discussing who had the worst first year as a starter - Moore in 1988 or DeShazo in 1992 - or they might never emerge.
"I had a rough first year, a rougher first year than he or [UVa quarterback] Symmion [Willis] did," Moore said recently from Denver, where he is the Broncos' third-string quarterback.
Maurice?
"Noooo. No way," DeShazo said, good-naturedly shaking his head and smiling. "You tell him if you talk to him again, you tell him contact me. Then you tell him ain't no way . . . his first year was worse than mine. My first year here was unbelievable. It wasn't really that bad; we just lost games in the last 10 minutes. If we would've won those games, I would've looked better.
"But . . . when I got booed out of the stadium [against] West Virginia, tell him he ain't never, ever had that happen to him. He ain't never had nobody tamper with his car, either. You tell him Symmion and Shawn Moore has got off lucky."
For the record, Moore completed 141 of 282 passes in his first year as a starter for 2,158 yards, 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as Virginia went 7-4 without a bowl bid. In '92, DeShazo was 101-of-215 for 1,504 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as Tech went 2-8-1. Willis, a first-time starter this year, was 165-of-276 for 2,347 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as UVa finished 7-4 on its way to the Carquest Bowl.
Moore finished third nationally in passing efficiency and was named the ACC's player of the year in his second season as a starter. DeShazo was fifth in passing efficiency but didn't make first- or second-team All-Big East.
Moore, fourth in the Heisman balloting after his senior year, said he can relate to DeShazo's progress.
"I just felt comfortable [as a senior]," he said. "I knew where everyone was going to be on the field. [DeShazo] will go into spring ball feeling like he's on top of the world."
\ PYNE'S TOWN: Tech center Jim Pyne didn't get a day in his honor in Blacksburg, but he did get a resolution.
Blacksburg Town Council on Tuesday commended Pyne for his play in helping Tech to an 8-3 record and a Poulan/Weed Eater Independence Bowl bid. Among other things, the resolution noted Pyne's unanimous All-America achievement and his two appearances on the R.B. Pamplin College of Business Dean's list, and stated Pyne "has brought positive recognition to [Tech] and the Blacksburg community."
Council said it and Blacksburg are proud of Pyne and praised his "athletic achievements, spirit and determination."
\ BROWN OK: Ken Brown's court date to face charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest has been continued to Jan. 27 at the request of the prosecution, said Brown's lawyer, Joe Painter. The original court date was Wednesday.
Tech coach Frank Beamer said in November he would wait for the court's decision before making Brown available for the Independence Bowl. Beamer said Thursday that Brown will play Dec. 31 in Shreveport, La.
Brown was arrested Nov. 14 when Blacksburg Police officers decided Brown was interfering with their arrest of former Tech player Don Stokes at a restaurant. Stokes later apparently had an epileptic seizure; Painter said Brown realized a seizure was coming on and was "concerned about [Stokes'] health and welfare."
\ TRAVEL SQUAD: Tech has finalized its 65-man travel roster for Shreveport with no major changes. Former starting rover Stacy Henley, who has given way to Torrian Gray and Brandon Semones, will not go to the bowl, nor will walk-on kicker Scott Dunbar, who made the Virginia trip. Beamer said Dunbar will practice with the team this week, but not to increase pressure on regular kicker Ryan Williams, whom Beamer described as "squared away." Sal Colangelo, who holds the state Group AAA playoffs record for longest field goal (44 yards for Potomac against Varina), will back up Williams.
Backup receiver Michael Williams, who caught three passes this year, won't go because Jermaine Holmes' ankle finally is healthy.
\ ETC.: Through Wednesday, the Independence Bowl had sold just more than 14,000 tickets locally for the game matching 22nd-ranked Tech and 21st-ranked Indiana. Pat Booras, director of marketing and media relations for the bowl, called that "very average, considering the fact that we've got two nationally ranked teams. We're not satisfied locally.
by CNB