Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410180041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: GREENVILLE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
So, last week, the sophomore tailback went to Billy Hite's office. He went to Frank Beamer's office. He wasn't complaining, but he wanted to play more, again. Edwards asked what he could do.
He answered his own question Saturday afternoon, before the sixth-largest crowd in the history of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. With 19th-ranked Tech's running game hurting, Edwards produced the best game of his career.
Although the Hokies downed East Carolina 27-20, it would be accurate to say Tech (6-1) ran away from the Pirates. That's because when Beamer's team needed to run the clock and the ball, Edwards did both.
His 29 carries were a Tech season high, and 21 of those - including a touchdown - came in the second half. The Hokies' defense appreciated the help, after East Carolina's impressive offense seemingly had spread Tech's defense to the Outer Banks on 48 first-half plays from scrimmage.
Whether Edwards got any satisfaction from his office chats with Hite - Tech's running backs coach - and Beamer, he wasn't saying. The Radford native wouldn't even say whether he'd talked to the two coaches.
They did. Beamer told Edwards he ``is a heck of a back.'' He also told Edwards he trusted Hite's judgment on who should be starting with senior Dwayne Thomas still recovering from a sprained ankle.
That was freshman Ken Oxendine, whose early Tech games have produced a couple of long-distance scoring runs that have gotten the Hokies noticed for extended seconds between the verbal sparring by Lee Corso and Craig James on ESPN.
``All you can do is be as honest as you can be,'' Beamer said. ``I told Tommy the last couple of games, I didn't think he was as good as he was in the past.''
Hite, who had called in Edwards to talk, told the back that in his only start - Tech's only loss, at Syracuse - he hadn't run as he did in the past.
``I told Tommy after the game today that that's the Tommy Edwards I'm used to seeing,'' Hite said. ``He really ran the ball hard. He was tough, and he hung on to the football.''
Oxendine, who fumbled twice in Tech's 41-13 victory over Temple on Oct.8, bobbled one away late in the first quarter against the Pirates (3-3) and didn't return. It wasn't because of his hands. It was his back.
The freshman, who had run past Edwards on the depth chart, was injured when hit on the play. At halftime, Hite learned Oxendine could play, if necessary. It wasn't, because Edwards - who played all but one series the rest of the game - was on his way to a career high for carries and 96 yards.
He also caught two passes for 34 yards, and was robbed of a third-quarter touchdown when a quick-whistling official ruled Edwards' forward progress was stopped as he was bulling an East Carolina tackler over the goal line.
Edwards and Hite also agreed Tech's rebuilt, injury-riddled, revolving-door offensive line had perhaps its best game of the year. The second half marked the first time this season the Hokies used primarily their running game to win.
Hite said he never would bench Oxendine or any other player for fumbling.
``You want to get them back in there as soon as possible because you want to help them regain their confidence,'' said Hite, in his 17th season on Tech's staff.
He also knows how Edwards feels. During his playing days at North Carolina, Hite was beaten out by younger running backs more times than he could count.
Hite displayed a toughness and resiliency then, and by the end of the year he usually ended up starting in bowl games for Bill Dooley's Tar Heels.
``I hadn't been doing all that great,'' said Edwards, who got the ball on 11 of Tech's last 15 plays. ``He [Oxendine] had been making big plays.''
Last season, Edwards scored 10 touchdowns, a record for a Tech freshman, and he had a 144-yard ground game in a victory over Maryland. However, there's no question Saturday's effort was more significant because of where Edwards was emotionally, where the Hokies are in the polls.
When Edwards scored a touchdown in the Independence Bowl, he created the first father-son duo to score in bowl games for Tech. His dad, Kenny, was Beamer's Tech teammate in the late '60s.
Edwards knows that history won't put him in the lineup. He also knows Oxendine, with his speed to veer outside and superior size, will make Hite a deep thinker weekly on Tech's uncommon tailback depth.
Hite said if Thomas is healthy, he will start Oct.22 at Lane Stadium against Pitt. If not, he will decide between Edwards and Oxendine, perhaps by Monday.
``It has been a little frustrating,'' Edwards said. ``You just have to go out and play hard when you get the chance.
``I don't think it's so much redemption. We all want to go out there on every play and make a big play.''
Some days, a lot of smaller plays are a bigger deal.
Write to Jack Bogaczyk at the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, 24010-2491.
by CNB