Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 30, 1994 TAG: 9412300130
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING AND JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
Freshman Tony Morrison, who has the task of replacing injured All-Big East Conference performer Ken Brown against the Vols, could return to his high school position in 1995.
``When we recruited Tony, we promised him we'd sit down and talk before his sophomore year about quarterback,'' said Frank Beamer, the Hokies' coach. ``I think he'd be an excellent inside linebacker.''
In 1993, Morrison was a first-team All-Group AAA quarterback and defensive back at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Va.
With Tech losing senior starter Maurice DeShazo, Beamer will have to find a new quarterback for '95. Morrison would battle current sophomore Jim Druckenmiller and freshman Al Clark, who is redshirting, for the starting job.
For now, though, Morrison is concentrating on playing defense. The 6-foot-1, 211-pounder will have his hands full against the Vols.
``I'm going to try to use my quickness to offset their size,'' Morrison said. ``They're big and they can move, but I'm not that worried about it.
``I'm not feeling any pressure. The coaches and players have been talking to me every day to keep my keel at the right level.''
Morrison played in 10 games this season, including a start at outside linebacker in Tech's regular-season finale against Virginia.
Brown missed the UVa game and will be available tonight only in some run situations.
TOUGH TEAMS: Tennessee's 7-4 record is its worst regular-season mark in six years, and perhaps one reason for that is the Vols' schedule.
Gator Bowl foes Tennessee and Virginia Tech each played five bowl teams, but the Vols' schedule was much more imposing, according to the NCAA computer rankings.
The NCAA poll for strength of schedule put Tennessee seventh in Division I-A at season's end. The Vols' opponents, not including games against Tennessee, finished 64-45-2.
Tech's schedule (54-50-2) ranked 46th among 107 teams in Division I-A. Tennessee's schedule was the toughest in the Southeastern Conference. Tech's schedule ranked sixth in the eight-team Big East.
The top 10 in strength of schedule were: Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida State, Southern California, Southern Mississippi, Michigan State, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama and Miami.
VOLS' FUTURE: Tennessee's planned three-game series with Tech was dropped when the SEC expanded and the Hokies entered the Big East, but the Vols still will play some of Tech's conference brethren.
Tennessee's annual three non-conference games in upcoming seasons include dates with Notre Dame, UCLA, Syracuse, Boston College and Miami.
``Playing a tough schedule is important to us,'' said Phil Fulmer, the Vols' coach. ``We try to recruit nationally and the exposure is important, and we've had reasonably good success playing schedules like this in the past. ... if you want to be the best, you play the best.''
COLQUITT'S FATHER DIES: The father of Tennessee quarterback Jerry Colquitt died in Oak Ridge, Tenn., of a heart attack. John D. Colquitt was 47.
Oak Ridge firefighters called to the Colquitt home found him in cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead at 12:43 a.m. Methodist Medical Center.
Jerry Colquitt began the season as Tennessee's starting quarterback before a knee injury in the first game sidelined him for the season.
GATOR BITES: The Gator Bowl will be officiated by a crew from the Western Athletic Conference. ... One of the highlights for the Hokies in Florida this week was the par by associate athletic director Danny Monk on the famous No.17 ``island'' hole at the TPC Stadium golf course at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra. Monk squeezed in a round on the famous course, where the greens fee is $135. ... A corporate spokesman for Outback Steakhouse, the 214-restaurant chain that is finishing its third year as Gator Bowl sponsor, said one will open in Roanoke in the summer.
by CNB