Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 2, 1995 TAG: 9509060022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers are not scheduled to play the Tribe after tonight and there has been little talk of a resumption.
``No more I-AAs for us unless they change the rules,'' UVa coach George Welsh said earlier this week, ``but, then, our schedule is going to be made up for another seven or eight years or so.''
Virginia and other Division I-A teams have been discouraged from playing Division I-AA teams because of an NCAA rule requiring six victories over Division I-A opposition for bowl consideration. That's why the Cavaliers dropped William and Mary in favor of Central Michigan for the 1996 opener.
In the interim, some of the Division I-AA schools have mobilized, claiming they need ``money'' games against Division I-A schools to help subsidize their programs. Proposals to have the six-victory rule amended are on the agenda for this winter's NCAA convention.
``I think I know why it went in,'' Welsh said. ``It went in because some teams were loaded up with those kind of schools. The service academies were playing Lafayette [and/or] Lehigh and sometimes three schools like that.
``I always said, it takes seven wins anyway, but that's not true any more. We've gotten seven and not gone [to a bowl] and other teams have gotten six and gone. With this bowl alliance, the way it's worked out isn't exactly what you'd want either.''
There was considerable debate last year, when Virginia announced it was dropping the Tribe, but it's hardly been a storied rivalry. The teams have met only 31 times since 1908 and have played as many as six consecutive games only once, from 1935-40.
There's no comparison with the UVa-VMI series, halted in 1991 after 81 meetings.
``If we're going to continue to play I-AA schools, why don't we give Richmond and James Madison a chance to play us if they want to play us?'' Welsh continued.
``But, you know what? I don't care what the rule is. It doesn't make any difference to me. We're not going to have any I-AAs through the year 2002 or so anyway.''
There will be a certain symmetry to tonight's game because it marks the Cavaliers' return to natural grass after a 20-year break. William and Mary was also the opponent for the first game after UVa installed an artificial surface in 1974.
``I've been out there twice now; or, rather, I've had the team out there,'' Welsh said. ``I like it a lot. It's a soft field. I think it's improved the appearance of the stadium because the Astroturf was old and we had that spot in the middle of the field [since an act of vandalism in 1990].''
Money for the conversion was donated by David Harrison, in whose name the field will be dedicated in pregame ceremonies. That's the reason for a 7 p.m. kickoff, the first evening start for a UVa game since 1992.
``We may go back to playing one at night,'' Welsh said. ``I know the students don't like those early afternoon games.''
VMI will begin its season in the heat of the day, when Richmond entertains the Keydets at 1 p.m. at City Stadium. It will be the Spiders' first game under Jim Reid, their former defensive coordinator, who returned to Richmond this year after one year as an assistant at Boston College.
VMI tight end Greg Harris said the word from Keydets' head coach Bill Stewart was that excessive heat caused Richmond to cut short its first practice of the preseason and reconvene at 8 p.m.
``He reminds us of that every day,'' Harris said. ``It was too hot for them, so they moved the practice to when it was cooler. Meanwhile, we're out there in the middle of the desert.''
VMI almost handed Stewart his first victory as Keydets' coach when it took a a 31-13 lead over Richmond in last year's opening game. The Spiders rallied for a 34-31 victory and it was the 11th week before VMI broke its losing streak.
``All of a sudden we're up by 18 points,'' Harris said. ``We'd never been there before. Then, to see it all slip away, I think it had a big effect on us the rest of the season.''
On the first day of practice, Stewart set a Richmond helmet at his feet and showed the Keydets a replay of the final quarter of last year's game.
``That really sunk in,'' Harris said. ``We realized, `Wow, we really blew this game!'''
Payback also could be a factor today in Glassboro, N.J., where 1993 Division III runner-up Rowan entertains Ferrum. The Professors won 17-10 at Ferrum last year after driving 94 yards to score the winning touchdown with 6:09 remaining.
(Sportswriter Dan Uthman contributed information for this story.)
by CNB