Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 8, 1995 TAG: 9509080107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Boston College's first visit to Virginia Tech produced big plays. Big turnovers. Big mistakes. Big penalties. Big pressure. Big drops. A big finish. And what could have been a big gaffe.
The Hokies had every opportunity to win. An extra opportunity, it turned out.
Tech got five downs at the end of its last, futile drive, when the Hokies completed a first-and-10 pass from the BC 27-yard line for 8 yards and were given a first down.
From there, Tech came up short by itself. Trying to pass, the Hokies got four incompletes and flunked a tough early test.
The Eagles held on to win 20-14, thanks to a big-time performance at quarterback from junior Mark Hartsell. They begin the Big East year in first place, which, this season, could be a bigger deal than in most Septembers.
Most 20th-ranked teams coming off back-to-back bowl trips would see more than 44,426 turnstile-trippers, particularly for a conference date to start a season with only five home games.
However, executives from the Gator and Carquest bowls were present. For an opener? Before the leaves have turned, much less fallen?
Hey, it's only 12 weeks until those bids go out.
Even in the press box, some folks were tighter than their neckties.
After a pass-interference call on Hokies cornerback Antonio Banks in the second quarter, setting up BC's second touchdown, Tech athletic director Dave Braine was behind press row, bending the ear of Big East officiating coordinator Dan Wooldridge.
Unsportsmanlike conduct? No, just lobbying. It's nothing Wooldridge hasn't heard before. Besides, the TV replay showed Wooldridge's zebras made the right call.
That time, anyway.
The officials threw plenty of flags, for 138 yards in the first half alone, a byproduct of first-game and big-game urgency in a conference where everyone knows this might not be another Hurricane season.
The Hokies opened with 17 starters returning from last year's Gator Bowl, but they certainly didn't look the same, particularly on offense.
Tech came out with a no-huddle attack, mostly out of the shotgun. Frank Beamer's program used the deep snap on less than 20 percent of its plays last year. It's part of the return of prodigal coordinator Rickey Bustle.
It didn't fluster BC, but it does fit rookie quarterback starter Jim Druckenmiller, . He not only broke the school record for letters in a starting quarterback's surname - passing '60s great Bob Schweickert. He also got superb protection.
Druckenmiller's first two passes were steamed into open receivers' hands. Those weren't the only things the Hokies fumbled away. Then, they lost their top wideout, Brian Still, to a shoulder injury on the kickoff to open the second half.
In the end, Tech had 100 more yards than the Eagles in seven fewer minutes of possession time, but was only 3-of-16 on third-down conversions.
The Eagles have lost All-America tight end Pete Mitchell to the NFL draft, but it hardly was evident he's now playing for Jacksonville. Tech still hasn't covered a BC tight end.
From its starting defense of a year ago, Tech lost only All-Big East linebacker Ken Brown, now with the Denver Broncos. Hartsell's passing to the tight ends turned Brown's old spot into Tech's ``toast'' linebacker position.
Hartsell, harassed and hurt by the Hokies in a Beantown loss a year ago, was a picture of poise. Tech didn't blitz him as fiercely and frequently as last September. The BC line gave him plenty of time to deliver, and he did.
Without a rush job, Hartsell reminded Tech's secondary of its late-season leakiness of a year ago. Hartsell's air efficiency was a must, because BC didn't have a ground game.
The Eagles' opening loss to Ohio State in the Kickoff Classic certainly isn't as big as the 38-6 score seems. Conference play is more meaningful to those Gator and Carquest scouts, almost as meaningful as ticket sales.
Miami (0-1) might not even be eligible for one of the Big East bowl spots by season's end. The Hurricanes could be sitting at home with NCAA sanctions.
So, BC's victory is magnified, as is the Hokies' defeat. Tech has only two more Big East dates at home this season, and to stay in contention, the Hokies hardly can afford a loss to visiting Miami on Sept.23, particularly with six of their last eight games away from Lane.
They probably won't get five downs to win again, either.
by CNB