Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 14, 1995 TAG: 9510170005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Duke football coach Fred Goldsmith had answered one question on the weekly ACC telephone conference call Wednesday when, suddenly, he was disconnected.
``I pushed the wrong button,'' said Goldsmith after returning to the line. ``Some people say I've been doing that a lot this year.''
Goldsmith, whose first Duke team got off to a 7-0 start in 1994, has seen the Blue Devils lose three games in a row as they prepare to visit 19th-ranked Virginia today at 1:30 p.m.
The Cavaliers (5-2 overall, 4-1 ACC) are heavy favorites to keep Duke (2-5, 0-3) winless at Scott Stadium since 1981, and Virginia Tech does not figure to have much trouble with non-conference foe Akron, which comes to Lane Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Tech has won both previous meetings with the Zips, who were coached by one-time Notre Dame mentor Gerry Faust when they lost to the Hokies 29-3 in 1989 and 42-24 in 1991.
The UVa-Duke series has been almost as lopsided in recent years - with one notable exception, when the Blue Devils upset then-No.13 Virginia 28-25 last year in Durham, N.C.
``I don't believe in revenge, but payback's different,'' said UVa coach George Welsh, who has never been particularly fond of the Blue Devils, particularly when Steve Spurrier was the Duke coach. ``It's something out of the Bible.''
``Sounds like the same thing to me,'' Cavaliers defensive back Ronde Barber said.
Some might view Duke as a break for Virginia, which had won five games in a row before losing at North Carolina, 22-17, last week. Five of UVa's past six games are against teams that have been ranked in the Top 25 this year, including the past four.
``I don't think we'll take [the Blue Devils] lightly,'' Welsh said. ``We've got to be completely stupid if we do. This [is] a crossroads game for us. That's how we need to approach it [and] take care of all the little things.''
Although the Blue Devils have been plagued by injuries, Goldsmith conceded there has been an adjustment to the loss of three assistant coaches, including coordinators Mike Heimerdinger and Craig Bohl. The new offensive coordinator is one-time Ferrum College assistant John Zernhelt.
``I'm not saying this in a negative way,'' Goldsmith said, ``but there's always some growing pains when that happens. I didn't look really for there to be [an adjustment] because I hadn't really been in that situation before, but, obviously, there has been somewhat.''
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer also has been looking for some answers. Unlike Goldsmith, however, Beamer and the Hokies have been able to win three games in a row while trying to find some offensive consistency.
The Hokies (3-2) have averaged more than 400 yards against Boston College, Miami and Pittsburgh - their most celebrated opponents - but have failed to gain 300 yards against lesser-name foes Cincinnati and Navy.
Akron, in its first season under head coach Lee Owens, stunned the Mid-American Conference two weeks ago with a 16-13 victory over defending champion Central Michigan. Eastern Michigan then handed the Zips (1-4) their 10th straight road loss, 7-3.
``They're capable of coming in here and beating Virginia Tech,'' Beamer said. ``They're big enough and fast enough, [but] the key for us is for us to play well. I don't care who we're playing. We've got to get better.''
Tech will celebrate its homecoming, and there will be a homecoming of sorts in Lexington, where VMI (2-4 overall, 1-2 Southern) plays host to Tennessee-Chattanooga (2-3, 0-2) at 1:30 p.m. The Moccasins are coached by Buddy Green, who coached the secondary for the Keydets from 1983-84.
``They hit Marshall in the mouth [before losing 35-32] and we got whipped by Marshall,'' said VMI coach Bill Stewart, trying to avoid a fourth straight loss. ``I'd be thrilled to death if we can stay with Chattanooga until the fourth quarter.''
Lexington's other team, Washington and Lee, hopes that its double threat of quarterback Brooks Fischer and tailback Seth McKinney can yield the Generals' first victory at Hampden-Sydney in five years. Ferrum, also on the road today, goes to Chowan in search of its fifth victory in six games.
by CNB