Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The junior tailback ran to three school records Saturday afternoon, and VMI's defense offered a season-best performance as the Keydets steamed past UT-Chattanooga 17-12 on Parents' Day at Alumni Memorial Field.
Haskins rushed 29 times for 266 yards, bettering his own mark of 251 set last year against Richmond. More than half of his rushing yardage Saturday came on blockbuster scoring runs of 80 and 55 yards.
Haskins posted both VMI touchdowns, the 28th and 29th of his career, another Keydet record.
Haskins also returned a kickoff for 18 yards, and caught a pass for 25, giving him 309 all-purpose yards. That moved him past Ronnie Moore into first place on the all-time, all-purpose yards list.
``We stuck to our guts,'' said second-year Keydet coach Bill Stewart, referring to VMI's execution of its game plan. ``Thomas is the ultimate team man; he'll only praise his offensive line, and the downfield blocking of his wide receivers.''
Haskins' first score came midway through the first quarter, on VMI's first play from scrimmage. The 80-yard run was the longest of his three-year career.
``We call that play `student body right,''' Stewart said. ``Pitch the ball to Thomas and run like hell.''
``It's always good to get out of the gate like that,'' Haskins said.
Haskins' 55-yard jaunt early in the third quarter was video highlight material. He broke several tackles, cut back against the grain, and ran diagonally from one sideline to the other.
``Cutting back is natural for me right now,'' said Haskins, who finished fourth in the country in rushing with a 137.2 yards-per-game average last year. ``That's the key to my game. My speed's coming along, but when my back is to the line is when I do my thing.''
The Moccasins controlled the ball for most of the game, holding nearly a nine-minute advantage in possession time, and running 28 more offensive plays than the Keydets. But UT-C suffered two interceptions and also lost two fumbles.
One fumble occurred in the second period when UT-C quarterback Jeff Peters dropped back to pass on second-and-10 at the Keydets' 13 and was sacked by linebacker and Franklin County native Mike Edwards.
``That was the one play I made today,'' Edwards said. ``Coach [defensive coordinator Tom Throckmorton] called my blitz, and the line parted like the Red Sea.''
VMI defensive tackle Tom Curran recovered the ball at the 26.
Keydet linebacker Kelly Cook rambled 49 yards with an interception of a Peters pass early in the second quarter, but fumbled when he was tackled, and Peters got the ball back.
VMI improved its season record to 3-4, 2-2 in the Southern Conference. The Keydets had not won three games in one season since 1992.
UT-C fell to 2-4, 0-3, losing for the third consecutive time in Lexington. In the series history, however, the Moccasins still hold an 8-4-1 edge.
The Keydet defense had allowed an average of 40.5 points in its six previous games. Three opponents had scored more than 50 points and no opponent had scored less than 27.
The kicking game was a problem for UT-C. Josh Siefkin, who was two-for-six on field goal attempts this year prior to Saturday, missed a gimme in the first quarter from 20 yards. He also failed on an extra-point attempt, banging it off the upright.
``I hated to see that happen,'' Stewart said. ``I'd rather we block it than for him to just miss.''
Prior to the missed field goal, UT-C had been inside its opponents' 20 yard line 11 times this season and had scored 10 times (91 percent).
The Moccasins gained 195 rushing yards, split between backs Tyrone Coleman (101 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries) and Mario Grier (94 yards on 17 attempts).
Peters completed 14 of 35 passing attempts for 169 yards. Split end Terrell Owens caught five passes, giving him 122 for his career, a UT-C school record.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB