Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1995 TAG: 9511150070
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The state's media caravan arrived at Tech on Tuesday, and the Hokies, much like the Cavaliers on Monday, weren't exactly loading up the punches.
Other than the customary ``ah, we hate 'em'' jabs, there were no reported haymakers - barbs that could end up as highlighted material on the opposing team's bulletin board - thrown in either camp the past two days.
Tech defensive tackle J.C. Price said he doesn't expect any serious mudslinging from either side before they meet Saturday at noon at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.
``I think that comes with winning,'' Price said. ``Before you always had one team in the spotlight ... and the other team wouldn't be.
``Now you have both teams in the spotlight. In years before, the team that wasn't in the spotlight probably felt it wasn't getting its just due, its pops ... and it would be more quick to cut down the UVa program.
``The easiest way to get publicity from someone else's success is taking potshots at 'em. That's where all that came from.''
Price said most of the trash-talking between 20th-ranked Tech (8-2) and 13th-ranked UVa (8-3) will occur on the field. But he said most of the garbage will be piled on the periphery, not in the trenches.
``Most of the trash-talking will come between the D-backs and receivers ... those guys are out in space,'' Price said.
``Us guys [in the line] are in close quarters and we don't tend to say too much. It's so physical and so many things can happen so quickly in there. So it's better for me to keep my mouth shut so nobody gets mad at me for anything more than what they're already mad at me about to begin with.''
Price, who hails from Dunkirk, Md., nevertheless, understands why the blood boils in this heated rivalry.
``A lot of these guys competed against us in high school, even Little League,'' Price said. ``This goes back probably as far as families, I don't know. I'm sure that somewhere down the line [Tech] coach [Frank] Beamer's great uncle played against [UVa] Coach [George] Welsh's great uncle in the UVa-Tech game ... maybe he took him out and there's some hatred there, I don't know ... it's like the McCoys and Hatfields. It's big.
``The rivalry, I think, is good for both. I think most of the negative parts are manifested by the students and the alumni. They're the ones who go crazy over this game. Everyone wants to be able to say, `My school beat your school and ha, ha.'''
X-RATED VIDEO: Beamer had a case of the Monday morning blahs after taking a gander at the film of last year's game, a 42-23 Cavaliers blowout in Blacksburg.
``I looked at that thing and had to take a break,'' Beamer said. ``I couldn't keep looking. It was kind of ugly.''
Eight Tech turnovers - five Maurice DeShazo interceptions and three fumbles - paved the way for 29 UVa points.
``We watched it'' Monday, said Brandon Semones, a junior linebacker for Tech. ``Our pride was really crushed. That was the first time we'd really been dominated all year and it may have stayed with us all the way through our bowl practices'' before a 45-23 thumping by Tennessee in the Gator Bowl.
RECRUIT NO.9: The Hokies have received their latest oral commitment from Walter Ford, a 5-foot-9, 166-pound wide receiver from Butler (Kan.) Community College.
Ford is a graduate of Hampton High School, where he made All-Eastern Region as a running back, defensive back and kick-returner. He rushed for 1,092 yards and scored 28 touchdowns as a senior.
Ford, who had 40 touchdowns in his career at Hampton, has followed the same route as Myron Newsome, a Tech linebacker. Newsome played with Ford at Hampton before preceding him by one year at Butler.
Of the nine players who have made oral commitments to Tech this year, Ford is the first from a junior college. The Hokies are known to be recruiting at least two other junior college transfers.
Beamer, however, doesn't see Tech putting much more emphasis on JUCO players.
``I don't think we can,'' said the Hokies' coach. ``You've got to transfer 48 or more hours of C or better work in acceptable classes here. There's not lot of JUCOs we can get in school. More so than not, I like to build a program on four-year kids.''
TECH TIDBITS: Look for sophomore Ken Oxendine to get his first start of the season Saturday at tailback. Oxendine will get the nod because of a bruised left hip suffered by senior Dwayne Thomas on the opening kickoff Saturday against Temple. ... Tech ranks second in the country in scoring defense (12.6 points per game), second in rushing defense (74.8 yards per game), eighth in total defense (272.5 ypg) and 15th in passing-efficiency defense (98.6 rating). ... When senior safety William Yarborough was named Big East defensive player of the week Monday, it marked the fourth consecutive week a Hokie has won the award. Cornell Brown (twice) and Price won it the other three weeks.
by CNB