ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512070043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: College Notebook
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
Virginia football coach George Welsh, constantly searching for the ideal method of bowl-game preparation, is considering taking his team to a warm-weather site before it arrives in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.
Welsh, who officially accepted the Peach Bowl offer at the Cavaliers' men's basketball game with Vanderbilt on Tuesday, said UVa has talked about practicing at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., located just over two hours from Atlanta.
``I'm considering going south for three or four days,'' Welsh said. ``We'll probably decide that in the next couple of days. If we don't do that, we'll stay here and probably go down there the 24th. Christmas Day is the Monday of game week, so I think we have to get that practice in.
``Otherwise, I don't think we'll be as well-prepared as we want to be, or we should be.''
Georgia coach Ray Goff said there is a possibility that No.1 quarterback John Bobo, who suffered a shoulder separation in the third game, could return for the Peach Bowl. Tailback Robert Edwards, lost for the season after rushing for 325 yards and six touchdowns in the first two games, remains sidelined.
TICKET SALES: Virginia ticket manager Dick Mathias said his office had sold 8,600 Peach Bowl tickets before opening Wednesday and hoped to top the 10,000 mark by the end of the day. UVa has sold more than 4,000 tickets since Monday, the day after Georgia was announced as its opponent.
GARCIA CHARGED: UVa's football team received some unwanted publicity when All-ACC place-kicker Rafael Garcia was charged with driving under the influence while in Danville over the Thanksgiving holiday. Garcia had a blood-alcohol content of .09 - the legal limit is .08 - and faces a Jan.4 court date. It will not affect his status for the bowl.
TECH CONNECTIONS: Bruce Arians and Billy Clay, out as the offensive and defensive coordinators at Mississippi State, both had Tech ties. Clay, a 31-year assistant, was on the Tech staff in the early 1970s - at the same time that Arians was a quarterback for the Hokies.
Dick Biddle, who coached under Bill Dooley at Virginia Tech in the mid-1980s, is the new head coach at Colgate. Biddle was on the staff of Ed Sweeney, ousted after 10 years as Colgate coach. ... Auburn defensive coordinator Wayne Hall, a one-time Hokies' assistant, has been mentioned as a possible choice for the head-coaching position at Georgia.
RECRUITING: Jamie Trail, the mother of Pulaski County place-kicker Shayne Graham said Wednesday that her son has scheduled only one official visit, to Virginia Tech on Dec.16, and is favoring the Hokies and North Carolina.
Cougars' coach Joel Hicks said Graham also is considering a visit to Virginia. The only offer Graham has declined is from Boston College because of the distance and cold weather. Also, the Eagles play and practice on turf, a hindrance in preparation for road games played on grass.
Elisha Harris, the football coach at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, says that All-America wide receiver Plaxico Burress is considering Michigan, Michigan State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Reports that Burress has committed to Florida are erroneous, although he has an interest in the Gators.
HODGES A HOKIE: Gray Hodges, son of ex-New York Mets catcher Ron Hodges and brother of Ferrum College catcher Riley Hodges, was the first baseball player to sign a letter-of-intent with Virginia Tech during the fall period.
Gray Hodges played left field for Franklin County last year, when he batted attempts. He also played quarterback for the Eagles' football team and was a second-team All-Roanoke Valley District selection.
NON-REVENUE: Ken Alrutz, who has compiled a 112-58 record in eight seasons at VMI, has been named collegiate coach of the year by the Mid-Atlantic Professional Tennis Association.
IN THE ODAC: Emory & Henry basketball player Jason Light, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Floyd County, was 18-for-18 from the field and scored 41 points in the Wasps' 99-92 victory over King College. Light, who had 85 points in a three-game span, set Division III records for most consecutive made field goals and best shooting percentage in a game.
Aimee Beightol, an All-Group AAA selection last year for Cave Spring High School, was named most valuable player in the Ramada Tip-Off Classic after registering 31 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and eight steals in her first two games for Randolph-Macon.
LOCAL UPDATE: Alleghany High School product Michael Hunter, a sophomore at Ferrum College, was named rookie of the week in the Dixie Conference after averaging 25.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in the Panthers' first three games. He sat out the 1994-95 season with a heart condition.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 linesby CNB