ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 26, 1995 TAG: 9512260068
SECTION: BOWL GUIDE PAGE: BG-10 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
When people talk about Virginia Tech's Sugar Bowl-bound football team, the conversation usually begins with the Hokies' defense.
And when people talk about Tech's defense, the dialogue generally starts with the Hokies' ferocious interior line.
That's fine, says free safety William Yarborough, under one condition: Just don't forget to throw in a positive word or two about Tech's defensive backs.
The fifth-year senior from Newport News says at least part of the credit for the success of the Hokies' much-publicized line should go to its oft-times forgotten backs.
``Not taking anything away from the defensive line, but the secondary kind of works hand in hand with those guys,'' Yarborough said. ``Sure, they're getting a lot of `pub' for the sacks and everything, but we're the ones making the good covers. If we don't cover, the quarterback gets the ball off quick and there's no sack. If we cover well enough, the quarterback has to eat the ball.
``So, I figure we should get a little `pub.' The D-Line has played great, but we've got to get some respect, too.''
After all, it's not as if the Tech secondary of Yarborough, Torrian Gray, Antonio Banks, Larry Green and freshmen Loren Johnson and Pierson Prioleau has taken the season off. The Hokies finished the regular season ranked No.23 among NCAA Division I-A teams in pass-efficiency defense.
OK, maybe that's small potatoes when compared with a Tech rush defense that ranked No.1 in the country. Just don't tell Yarborough & Co.
``After the Cincinnati game [a 16-0 loss that left Tech with an 0-2 record], this secondary got its act together,'' Yarborough said. ``Regardless of what people say about the height factor of our corners [Green, Banks, Johnson and Prioleau, all 5-foot-11 or shorter], they've been playing well. They can play against anybody.''
As can Yarborough. The 6-0, 165-pound free safety led Tech in interceptions (five) and pass break-ups (11) and was selected first-team All-Big East Conference.
Not bad for a skinny kid who was a walk-on at Tech coming out of Warwick High School in 1991.
``Making first team all-conference was one of my goals I wanted to achieve before I left here,'' Yarborough said. ``I didn't really make any all-league teams in high school. I never got the `pub' I thought I deserved. But my coaches always told me, `Your time is coming.'''
Yarborough must have wondered when. After walking on at Tech as a cornerback in 1991, he was redshirted. Then, he broke a hand during a spring scrimmage.
``After my redshirt freshman year, I said to myself, `They're not looking at any walk-ons. They already know who they're going to play from the scholarship people.' I almost thought about giving it up.
``Come spring time, I was thinking about leaving or staying and it came to a point where I said, `This is something I'd really like to do - play football - and I'm not going to give up on it.' I thought if I worked hard enough, it would pay off. Finally, it did, because I was put on scholarship in August of my second year.''
After being put on scholarship in his second year at Tech, Yarborough played in nine games for the Hokies' 2-8-1 team of '92. He became a starter in '93 when current NFL performer Tyronne Drakeford (San Francisco 49ers) was injured at midseason and has been a Tech mainstay since.
Frank Beamer, the Hokies' head coach, said Yarborough has been one of the keys to Tech's unprecedented run of three bowl trips.
``William is the best player who probably doesn't get as much attention as he deserves,'' Beamer said. ``He's one of the smartest football players, common-sense football players, toughest guys that we have. His body is skinny and bony, but I'm going to tell you he will hit you. He stings people when he hits 'em. He packs a punch.''
Mention his penchant for coming up with big hits and Yarborough flashes a devilish grin.
``I'm a little smaller than everybody else, so I figure I've got to hit 'em hard enough to let 'em know that I'm there,'' said Yarborough, snickering. ``I figure if I give it my all when I hit somebody, I let 'em know that even though I'm small I can pack a little punch. I've got to use something to my advantage out there.''
After three years at cornerback, Yarborough was moved to safety before last season's Gator Bowl.
``Once I got back there and started playing free safety, I wished I'd been there a long time ago,'' Yarborough said. ``There's a lot more freedom there than at corner.''
Beamer said the move has worked out well for Yarborough and for Banks, who switched from safety to corner.
``I think William is a natural free safety because of his ability to cover ground and break on balls,'' Beamer said. ``Meanwhile, Tony [Banks] has the strength and speed to take on a wide receiver, control him a little at the line of scrimmage and just run with him.''
Yarborough said at free safety he has had plenty of time to survey the damage being done up front by Cornell Brown & Co.
``Hey, I'm not jealous of those guys,'' Yarborough said. ``I'm back there in a zone a lot of times just watching 'em in action chasing the quarterback and wreaking havoc. It's exciting watching 'em play.
``I remember the West Virginia game [a 27-0 Hokies victory]. I was joking 'em, saying stuff like, `Hey, can I get a tackle back here some time?'
``Finally, I said to myself, `Whew, those guys are helping me out, saving my body from some abuse.' It's a nice problem to have, because if I'm making a bunch of tackles where I'm at, something is definitely wrong.''
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Tech's William Yarborough tackles Miamiby CNBquarterback Ryan Collins at Lane Stadium.