ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 28, 1995 TAG: 9512280045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: College Notebook
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
Presumably, there is nobody better qualified to address the Virginia Tech-Texas matchup than the one team that has played both of them.
The Cavaliers must play Tech and Texas again next year, however, which is the cause for some discretion.
``I think Texas is a better team now than when they played us,'' UVa coach George Welsh said. ``Beating us helped them psychologically. I think they're a better offensive team maybe [than they were].
``Texas is as good on defense as Virginia Tech, which says a lot, but we think [the Longhorns] were. They're tough, they're big, they're athletic. I'm not sure there's going to be a lot of points in that one.''
Virginia's losses to Texas (17-16) and Tech (36-29) were both decided in the final minute. The UVa-Texas game, played in Austin, Texas, was close throughout. Tech trailed 29-14 in the fourth quarter before rallying to win in Charlottesville.
``I wasn't impressed with Texas that much at all,'' UVa defensive back Ronde Barber said. ``I feel we gave that game away. We came out of the game feeling we had whupped 'em, [but] the scoreboard didn't show it.
``I don't even know what to say about Virginia Tech. That game seems like such a blur now. I'll be pulling for them, though. I don't think [the Longhorns] will be able to run the ball against Tech like they did against us.''
Virginia's seniors won't have to play either Tech or Texas again, so they weren't quite as diplomatic. UVa senior Mike Groh was surprisingly frank when asked about All-America pass rushers Cornell Brown of Tech and Tony Brackens of Texas.
``There's no comparison,'' Groh said. ``Brackens. He's a one-of-a-kind player, an explosive player with size (6 feet 4, 250 pounds). We didn't change anything in our blocking scheme to try and stop Cornell Brown. We did for Tony Brackens.''
Virginia offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien said Tech and Texas both like to blitz and frequently rely on man-to-man coverage. From a defensive perspective, UVa felt the Longhorns had the most multi-dimensional offense they faced.
``They did a good job of getting us to think by formation,'' UVa defensive coordinator Rick Lantz said. ``They did a good job of running the ball out of passing formations and of passing when it looked like a run. Tech's got to be careful of that.''
ODD SIGHT: Virginia senior Bobby Neely, a tight end with National Football League aspirations, is the only art history major on the Cavaliers' team.
``I've never seen a football player in one of my classes and not even another athlete who I would recognize,'' he said. ``It's not a real popular major.
``I've majored in probably every major there is: economics, psychology, sports medicine, even engineering. Oh, ho, ho. I didn't try art history till my junior year, so that's basically all I've been taking.''
HISTORIC REMATCH: Peach Bowl opponents Virginia and Georgia have met 16 times, including the 1897 game that was marred by the death of Georgia fullback Richard Gammon, fatally injured at Brisbine Park.
Gammon was playing without a helmet, which was the norm in those days. His death prompted a bill in the Georgia General Assembly to outlaw the game, but the governor refused to sign it after an appeal from Gammon's mother.
``It would be inexpressibly sad to have the cause he held so dear injured by his sacrifice,'' she wrote. ``Grant me the right to request that the boy's death should not be used to defeat the most cherished object of his life.''
FOGGY MEMORIES: The Carquest Bowl meeting between North Carolina and Arkansas will be the first since the 1981 Gator Bowl, won by the Tar Heels 31-27 under some of the most bizarre conditions available.
Fog was so thick in Jacksonville, Fla., that the game could be televised only with ground-level cameras. Play-by-play announcer Al Michaels had to broadcast with monitors because he could not see the field from the press box.
RECRUITING: Various sources are reporting that Virginia has an oral commitment from Demeterius Dodson, a wide receiver from Staten Island, N.Y. Dodson is one of five preseason SuperPrep All-Americans among UVa's 12 known commitments.
SLAPSTICK SONNY: Virginia Commonwealth men's basketball coach Sonny Smith, always quick with a quip, had some humorous thoughts after an 80-65 loss to Virginia put the Rams at .500.
``We've played a lot of games,'' Smith said. ``This is our 10th game. Only [Georgia Tech coach] Bobby Cremins would do something like that 'cause he can't count. And I can't either.''
CHANGING ON THE FLY: Kenny Blakeney, a reserve guard at Duke last season, has replaced Dwight Freeman on the men's basketball staff at James Madison.
Freeman, formerly the head coach at Marshall, left JMU after the start of preseason practice to take a job at Miami. Former Virginia All-American and one-time JMU part-time assistant Ralph Sampson had been mentioned as a possible replacement.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 linesby CNB