ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 28, 1996 TAG: 9603280026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
For Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, a recent fact-finding mission to the University of Nebraska was valuable - in part - for what he didn't find out.
``They do some things out of a different alignment,'' said Foster, who was joined by defensive assistants Lew West and Jim Cavanaugh, ``but, in terms of philosophy and scheme, we're very similar.
``When you're doing a lot of the same things as the two-time national [football] champions, it makes you feel pretty good.''
To be honest, Foster knew that before he went to Lincoln. The Hokies, coming off a 10-2 season, weren't looking to overhaul their defense.
``We visited Nebraska because, number one, Nebraska plays great defense,'' Foster said. ``But, we weren't looking to change a whole lot - just a wrinkle here or there.''
For the same reason, Foster hopes to spend several days observing the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp because of their pressure package. West Virginia's staff already has been to Pittsburgh and San Francisco as part of a growing trend toward off-season travel.
Foster reeled off 17 college programs that have sent representatives to Blacksburg - everybody from Top 25 teams such as Kansas to NAIA school Tiffin (Ohio) College. Some of the other Division I coaches have come from Bowling Green, Purdue, Southern Mississippi, Indiana and Toledo.
None of those schools is on the Hokies' upcoming schedules.
``We allow them to come in and watch practice,'' said Foster, who indicated many of the coaches came to Blacksburg before the start of spring practice. ``We don't lend our film out and we don't send out our play books. It's one of those deals where we visit with people, but we're not telling all our secrets.''
SPRING FOOTBALL: Eric Boykin, who has spent two seasons as West Virginia's backup quarterback after transferring from Michigan, will begin spring practice at tight end. Mountaineers coach Don Nehlen said he did not want Boykin and starter Chad Johnston, a pair of fifth-year seniors, getting all the work.
Virginia coaches are hoping defensive lineman Maurice ``Mo'' Anderson can participate in contact work this week after recovering from a facial wound allegedly inflicted by basketball signee Melvin Whitaker. Insiders said Anderson was ``unblockable'' while on the scout team in the fall.
BASKETBALL RECRUITING: Kris Hunter, a 6-foot-9 post player from Tallahassee, Fla., has told Virginia he will take an official visit the second weekend of April. The Cavaliers also are looking at Ronnie DeGray from Howard College in Big Spring, Texas, and Terrell Woods from San Jose (Calif.) City College - a pair of wide-bodied 6-7 power players.
Virginia Tech received a visit during the weekend from 6-8 Russ Wheeler from Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., who also is considering Xavier, Ohio State and Western Kentucky. As a junior, Wheeler played with Shareef Abdur-Rahim, national freshman of the year for California this season.
Tim Duncan has not told Wake Forest whether he will return for his senior season, but the Deacons are prepared for any contingency. They signed 7-foot Loren Woods in November and are expected to sign 6-11, 245-pound Swede Joakim Bloom, who is considered an impact player.
The Deacons are expected to announce this week that freshman Armond Wilson will be transferring at the end of the semester, which puts Wake in the market for a point guard. Wilson told the Wake staff he did not picture himself as a future starter.
UNDER THE KNIFE: Wake Forest sophomore Tony Rutland, injured in the ACC tournament championship game, will undergo reconstructive knee surgery today for a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Doctors feared Rutland's injury was more serious than it originally appeared; however, Rutland did not undergo extensive tests until this week.
PITCHERS' DUEL: Two of the nation's premier college baseball pitching prospects will be featured Friday, when Virginia entertains Clemson at 3 p.m. The Tigers' Kris Benson is 6-0, with an 0.79 earned run average, and UVa's Seth Greisinger is 4-0 and has an 0.86 ERA.
Greisinger had 16 strikeouts and no walks Saturday in the Cavaliers' 15-0 victory over North Carolina. He had 149 strikeouts in 1592/3 innings his first two seasons at UVa, but was 9-12. Benson, like Greisinger, is a junior right-hander.
LOCAL UPDATE: Bridgewater College junior Von Lewis from Christiansburg tied for eighth at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships by clearing 6 feet, 6 inches in the high jump. Lewis, who also plays football for the Eagles, finished in the top three in five events in a recent tri-meet with Eastern Mennonite and Columbia Union.
Brian Crist, who played quarterback at Blacksburg High School and Hampden-Sydney, has accepted a full-time position at the University of Massachusetts as receivers coach. Crist, the son of Blacksburg coach Dave Crist, has been a graduate assistant coach at Virginia Tech the past two years.
IN THE ODAC: Roanoke College men's basketball coach Page Moir, anticipating another NCAA Tournament run with what should be a senior-laden team, has added games at Franklin & Marshall and New York University to the Maroons' schedule next season. Franklin & Marshall reached the Division III final four this year in Salem.
NOT ENOUGH?: Rowan College, which won the Division III men's basketball title and reached the football title game, is not ranked among the top 25 athletic programs in competition for the Division III Sears Directors' Cup, which recognizes overall achievement.
LENGTH: Long : 105 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Foster.by CNB