ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
Gene Corrigan, the ACC's commissioner since 1987, told the media Monday that his appearance at the annual ACC Football Kickoff would be his last.
Corrigan, 69, earlier had expressed his intention to retire and said he expects a successor to be in place by July 1, 1997.
``When they name the new guy, I'll be gone,'' said Corrigan, who recommended that his staff be kept intact because ``it's the best staff there's ever been in a conference office.''
Corrigan said he would not be involved in the selection process. The new commissioner will be chosen by a committee headed by one of the ACC presidents, with at least three athletic directors and three faculty representatives.
In his state-of-the-conference report at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Corrigan spoke optimistically of the new agreement that will set up an annual game between the Nos. 1- and 2-ranked college football teams.
``Maybe some day there will be a playoff - not that I'll be a part of it,'' he said. ``Until there is, this is the next-best thing. If, for some reason this thing doesn't work, this will be the last step.''
Corrigan said that 37 football games involving ACC teams will be on television this year - 15 on ABC, 12 in syndication and 10 on ESPN or ESPN2. That's comparable with any of the so-called major football conferences.
SPRING EXTRAVAGANZA: Corrigan confirmed that all ACC spring sports championships but baseball will be held in Atlanta over the weekend of April 17-20 next year. The baseball tournament will be held May 13-18 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
MOSS WISHED WELL: Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, victimized when wide receiver Randy Moss smoked marijuana while on probation for another offense, said he believes Moss deserves a second chance to play college football.
``I hate to see a kid strike out,'' Bowden said. ``If I could have taken him back and it would have been all right with the world, I would have done it.
``But, that would have affected 85 other players. I think, if he had signed with Marshall or West Virginia, all this would never have happened. I hope one of them takes him [now].'''
Moss, a wide receiver from DuPont High School outside Charleston, W.Va., originally signed with Notre Dame but was released from his scholarship after his arrest for battery. Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz recommended him to Bowden.
``I had to go to the athletic director and president,'' Bowden said. ``Reluctantly, they let us take him. Very reluctantly. Now, you're living on needles and pins, hoping the young man behaves himself.
``It was very hard this summer when the lawyer called me and I asked, `Did he do it?' He said, `Yes, he said he did.' And I said, `Well, then he's through.' I'll give you two chances. I ain't going to give you three.''
DEAC LOSSES: Darrell Braswell, who had 51 receptions for Wake Forest last season, has decided to quit football. Wake coach Jim Caldwell also fears that Terrence Suber, a two-year starter at safety, may have to be redshirted after off-season shoulder surgery.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS: North Carolina coach Mack Brown said doctors have given quarterback Oscar Davenport permission to go full speed in two-a-day practices.
Davenport and wide receiver Octavus Barnes each had reconstructive knee surgery, but Barnes hasn't progressed as swiftly and doctors haven't decided if he can practice even once a day.
RECRUITING: Duke has received commitments from three football prospects who played for Virginia high schools last year, including 6-foot, 215-pound Todd DeLamiellure from E.C. Glass in Lynchburg. DeLamiellure was an All-Group AAA linebacker at Glass and also rushed for 700 yards.
DeLamiellure now lives in Durham, N.C., where his father, Joe, is in his first year on the staff at Duke. Joe DeLamiellure was a standout offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills during the O.J. Simpson era.
Duke also has received commitments from tight end Nate Krill and running back Duane Epperson from McLean High School.
ODAC-BOUND: Donnie Leininger, a second-team All-Timesland linebacker last year for Northside High School, plans to play football at Randolph-Macon. ... Emory & Henry is expecting former Pulaski County lineman Jay Jones, once considered a possible Division I recruit.
ACC CASUALTIES: Oded Kattash, considered the equivalent of a top-50 basketball prospect in the United States, has backed out of his letter-of-intent with Clemson and signed a $1-million contract with a pro team in his native Israel.
Point guard Avery Curry, lost in the shuffle at Florida State, has transferred to Nebraska. Curry, from Tallahassee, Fla., could see his playing time was going to be cut further after the Seminoles signed junior-college point guard Kerry Thompson.
Marco Harrison, former Mr. Basketball in Virginia, was a leading candidate to start at center for North Carolina State before it was announced last week he was transferring to St. Paul's. Harrison said he wanted to be closer to his girlfriend, a St. Paul's student.
VMI GOINGS, COMINGS: Lawrence Gullette, an All-Southern Conference basketball selection for VMI last season, has signed to play professionally in Luxembourg. ... Jason Bell, who averaged nearly 15 minutes for VMI as a freshman point guard, plans to return this fall after taking a leave of absence in February.
LENGTH: Medium: 98 linesby CNB