ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611050023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
After missing two games because of knee surgery, All-American defensive end Cornell Brown returned to the Hokies' lineup Saturday.
Brown, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Oct. 7, was credited with four tackles, including one for a loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
``I felt great,'' Brown said. ``I felt winded, at times. Not being out there playing in game situations is the biggest thing. But getting some plays under [my] belt this week is going to help me down the stretch.''
Brown, who hadn't missed a game in his Tech career before October, said it was ``tough not being able to play.''
``But it helped me out a lot. I'm ready now for the stretch we've got here. I think [the surgery] came at a good time.''
Despite missing the Temple and Pitt games, Brown was named Thursday as one of the four finalists for the Lombardi Award, given annually to college football's top lineman.
THIS 'N' THAT
Wide receiver Shawn Scales, who only recently was moved to Tech's kickoff-return team, is paying quick dividends. Scales had runbacks of 45 and 61 yards, the Hokies' two longest returns of the season. Tech, averaging five sacks in its first six games, had none Saturday. The last time that happened to the Hokies was last season at Pitt. Tech's two blocked punts were its fourth and fifth of the season. Keion Carpenter, whose block led to the touchdown that put Tech up 17-9, has three of the five. It was the Hokies' first two-block game since last year's 77-27 rout of Akron. Tech has scored 30 or more points in its past six home games. It has scored 20 or more in a school-record 13 straight games. Antonio Banks and Loren Johnson had interceptions for Tech. Banks has four of the Hokies' six picks this season. Cool temperatures and gusty winds kept the crowd to 35,643, the smallest gathering for a Tech home game since 34,306 showed for East Carolina in 1993.
FAMILIAR FACE
The Ragin' Cajuns' first trip to Blacksburg served as a homecoming for USL assistant coach Rex Kipps.
Kipps, the Cajuns' defensive line coach, was born in Blacksburg and played football at Blacksburg High School. He was a member of Ferrum College's 1974 junior-college national championship team before finishing his collegiate career at Richmond.
Kipps, 43, coached at Richmond, East Carolina and Clemson before joining the staff of former Tech assistant Nelson Stokley at USL in 1986.
NEXT OPPONENT
The Hokies play host to East Carolina at 7 p.m. Saturday in a nationally televised game (ESPN2). The Pirates (5-2) beat Arkansas State 34-16 on Saturday. Both of ECU's losses have come to nationally ranked teams, 10-9 at West Virginia and 28-7 to Southern Mississippi at home. ECU, which upset Miami 31-6 in its last road outing, has lost its past two meetings with Tech, 27-20 in Greenville, N.C., in 1994 and 31-12 in Blacksburg.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines KEYWORDS: FOOTBALLby CNB