THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408310645
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: R18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Football Special '94
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
The key phrase for Cox football this year will be but a single word.
New.
Just about everything is.
Coaches, helmets, players, style of play.
Former defensive coordinator Gene Beck takes over the helm left by new Ocean Lakes coach Jim Prince.
Joining Beck will be a coaching staff not much older than some of the seniors. Jim Iman and Beck are the only familiar faces to the players.
``Our coaching staff is really going to be one of the bright spots,'' Beck said. ``I'm extremely excited about the group. They are young and aggressive, and that will dictate our style of play.''
Joining Beck and Iman is the Bayside Connection - former Marlins coach David Heath and former Bayside players Shawn Wilson, Shawn Dean and Kevin Blanding.
Other new coaches are John Swanson and Mike Smith.
``This is just a really good group, and they're going to work wonders with the kids,'' Beck said.
But coaches can only chart the path, they can't walk it.
Somebody has to play the game, and Beck thinks he has just enough of a nucleus to make this a rewarding first year as head coach.
The biggest name is two-way end Brian Wilson (6-foot-3, 235 pounds). He will be joined on the line by offensive tackle/defensive end Craig Reed (6-2, 235).
A pair of safeties - Adam Carter (5-11, 165) and Sean Carley (6-0, 185) - also return. Joining them in the defensive backfield will be David Wilson (6-0, 170).
Willie Hall (5-11, 165) returns at running back, moving from a wingback position to the setback.
The other top returner is questionable. Bart Dexter (6-0, 175) is expected to be the starting quarterback but is having some difficulties with a shoulder injury from last year.
``He separated it last year and never told anybody,'' Beck said. ``He's a very tough kid. He had surgery over the summer, but he's having problems again.
``Thing is, nobody works harder than Bart, and I think he just worked it too hard and started having problems with it again. I still think he'll be ready for the season.''
If not, David Wilson could start, with newcomer Frank McDonald (6-2, 175) backing him up.
``He's a pretty good-looking prospect,'' Beck said of McDonald.
Other newcomers Beck is counting on include halfback Charles Hayes, flanker Chip Phillips (5-and linebacker Matt Archer, a transfer from New Jersey.
``There are some other people we're looking at, but it's still a little early to tell,'' Beck said. ``We've been going through a lot of changes around here.''
Beck said he expects the defensive line to be ``really tough'' with Wilson as the anchor. The quarterback position also could be a strong point.
As far as weaknesses go, there is a lack of experience.
``We're going to have pretty good overall balance - we should be solid overall,'' Beck said. ``But we're a fairly young team with few upperclassmen. I hate to call it a rebuilding year because we're going to make the most of what we have. Actually, I think we're going to surprise some people.''
To do that, the Falcons are going to have to learn to score. Last season, they finished third from the bottom in points scored (11.1 per game) in South Hampton Roads.
The defense will also have to stiffen. Cox allowed 19.6 points and 231.6 total yards a game last season. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by Mort Fryman
Joining the Cox coaching staff this season is the Bayside Connection
- former Marlins Shawn Dean, left, Kevin Blanding and Shawn Wilson,
and former Bayside coach David Heath. "Our coaching staff is really
going to be one of the bright spots," Cox head coach Gene Beck
said.
The Falcons' offensive leaders will be, from left, flanker Chip
Phillips, quarterback Bart Dexter, tight end Brian Wilson and
running backs Willie Hall and Charles Hayes. However, Dexter is
having difficulties from a shoulder injury suffered last year and
could be replaced by David Wilson or Frank McDonald.
by CNB