THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010713
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Virginia coach George Welsh and Florida State's Bobby Bowden share similar concerns going into their season opener Saturday.
Neither is happy with the status of their offensive lines, and both are worried about the re-emergence of 90-degree heat in Tallahassee.
``Our kids were raised down here in this heat,'' Bowden said Wednesday, ``but it hasn't been real hot until a few days ago. We are not in the condition we would like for a real hot, hot, hot day.''
The weather has been even cooler in Charlottesville.
``We've had only a couple of hot days,'' Welsh said. ``I wish we'd have had a week of it to get our players acclimated to it.''
Just like the weather, there is little the coaches can do about improving their offensive lines before Saturday's kickoff.
Welsh knew the line would be an early problem for the Cavaliers, with only one starter returning to his old position.
Still, the line has not jelled as quickly as Welsh hoped, and that is hindering the development of the offense.
``The (offensive line) is just feeling its way and is not as cohesive as it has been the last four or five years,'' Welsh said. ``We are in a stage of development, and it affects the whole offense. We' like to run more this season, but our backs won't be any good if we can't block for them.''
Ironically, the offensive line was supposed to have been one of Florida State's strengths.
That was before the university handed out penalties for the infamous Foot Locker incident. Three of five players suspended were offensive linemen.
Guard Patrick McNeil is out for three games, guard Marcus Long for two and tackle Forrest Conoly indefinitely. Others not playing Saturday are linebacker Derrick Brooks and tailback Tiger McMillon.
``We are not going to put the team on the field that we wanted to,'' Bowden said. ``We'll just have to play and see what we got.''
Bowden said the game is the toughest season opener for his team since Miami in 1988.
It might be the toughest ever for the Cavaliers.
ESPN GAME: If there is a big difference in the Georgia Tech team that opens the season tonight (8 p.m., ESPN) against Arizona, it is more respect for third-year coach Bill Lewis.
It was no secret that veteran players the last two years did not embrace Lewis and his rigid philosophies.
Lewis has the support of at least one senior this year, defensive tackle Bill Neuss.
``Coach Lewis wants to win football games, and I'll fight my butt off for him,'' Neuss promised.
Meanwhile, Lewis has picked junior college transfer Tommy Luginbill over returnee Donnie Davis as his starting quarterback.
Lewis said Davis missing spring practice because of shoulder surgery had much to do with the decision.
Luginbill is a son of former San Diego State coach Al Luginbill.
ALSO OPENING: North Carolina State kicks off the season tonight at home against Bowling Green, but no television cameras will be there.
N.C. State coach Mike O'Cain said Bowling Green requested a Thursday night game, and N.C. State officials obliged because they thought it would attract a larger crowd.
``With Labor Day weekend coming up, a lot of students like to leave campus and go to the beach,'' O'Cain explained. ``Now they can come out to the game and still be at the beach for the weekend.''
Bowling Green preferred playing on Thursday so it would have more time to prepare for next week's conference opener.
O'Cain said the Wolfpack has avoided the injury problems in preseason camp that it had last year.
``I like our starting 22 players, but we are pretty thin after that,'' he added.
Seven true freshmen are expected to see action in backup roles tonight for the Wolfpack.
MORE FRESHMEN: With scholarships down and players leaving early for the NFL, more and more ACC teams are having to rely on freshmen. North Carolina coach Mack Brown listed 14 freshmen among his top 44 players. Six are true freshmen.
UNC opens at home Saturday against a Texas Christian team that returns 19 starters from last year's 4-7 team. The Tar Heels have won their last five season openers.
STRIKE WINNERS: Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell was a happy man Wednesday when he heard freshman quarterback Brian Kuklick had attended his first class.
Kuklick, of Hatboro, Pa., was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Mets. Once he attended his first class, the pros ``can't touch him for three years,'' Caldwell said.
``Maybe that is one of the good things to come out of the (major league) strike,'' he added. ``The Mets were really pressing Kuklick hard during the summer, but the negotiations seemed to slow once the strike began. I think that's a big reason they didn't sign him.''
BEST BARGAIN: Duke is having a blue-light special at Wade Stadium this season. A family of four (including two children) can buy a season-ticket package for $99.
The Blue Devils, under new coach Fred Goldsmith, open the home season Saturday against Maryland. Other home games are against East Carolina, Army, Clemson, Virginia and North Carolina.
Durham is about a 3-hour, 15-minute drive from Hampton Roads. by CNB