THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 3, 1994 TAG: 9410030158
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
By all visual evidence, William and Mary was a perfect guest of the Virginia Cavaliers in Scott Stadium on Saturday.
In what might have been the Tribe's next-to-last game ever against Virginia, everyone seemed to have a grand old time.
A large crowd of Virginia homecoming fans enjoyed watching the Cavaliers rock and roll to a 37-3 victory, and no major complaints were heard from the visitors.
It was a good payday for the Division I-AA Tribe, and coach Jimmye Laycock admitted the experience of playing a superior opponent would benefit his team upon its return to its own division.
So, if everyone was so happy with the game, why is the series against the Tribe being cancelled after next season?
The biggest reason is the game no longer has any value to the Virginia football program, and the cotton-candy afternoon was not what coach George Welsh's team needed at this point in the season.
The Cavaliers needed a stronger challenge, especially after coming off an open date the previous weekend.
Virginia could have won, 50-0, and it would not have meant the Cavaliers are a great team in the ACC, or William and Mary a bad team in its league.
The only way the outcome could have been significant would have been if the Cavaliers had lost.
That they didn't lose meant only Virginia is not a terrible team, and the Tribe no powerhouse outside of Division I-AA.
Other than that, who knows about these Cavaliers?
Sure, quarterback Symmion Willis got on track by passing for his first two touchdowns of the season and running for another.
But Willis had receivers open most of the afternoon and plenty of time to throw against a soft and thin defense.
The competition warms up the next two Saturdays as the Cavaliers go on the road for ACC games at Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.
They return to Scott Stadium on Oct. 22 to play North Carolina. Then, we certainly will know much more about this Virginia team and its quarterback. by CNB