THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410060598
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: I-AA NOTES
SOURCE: BY CHARLIE DENN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
William and Mary goes into Saturday's date with Northeastern at Zabel Stadium with regular quarterback Shawn Knight not expected to play.
That leaves the quarterbacking duties to understudy Matt Byrne, a relatively untested junior from Damascus, Md., who completed 12 of 20 passes last week in relief of Knight. Fortunately for the 4-1 Tribe, winless Northeastern (0-4) probably won't pose much of a threat.
But there is at least one player on the W&M side of the ball who has limitless confidence in Byrne's ability regardless of who the opponent might be - wide receiver Terry Hammons.
Hammons, a 5-8, 150-pound junior from Pittsburgh, was primarily a defensive back in high school. He has an indelible memory of Byrne's performance in the Big 33 game, which annually matches the best Pennsylvania prep players against their counterparts from Maryland.
``Matt really burned us up that night,'' said Hammons. ``He had a great game, hitting passes all over the place. It was like he couldn't do anything wrong in the game.
In Hammons' opinion, the Tribe offense will not suffer with Knight on the bench.
``Matt and Shawn are both very elusive, gutsy players,'' Hammons said. ``Shawn's also very composed and I feel Matt will play that way, too. As long as he has to do the job, he'll do it well, Hammons said.
VMI'S PATH: Things don't get any easier for winless VMI this week. The 0-4 Keydets host unbeaten Marshall (5-0), the top-ranked team in Division I-AA, Saturday.
Last year the Thundering Herd ripped the Keydets, 51-0, limiting VMI to just 130 yards of total offense. VMI has lost 11 straight games to Marshall and hasn't beaten the Thundering Herd since 1982.
``This what you live for, to play the No. 1 team in the country,'' said VMI coach Bill Stewart, somewhat bravely.
JMU-DELAWARE: The loser of the James Madison-Delaware game this week in Newark, Del., will be all but eliminated from the Yankee Conference Mid-Atlantic Division race. Madison is 1-1 in the league, 3-1 overall while Delaware is 1-2, 2-2.
If Madison beats the Blue Hens, it sets up a potential division title game in Harrisonburg on Oct. 22. The Dukes host William and Mary that afternoon. A Delaware victory over JMU would keep the Hens in reasonable shape for a wildcard playoff berth.
SPIDER WORKHORSE: Tailback Uly Scott has already broken one University of Richmond rushing record and is closing in on another mark.
Scott has 715 career carries, surpassing the old mark of 707 set by Barry Redden. Redden still holds the all-time Richmond career rushing record with 3,324 yards, but Scott needs just 254 yards to erase that record.
The Spiders (1-2, 3-2) host Maine this week. The Black Bears had lost their first four games of the season but stunned Delaware last week, 19-13.
LIBERTY HOMESTAND: After three straight losses on the road, Liberty's Flames (1-3) return home Saturday night to host Delaware State. It's the first of a two-game homestand which coach Sam Rutigliano thinks can provide some momentum for his struggling club.
``I see it as an opportunity to rekindle the fire that was burning at the beginning of the year,'' he said. ``We have a chance to turn our season around.''
Actually, the thing which could probably help the Flames the most is the return of running back J.T. Morris, a transfer from Penn State. Morris led the team in rushing after two games but has been sidelined since with a hip injury. Morris is not expected back until the Flames play Catawba on Oct. 22.
In his absence, Liberty has become a team which relies heavily on passing. The Flames are averaging nearly 41 pass attempts a game while the running attack is generating just 128 yards per game. by CNB