THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410070735
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Long : 145 lines
Lamonte Still lined up against the best defense he'll see all season: his Hampton University teammates.
His run-stuffing, bull-rushing Hampton teammates. Scourge of the CIAA.
On this play, however, they might as well have been the Johnson C. Smith defense. In practice Tuesday, Still took a handoff from quarterback Matt Montgomery and burst into the line as if he were spring-loaded. He slid through a narrow opening between the right guard and tackle and accelerated into the secondary. With one man to beat, Still, his shoulders square, moving at full speed, made a sharp, sudden cut, the kind of move you might see from a drum major at halftime.
Touchdown.
When it comes to tackling Still, familiarity is no advantage. Still rips off similar runs in practice several times a week. And he's been doing it since mid-August.
``With every turn he's getting better and better,'' said Hampton running backs coach Mel Jones. ``He'll probably be the greatest running back ever to come through Hampton.''
He's already the most heralded. Still, a redshirt freshman from Cox High in Virginia Beach, transferred to Hampton from the University of Virginia, where, according to offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien, he had Cavalier defenders similarly flummoxed.
``He projected to be probably as good as anyone we've had here,'' O'Brien said.
Instead, Still is averaging 8 yards a carry for Hampton. Last week, he had 18 carries for 194 yards in Hampton's 77-3 victory
over Johnson C. Smith.
OK, so that was Johnson C. Smith. But the week before, against Division I-AA Grambling, Still ran for 151 yards on 21 carries, and had a 52-yard touchdown run.
Against I-AA Howard, Still had 12 carries for 95 yards. He also caught five passes for 103 yards.
On the season, Still has 559 yards on just 70 carries, and he has scored six touchdowns. He's also Hampton's leading receiver, with 19 catches for 242 yards.
``He helps to move the chains,'' Hampton coach Joe Taylor said. ``He's a big-play guy.''
No one who saw Still play at Cox High would disagree. In 1991, his senior year, he ran for 2,036 yards - an area single-season record - and 23 touchdowns. He was named Tidewater player of the year.
``No matter where he was, he was going to be an outstanding football player,'' said former Cox coach Jim Prince, now coach at Ocean Lakes.
And Still could have gone just about anywhere. Florida, Clemson, Syracuse and Michigan were on his final list. He chose Virginia because he liked the way the Cavaliers threw to their tailbacks, he said.
Still signed with Virginia before qualifying academically. But he did qualify, surpassing the required 700 on his SAT in February 1992.
Still left for Charlottesville the following summer and enrolled in U.Va's transition program for at-risk students.
But he was placed on academic suspension after just one semester. The coaches told him he would have to sit out a year to get his grades up.
Still said he was overwhelmed by the large classes at U.Va, but he also admitted he didn't work as hard as he could have.
``I did not do what I was supposed to do,'' he said.
Even so, it was unusual for a player to be suspended after just a semester. Still said at the time he didn't know he could be.
Rather than sit out another year, Still decided to transfer to Hampton, where he thought he would be eligible immediately.
Taylor had recruited Still hard at Cox, and the running back said he was impressed with Hampton's ``caring atmosphere.''
Prince, who stayed in touch with Still closely during his troubles at U.Va, was impressed with Hampton as well.
``When Lamont was in need of someone to come to his assistance, Hampton did a great job,'' Prince said.
Still jumped right in and took 18 credit hours at Hampton, assuming he'd be eligible for the 1993 season.
He found out in May that he wasn't. Because he wasn't in good academic standing when he left Virginia, Still would have to sit out another year.
``I was heartbroken,'' he said. ``Then, I just started to tell myself that everything happens for a reason.''
Still plunged further into his schoolwork. A physical education major, he pushed his grade-point averaged up to a respectable 2.8, where it is today.
``He hung in there a whole year without playing,'' Prince said. ``It would have been easy to say, `This is not going to work for me.' ''
Still said he felt at home at Hampton almost immediately. His backfield running mate, Anthony Smith, is also from Virginia Beach. Sekou Walton, a starting cornerback, also hails from the Beach, and a dozen other Pirates are from other parts of South Hampton Roads.
He also stays in touch with friends from Virginia, players like Pete Allen, Percy Ellsworth and Joe Rowe.
``I visit them a lot,'' he said. ``I've noticed they aren't doing too well offensively.''
Virginia is breaking in a new offensive line and has had trouble running the ball, a fact that has not escaped the notice of Prince, Still's high school coach.
``He is what Virginia still needs in order to become a great team,'' Prince said.
O'Brien doesn't mind admitting that the Cavaliers are sorry Still got away. He said he thinks Still could have stuck it out academically, if he had elected to.
``I think he could have, but the decision was up to him,'' O'Brien said. ``He didn't feel he could wait, and it was our loss.''
And Hampton's gain. On the practice field, Still, bordering on skinny at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, looks as if he could be a little brother of one of Hampton's massive lineman.
``He can play at that weight because he'll never take the brunt of a hit,'' O'Brien said. ``He's very elusive.''
Taylor says that most people watch Still and think: He's gifted.
``What I see is a guy who's working,'' Taylor said. ``He watches film as much as the quarterbacks. And in practice, every time he touches the ball he runs 40 yards past the line of scrimmage. He's anticipating going the distance all the time.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
Hampton University's Lamonte Still has rushed for 559 yards on just
70 carries and has caught 19 passes for 242 yards.
Graphic
THE STILL FILE
Position: Tailback (freshman)
Size: 5-11, 173 pounds
High school: Attended Cox in Virginia Beach. Named Tidewater player
of the year in 1991, when he ran for an area-record 2,036 yards as
a senior.
College history: Signed with Virginia out of high school, but did
not play as a freshman. Transferred to Hampton University after one
semester. Sat out the following year at Hampton. Is playing college
football for the first time since he graduated from high school over
two years ago. Has two years of eligibility left. In five games this
season, has 559 yards on 70 carries.
Personal: Physical education major.
by CNB