THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 14, 1994 TAG: 9411140140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Frank Vehorn
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Nine games into the schedule, the Virginia Cavaliers have become a pretty good football team.
Not great, understand,
But, decent. Pretty good, with a chance to get better.
The Cavaliers head into the final two games with a 7-2 record and should get invited to a pretty good bowl.
Not great, understand.
But decent. Pretty good, with a chance it might get better.
How much better the Cavaliers become and how good their bowl trip will be are questions to be answered the final weeks in games against Virginia Tech and North Carolina State.
The State game, played on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, has been regarded as a tossup all season. It will still be that at kickoff.
But coming into the season, Virginia was afforded little chance of winning its state rivalry game against Virginia Tech.
The Hokies were supposed to be a very good team, and for most of the season they have met every expectation.
Whether Virginia can win or not, and possibly make a second-tier bowl, may depend on some further improvements.
For one, the Cavaliers have to take better advantage of scoring opportunities when they are close to an opponent's end zone.
Failure to do so cost them a victory over Duke two weeks ago, and they struggled a couple of times with the same problem in Saturday's eventual blowout of Maryland.
The solution may be no more difficult than more thoughtful play-calling, as was the case when fullback Charles Way dashed virtually untouched into the end zone twice against Maryland.
But, trying to catch up late in the first half, Virginia had a fourth down, 1 1/2 yards shy of the goal.
The Cavaliers lined up in the shotgun formation and threw an incomplete pass.
If the Cavaliers wanted to pass, it may have been better doing so without tipping the plan by lining up in the shotgun.
It didn't turn out to be a big deal, since Virginia came right back to score a couple of minutes later and went on to win big.
But opportunities will be fewer and rewards greater on Saturday. by CNB