THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510150220
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER U.VA. NOTES
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
If Virginia had not come from 18 points down to defeat Duke 44-30 Saturday, linebacker Skeet Jones knows he would have taken a lot of the blame.
But Jones said he was not the one at fault in one of the strangest moments of the Cavaliers' season.
Duke was called for roughing the kicker when Virginia's Will Brice got off only a 16-yard punt from his 26.
But, almost unbelievably, game officials signaled that Jones, a co-captain, had declined the penalty, giving Duke the ball at Virginia's 42.
A couple of minutes later Duke scored its second touchdown in less than two minutes for a 14-3 lead.
Coach George Welsh was furious on the sidelines that Jones had declined the penalty, giving Duke such a short drive for the score.
But Jones insisted after the game that he made the right call and that the official, not identified, was at fault.
``I told him that I wanted the ball (meaning taking the penalty and retain possession),'' Jones said.
``The official patted me on the butt and said, `Good call, that's what I thought you wanted.' ''
Jones started running off the field, but was called back when the ball was given to Duke and the penalty waved off.
Jones said he tried to protest but the official ignored him.
``I know what I told him,'' Jones said. ``The penalty wasn't enough for a first down, but I told him we wanted to kick it over.''
Jones said he was upset by the incident, but it caused him to play harder the rest of the game.
WELSH'S 150TH: The victory was the 150th of Welsh's career, and he admitted that it meant a lot.
``Yeah. Absolutely, it means a great deal,'' Welsh said. ``I never thought I would get that many wins at this level.''
A few minutes later, Welsh quipped, ``If I coach five more years and average 10 wins a season, I can get 200.''
Welsh is 95-61-13 in 14 seasons at Virginia. His other victories came when he coached Navy.
STREAKS GROW: The Cavaliers intercepted three passes, by Percy Ellsworth, Joe Crocker and Paul London, to push their streak of games in which they have had interceptions to 24.
Tailback Tiki Barber also rushed for his 11th touchdown this season and now has scored on the ground in the last nine regular-season games in which he has played.
Barber had a career-high rushing performance of 185 yards on 30 carries. Keven Brooks added another 53 yards of 15 rushes.
NOT INTENTIONAL: It seemed to be a set-up when quarterback Mike Groh tossed a 4-yard pass to Pete Allen to set a school passing yardage record.
It was Virginia's last offensive play and allowed Groh to break Shawn Moore's single-game record of 344 yards by 2 yards.
But Welsh said the play was not called with the record in mind.
``I did not know about the record,'' Welsh said. ``I called the play hoping to get a first down.'' by CNB