THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 1996 TAG: 9609250578
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: 85 lines
Recruiting experts unfailingly draw a blank when trying to recall University of Virginia wide receiver Bryan Owen.
And there must have been lots of blank expressions Saturday when Owen raced down the Wake Forest sidelines to catch a pass from Tim Sherman on a 60-yard scoring play.
Was Owen ranked among the top 10 prospects at his position during high school?
And where was it that Owen attended high school?
The experts can be excused for not coming up with an answer to either question.
The 6-foot Owen was not on any recruiting lists while at Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, Pa., and never played a down as a receiver.
The first time he had a pass thrown to him in a real game was two years ago when the Cavaliers opened the season against Florida State.
``That is some way to make your debut, I guess,'' Owen laughed.
Owen never really played football, except as a part-time kicker, before walking on with the Cavaliers in 1993.
``When I got to high school I had been playing soccer all my life and I had no reason to quit since I was pretty good at it,'' Owen said.
``One day the football coach asked me to come out and kick. I'd go to football practice and kick for about 15 minutes and go straight from there to soccer practice.''
Owen kicked well enough that the football coach, Bob Craig, offered to get him an opportunity to walk on at Virginia.
``I came down and kicked a couple of times with Rafael Garcia and realized it was going to be pretty difficult if I were going to kick here,'' Owen said.
Virginia coaches were impressed by Owen's athleticism and speed and told him he could remain as a non-scholarship player on the scout team.
``I wasn't doing anything else, so I went over to the scout team as a receiver,'' Owen said. ``That's how it all started.''
Virginia coach George Welsh said he's always liked Owen.
``He could be very good, if not great,'' Welsh said. ``He can catch the ball.''
Owen red-shirted in 1993 and received a one-semester scholarship in 1994 when he played in nine games.
He wasn't granted a scholarship last year, but played in all 12 games and was the Cavaliers' top receiver (5 catches, 72 yards) in the win over Florida State.
Back on scholarship this season, Owen will be one of Sherman's prime targets in Saturday night's game against Texas.
``I really didn't think I could play much my first couple of years,'' Owen said. ``It is so weird. This isn't the usual way for someone to play college football.''
Maybe not, but Virginia has a pattern of devloping walk-ons into leading receivers. Others include Patrick Jeffers, last year's top receiver; Tim Finkelston; and Derek Dooley - each of whom had starred as high school receivers.
``But Bryan's story is more amazing because he had not played a down from the line of scrimmage except as a kicker before coming here,'' quarterback Sherman said.
``I've played football all my life, but some of the things he's seeing now might be for the first time ever. I can't imagine that.''
Owen's touchdown reception against Wake Forest was his first, and he admits he's still getting used to following in a line of great receivers at Virginia that includes Herman Moore and John Ford.
``I do think about that a lot,'' he said. ``It's kind of hard to keep your confidence going against guys who have played football all their lives, and being in this kind of competition.''
Owen, though, said on-the-field adjustments were fairly simple.
``It's not very complicated. . . . It's basically quickness and catching abilty. You get open and catch the ball,'' he said.
But it hasn't all been like a pickup game in the park.
``I really had never been hit before in high school,'' he said. ``That was a little different.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
HUY NGUYEN
and LAWRENCE JACKSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Bryan Owen's touchdown reception against Wake Forest on Saturday,
above, was the first of his football career. A former soccer and
part-time football player at Cedar Cliff High in Camp Hill, Pa.,
Owen's first visits to U.Va. were to test his skills with Cavaliers'
placekicker Rafael Garcia, at left. by CNB