THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 8, 1996 TAG: 9610080443
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 32 lines
Virginia Tech All-American defensive end Cornell Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee Monday and will be out of action two to three weeks.
That means Brown, one of 12 Lombardi Award semifinalists, will miss the Hokies' game Saturday at Lane Stadium against Temple and may also miss Tech's Pittsburgh game at home Oct. 26. The Hokies have a bye week Oct. 19.
Brown had experienced swelling in the knee in the last couple of weeks.
``He'd had a little trouble off and on all fall, just minor,'' Tech team doctor Duane Lagan said. ``He could have played with it, but he decided he'd like to get it resolved.''
Brown averages 8.3 tackles and has four quarterback sacks through four games. Brown, now with 32 career sacks, began his senior season gunning for Bruce Smith's Virginia Tech career sack record of 46.
Danny Wheel, who has started opposite Brown, will move into Brown's spot and redshirt freshman John Engelberger will take over Wheel's starting end spot.
``There's no way you can replace a player of Cornell's caliber,'' Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said in a statement.
Tech also announced Monday that backup tailback Marcus Parker will be available to play Saturday against Temple. Parker was suspended the first four games of the season following a shoplifting incident during the summer, a charge to which he pleaded no contest. Parker had been practicing with the scout team while serving the suspension and undergoing counseling. by CNB