THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090548
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 70 lines
Virginia Tech's backfield returns to full strength this week with the addition of backup tailback Marcus Parker, who was suspended the first four games of the football season.
``Both at the fullback and tailback positions, I think we need Marcus Parker in the lineup,'' Hokies coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday. ``He'll help both positions before it's over. There will be three backs that share the spotlight: (Ken) Oxendine, Parker and (Brian) Edmonds.''
So where does that leave Shyrone Stith, the true freshman from Chesapeake's Western Branch High?
Stith filled in admirably when Oxendine got hurt and Parker was serving his suspension after pleading no contest to a shoplifting charge. Stith leads Tech in rushing (75.3 yards per game) and scoring (7.5 per game).
Hokies assistant head coach/running backs coach Billy Hite said Parker and Stith will share backup duty at tailback.
There was some speculation that Parker, a junior, might be redshirted after missing such a large chunk of the season, especially given Stith's impressive showing.
``Obviously with seven ballgames left - and hopefully an eighth one - I think there's plenty of playing time left for Marcus,'' Hite said. ``If he had been gone another week or two, I would have said we'll redshirt him.''
Beamer said Parker has the full package as a runner, pass catcher and blocker. And he's versatile, having played his first two seasons at fullback before switching to tailback in the offseason.
Parker has been practicing with the scout team while serving his suspension.
INJURY UPDATE: All-American defensive end Cornell Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday that will sideline him for two to three weeks.
Tuesday, Beamer said two other defensive starters may miss Saturday's 1 p.m. homecoming game with Temple: senior tackle Waverly Jackson with a bad back and junior linebacker Tony Morrison with the same foot injury that sidelined him for the Rutgers game.
Morrison recorded a career-high 16 tackles in his last outing at Syracuse, and ranks second in the Big East in tackles per game (11.7).
Morrison, out of Chesapeake's Indian River, also is second on the team in total tackles with 35, Brown is third (33, with a team-high four sacks) and Jackson is 10th (20).
``You take a player out of there like Cornell Brown and there's a huge hole,'' Beamer said. ``Some other guys have to step up to fill the hole.
``We've got a challenge defensively right now.''
PUNT ADJUSTMENTS: Tech has beefed up its punt protection unit - literally.
After getting a punt blocked at Syracuse that was returned for a touchdown, another one partially blocked and a couple of near misses, the Hokies worked during their bye week to retool their punt protection unit. They also had a punt blocked at Boston College. Beamer said one of the adjustments is Tech will use bigger people as blockers.
``I think we've gotten a little too small in there,'' Beamer said. ``We've improved our size and our arm span on our punt protection team, which is pretty important.''
Beamer added they also have worked on improving the snap, and on fakes when opponents bring excessive pressure.
The Hokies are 106th out of 111 teams in Division I-A in net punting (punting yardage minus return yards) with a 30.2 average.
QUICK HITS: With his next victory, Beamer will move into sole possession of third place in Tech career coaching wins. Bill Dooley (64) is the Hokies' career leader, followed by Jerry Claiborne (61) and Beamer and Frank Moseley (54 apiece). . . . True freshmen Stith (30 points) and placekicker Shayne Graham (25 points) are Tech's leading scorers, accounting for 47 percent of the team's points. . . . The Hokies have just one interception, which ranks last in the Big East. West Virginia leads with 13. . . . Tech is tied for 102nd nationally in turnover margin (minus-1.5 per game). by CNB