THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 1996 TAG: 9610300594
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 74 lines
Jockeying for bowl bids and speculating about where teams will end up turns into a cottage industry for college football in November.
Virginia Tech should become bowl-eligible Saturday when it entertains Southwestern Louisiana. A win would give the Hokies (5-1) the necessary six victories over Division I-A opponents needed to qualify, and it appears at this point only four teams in the Big East will meet the eligibility requirement. The league has automatic tie-ins with the Bowl Alliance and the Gator, Carquest and Liberty bowls.
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Saturday's non-conference game carries the same weight as any of Tech's five remaining games because overall record and rankings are going to be pivotal when bowl games make their selections.
``Unless you can win the conference outright, every game has really true meaning,'' Beamer said. ``Ratings are involved. The Gator Bowl is going to take a second team from our conference, it doesn't have to be the second team in the conference standings. Same with the Carquest and Liberty bowls. With us having a loss, it looks like to me, even if we can do well down the stretch we'd have a hard time winning the conference outright.''
JURISPRUDENCE: The Blacksburg police department announced Tuesday the investigation into an on-campus fight in August that allegedly involved Hokie football players is nearing completion. A Tech track athlete charged he was hit, kicked and beaten with a cane by a group of football players at a party on College Avenue. The track athlete, Hilliard Sumner III, suffered a broken collarbone, among other injuries.
In a news release, the police department said between 75 to 100 witnesses have been interviewed, in addition to victims and suspects. The Commonwealth's Attorney's office in nearby Christiansburg will seat a Grand Jury Nov. 6 to hear the evidence.
``The police and Commonwealth's Attorney's office fully expect certain indictments to come down on the 6th stemming from this incident, but are not prepared to discuss particulars concerning charges or suspects' names,'' the statement said.
WAIT AND SEE: Playing the Ragin' Cajuns (4-4) may not reveal much about the Hokies, whose victories have come against teams with a combined 12-29 record. Tech passed the season's midway point last Saturday, but did so without truly establishing itself in the first half.
``I've seen us play well and I've seen us play so-so,'' Beamer said.
So-so won't do down the stretch, when Tech meets East Carolina, Miami, West Virginia and Virginia. Those games will determine how good Tech is.
``I don't think we've got that sense at this time because we haven't played the caliber of teams we're going to play in this next stretch,'' free safety Torrian Gray said. ``The Syracuse game was really our big game, and we didn't perform like we know we could.''
DROPSIES: The Hokies dropped seven passes Saturday, something Beamer did not care for. ``It gets back to stressing concentration and focusing,'' Beamer said.
One guy Tech has not thrown to much is tight end Bryan Jennings. After Jennings caught six passes in the Sugar Bowl victory, Beamer promised he would play a pivotal role in the offense this season. In the preseason, Tech coaches projected Jennings - a Parade All-American in high school - would be the best tight end in America.
But through six games, the senior has six catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Beamer has praised Jennings' blocking, and said he is not concerned about Tech's inability to get him the ball.
``Not as long as we're winning and as long as we're scoring points,'' Beamer said. ``Those pro scouts know exactly what Bryan Jennings can do.''
Jennings was rated the No. 2 tight end in next NFL draft in a recent issue of The Sporting News.
QUICK HITS: Beamer said linebacker Tony Morrison from Chesapeake, suspended for last week's game, has been reinstated for Saturday . . . Tech's basketball team will hold its Maroon-Orange scrimmage at Cassell Coliseum Saturday about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the football game . . . Sophomore cornerback Loren Johnson was Big East co-defensive player of the week for his eight tackles, including two for a loss, an interception and a pass broken up against Pittsburgh. by CNB