THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 4, 1996 TAG: 9611040127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: 113 lines
So which Norfolk State football team was closer to the real thing Saturday?
The one that went to the locker room with a 14-6 lead over MEAC powerhouse Howard? Or the one that gave up 36 points in the second half.
Neither.
For as well as Norfolk State appeared to be playing in the first half, some of it was illusion.
The Spartans survived Howard's first drive when quarterback Ted White threw low to tight end Themba Masimini in the end zone. And Howard's second drive stalled on third-and-2 from the NSU 9 when receiver Darian Harris dropped a pass from White that would have given the Bison first-and-goal or a touchdown.
Howard's third possession ended on an underthrown bomb from White to Harris that NSU's Robert Weaver picked off. The Bison's fourth possession stalled when MacArthur Johnson dropped a sure-thing pass from White on fourth down at the NSU 31.
Howard had four solid possessions in which they compiled 196 yards. The result was a mere six points. And not once during the course of the afternoon did NSU's defense force Howard to punt.
Howard's dropped passes of the first half became big gains in the second half as White picked apart NSU's secondary with a variety of under routes. NSU head coach Darnell Moore thought his team was prepared to stop White's mid-range tactics.
``But we blew some under coverages,'' Moore said. ``We wanted our help guys taking away the passes underneath and we wanted to be doubling long. There was no way some of the things that happened in the second half were supposed to happen.''
The Spartans, who plan to apply for membership in the MEAC in June when they move up from Division II to Division I, are 2-1 against MEAC schools this season. They end their season against a fourth MEAC opponent, local rival Hampton University, in two weeks.
A 3-1 record against MEAC foes might indicate the Spartans are more ready to join the MEAC than some would have previously thought. But how close are they to being ready to contend for a title?
``We're close,'' Moore said. ``This score (against Howard) isn't indicative of how close. They padded their stats at the end and it looks good for them. But there's not much difference.''
``One, maybe two years away,'' said receiver Darius Blount. ``We have the type of system and we're getting the type of players to contend.''
Next week, Norfolk State visits Winston-Salem.
- RICH RADFORD Performance vs. Duke won't cut it in final 3 games
While delivering his review of Virginia's ho-hum 27-3 victory over Duke on Saturday, coach George Welsh paused and allowed that anyone hearing his postgame observations this season might never suspect he was talking about a team with a 6-2 record.
Indeed, other than a defense that has played with consistency most of the season and the running of Tiki Barber, Welsh has found more to criticize than to praise.
Such is the nature of football coaches, you say.
True, but such is the nature of Welsh's football team, too.
The Cavaliers are 6-2, but none of the victories was against a team that now has a winning record.
The two defeats were to teams with winning records.
That is the rub. The remaining three games are against teams with winning records - Clemson, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech.
While Welsh was happy to beat Duke, he knew his team could not play the way it did against the Blue Devils and win any of the remaining games.
Twice the offense moved within Duke's 15 and turned the ball over - on a fumble and an interception. An 81-yard punt return was called back because of a penalty.
Make those mistakes in the next three weeks and they could be fatal.
That is the source of Welsh's concern. As he said last week, the verdict is still out on this football team.
Whether it has a good, mediocre, or outstanding season will be decided in the final three games.
From what we have seen so far, the Cavs are capable of winning all three games or losing all three.
And that is why Welsh, even with a 6-2 record, can't relax.
Next week, Virginia plays Clemson in Charlottesville.
- FRANK VEHORN Another lackluster opponent, another unimpressive win
Funny that a 6-1 college football team can be so underwhelming, but Virginia Tech has just about earned a patent on how to win unimpressively this season.
The Hokies did it again Saturday against Southwestern Louisiana, finally pulling away to win 47-16 after leading by just a touchdown with 6:48 to play in the third quarter.
It was the fourth time Tech struggled deep into the third quarter with a team it was favored to blow out. The Hokies' six vanquished foes all have losing records.
Center Billy Conaty acknowledged they've beaten ``no one great'' in earning enough wins to qualify for their fourth consecutive bowl.
The NCAA computer rated Tech's schedule strength 98th out of 106 Division I-A teams playing at least nine Division I-A opponents heading into Saturday's meeting with the Ragin' Cajuns.
The Hokies had insanely good field position all day thanks to special teams play and Southwestern Louisiana turnovers. But their offense sputtered repeatedly - kicker Shayne Graham was called on to make four short field goals - until turning it on late.
Tech's modus operandi will have to change if it wants to win from here on out against the likes of East Carolina, Miami, West Virginia and Virginia.
``I don't think I've ever had the ball in as good a field position with a good offense and didn't get more points,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``We know we've got to be better. Maybe we got that all out of our system today, and now it's a stretch here of four games where it's going to get real serious.'''
Actually, for the Hokies it could get serious before the next kickoff. On Wednesday, a grand jury is expected to return indictments following a lengthy police investigation into an Aug. 31 melee on campus that allegedly involved football players. The fallout of the grand jury action could be season-ending suspensions of some players.
Next week Virginia Tech plays East Carolina in Blacksburg.
- STEVE CARLSON by CNB