Beamer knows it's a 'big' game
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 24, 2004

BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer didn’t take all that long to answer the question.
Is this the biggest Virginia-Virginia Tech game that he has been a part of as a Hokie player, assistant coach and now head coach?
“I think it is. I can’t think of a bigger one,” Beamer said.
Certainly this contest for the first time has ACC title ramifications and for the first time, given conference slotting for bowl games, the result has very direct consequences in terms of both teams’ postseason destinations. Virginia (8-2, 5-2 ACC) and Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-1 ACC) both still have hopes of an ACC title or at least a share of the title.
“We have never played when the winner gets at least a share of the conference championship. That’s a first in this series,” Beamer said.
Some would say that the ACC factor alone has heightened an already heated rivalry. Beamer steered clear of heightening it any more Tuesday by being complimentary of the Virginia program coming into the game.
“I respect Virginia. I respect the work they do and the program they have. We are the two Division I programs in the state and we are going after each other. They expand their stadium and then we expand the stadium here,” Beamer said. “I think both of us are doing good things. Coach Welsh started it there and I think that Al Groh is continuing it.”
There is always a thinking among many in the commonwealth that while the stakes are high this time, they are always high.
“Growing up in Virginia, you always believe that it kind of didn’t matter what the records were,” said Virginia Tech tight end Jeff King of Pulaski. “If you are Virginia Tech and you beat Virginia, that’s your season. It’s bigger because of the ACC but it’s always big.”
Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall was asked if Virginia week is any different in Blacksburg. At first, he intimated that it wasn’t but then he diverted a little in his answer.
“It’s not much different in my eyes in how you prepare for the week and the game but at the same time you know in the back of your mind, there is a lot riding on this game. It’s a big rivalry and now there is even more on the line,” Randall said. “You know how much this game means. No one needs to be told that.”

Imoh questionable. Virginia Tech tailback Mike Imoh, the team’s leading rusher with 686 yards on 142 carries, remains questionable for Saturday’s game with a sore hamstring. Imoh suffered the injury in last Thursday’s 55-6 victory over Maryland.
Cedric Humes, who started the first four games of the season while Imoh served a three-game suspension, would likely get the nod if Imoh is unable to go.
“He’s questionable. At this point we just don’t know,” Beamer said. “He had also been sick earlier but he’s doing better with that. … He knows that he has to be full strength before he can go.”
Beamer said that Imoh was not expected to practice Tuesday but could today.
Imoh has been a spark for the Hokies in their current six-game winning streak. Imoh has rushed for 100 or more in three of those games, including a 243-yard effort in a 27-24 win over North Carolina.
“He has obviously been a key ingredient for this football team,” Beamer said.
Humes said he certainly will be ready to go, no matter the situation ready.
“We prepare to be ready to play,” Humes said.

Cooler heads. With the on-field altercation in last week’s Clemson-South Carolina - a rivalry similar in intensity to this one - Beamer was asked Tuesday if he has made particular mention of that to his team.
“We talk about those things in our very first meeting. We talk about the penalties for fighting and for coming off the bench. We talked about it again yesterday,” Beamer said. “You want the game to be played the right way. You want it to be played hard and everybody giving great effort. You don’t want the trash after the whistles and all that. Hopefully that is how our guys will play and I’m sure that Virginia will play the same way.”

Condolences. Groh sent flowers to Beamer after the passing of Beamer’s mother, Herma, last week and Beamer expressed his thanks for the gesture Tuesday.
“It was a very gracious thing for him to do,” Beamer said.
The relationship between the two coaches has never been cozy, or at least that is the perception, and at times it has been described as everything from cool to, well, lukewarm.
Of course, one wonders if the relationship between two rival coaches can be anything better.
“I have great respect for that program and what they’ve done. I think we have a similar relationship that exists in any big rival. I certainly respect what they do and how they’ve done it,” Beamer said.

Hoffman has heart at nose tackle
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 24, 2004

Pity the nose tackle. Just like his equivalent on the other side of the line of scrimmage, the center, only their mothers recognize them during a football game.

Nose tackles do the dirty work down in the trenches. Rarely is there an opportunity for them to grab a mitt full of glory. Thusly, you don’t hear much about nose tackles.

Quick, name your favorite nose tackle of all-time? How many nose tackles are there in the hall of fame? Name the retired jerseys worn by former nose tackles. Get the picture?

But without them, some defenses would be a wreck.

Enter Andrew Judson Hoffman, No. 60 in your program, No. 1 in your heart if you truly love defense, particularly Virginia’s defense. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound senior product from Park View-Sterling has quietly put together one of the best seasons by any player on the Cavaliers’ roster.

While many of his deeds may go unnoticed by fans or TV commentators, the coaches know just what Hoffman’s play has meant to his team. Even opposing coaches have taken notice.

“I’ll tell you a guy that I think has kind of really changed it around a little bit for Virginia’s defense is the Hoffman kid,” said Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer on Tuesday when assessing this week’s opponent. “I think he has really helped that defense.”

Case in point

Hoffman is knocked to LaLa Land during the first series of the Virginia and Miami game two weeks ago. He comes out of the contest and by the end of the first quarter is helped from the field. As he walks to the UVa locker room, he is spotted reaching his right hand to the wall to help guide him along the way.

Out with a concussion, Hoffman did not return. Virginia’s defense clearly struggled without his presence.

A week later, the wide-bodied nose tackle was again starting in a crucial game at Georgia Tech. He had shaken off the concussion and was causing havoc with the Yellow Jackets’ running game in addition to helping apply heat to quarterback Reggie Ball.

Hoffman finished that game with six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

A proven asset

“Andrew showed why he’s an asset today,” Virginia coach Al Groh said after the victory in Atlanta. “He was so anxious, I don’t think we could have put a ball and chain on him and it would have slowed him down. He had the energy and emotion of two games pent up inside of him.”

Hoffman’s mission is as simple as well water. He is assigned to clog up the middle and when possible, to penetrate into the opponents’ backfield.

Easier said than done.

“When you play the 3-4 defense, it all starts from the inside out and that means the nose,” Groh said. “The nose

tackle needs to be a significant presence in the game and most weeks he has been that. He’s a factor on every play. He has to be dealt with.”

The Virginia coach brought attention to Hoffman after last season’s strong finish when Groh pointed out that his nose tackle had gone up against three premier offensive linemen in the Cavaliers’ final three games: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh in Tire Bowl II, and dominated his position in each contest.

Now, Hoffman is doing it again.

“This is the best nose tackle play that we’ve had at any time here,” Groh said of Hoffman’s season.

Monsanto Pope was the first to get a try at the new position that Groh introduced when he brought the 3-4 to Charlottesville. Hoffman watched, learned and listened.

“Monsanto is a very talented player because he is still playing for the Denver Broncos,” Groh said. “But it was a brand new position for him. Andrew learned the position that year while he was redshirting and now is in his third straight season of being a starter. He’s got this position down pretty good. He’s clearly given us more production there than at any time.”

If playing nose tackle wasn’t enough to keep Hoffman from getting publicity, the fact that he has an agricultural class [do they really have those at UVa?] on Monday’s, the time set aside for media interviews, hasn’t helped spread the word about what a fabulous year he is having.

After Saturday’s win at Georgia Tech, Hoffman briefly spoke about his season.

“I had a mindset all year that I needed to be a dominant player and I stepped it up today,” he said.

So, it’s not real flashy. What do you want? He’s a nose tackle.

Hoffman talked more about how the defense set goals to help them beat Georgia Tech and accomplished the mission. He didn’t want to talk about the previous week. You know, the concussion thing.

“I feel like I lost a day out of my life,” he said. “I remember a little bit. I was still a little bit out of it the next day, but I’ve been mentally ready to go since then.”

Groh was concerned that he might have to play against Georgia Tech, maybe even Virginia Tech without his big defensive stud in the middle.

“As those circumstances generally go, it’s very difficult for the doctor to give any kind of prognosis on [concussions],” the coach said. “An ankle sprain or a separated shoulder, they can usually say it’s two to three weeks. But when you get into that area, it’s hard to predict.”

There are various levels or phases of a concussion and recovery. Some players pass from one phase to another quicker than others. But coaches and trainers are extremely conservative about how they deal with concussions.

Hoffman has been so steady, so reliable in past seasons that his backups haven’t gotten a lot of work. Junior Melvin Massey and freshman Keenan Carter have gotten some time and Groh believes that some of the younger players vying for time at defensive end could end up in the middle instead.

Whether any of them can approach Hoffman’s status there (he has had at least five tackles in six of the last eight games and is second among ACC defensive tackles in tackles for loss), is questionable.

Not too shabby for a guy who hardly gets noticed. Opposing linemen, running backs and quarterbacks know who he is. For Hoffman, that’s good enough.

Cavs rally for NCAA win
Freeman, Hall tally goals in second half and Virginia advances to play New Mexico
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 24, 2004

Monday, Virginia men's soccer coach George Gelnovatch said he expected American University to possess the ball for stretches and play hard against his team in Tuesday's NCAA Tournament second-round contest.

He was almost too prophetic.

The Cavaliers, the tournament's No. 4 overall seed, fell behind 1-0 early in the second half but rallied with two goals in the final 37 minutes to secure a 2-1 victory in a wet and wild contest at Klockner Stadium.

Virginia (18-4) now advances to face New Mexico (17-1-1) in Saturday's third round at Klockner. New Mexico, seeded 13th in the tournament despite a No. 1 ranking in the final Soccer America poll, scored three goals in the final eight minutes to beat Portland 4-1.

"That was a very good team we beat tonight. I feel that team could compete very well in our conference. They deserve a lot of credit certainly," Gelnovatch said.

American (15-6-2), which defeated LIU 3-0 in the opening round, actually outshot Virginia by a 12-8 margin and collected five corner kicks to Virginia's three.

"Any NCAA Tournament is going to be played in that fashion. It's tough to swallow when you outshot them and have more corner kicks," American coach Todd West said.

The two teams played a scoreless first half despite bountiful opportunities on each side.

The best opportunity of the half was Virginia's and it came with slightly more than 10 minutes remaining before intermission. Adam Cristman outraced American goalkeeper Thomas Myers for a ball well outside the goalbox and then fired a shot toward the net. Cristman, however, missed the mark and the game remained scoreless.

American gained the 1-0 lead almost immediately in the second half. In the 47th minute, American's Sal Caccavale took a pass from teammate Garth Juckem and deposited it from just 6 yards out.

The advantage, however, would not last too long.

Just five minutes later, Hunter Freeman scored on a goal on a kick that he never attempted as a shot.

Freeman, the nation's assist leader with 21, took a corner kick from Nico Colaluca and lobbed it toward the net. It was not too different than a hundred such balls Freeman has played into the box this season. His skill for such crosses no doubt had something to do with his nation-leading assist total.

This time, however, the ball didn't come to a waiting teammate but rather escaped the grasp of Myers and found the net to tie the game at 1-1 with 37:52 remaining.

West labeled the goal "flukish" and expressed dismay that it was decisive in the outcome.

"Hunter mishits a cross and it goes in the back of the net and changes the game," West stated.

Not surprisingly, Gelnovatch did not share a similar view.

"Hunter put the ball in a good position. If it doesn't go in, [Virginia forward] Mike Littlefield is right there and he heads it in. Hunter put the ball in a perfect spot," said Gelnovatch, whose team has been victimized by equally odd goals on this same field during this same time of the season. "To be honest, I don't know if there are any flukish goals. ? All sorts of weird things happen but it usually starts because the ball is put in a good spot."

Added Freeman: "I put a pretty good ball in there. I think the keeper was looking for a ball to the back post but once it got over his head, it was only a matter of whether it would go in or not."

It did and then Virginia took the lead for good 15 minutes later.

Will Hall, who had just entered the game moments earlier, nailed a shot from 33 yards out that hit the back of the net almost before Myers could even react.

If West wanted to reduce style points on Freeman's goal, he certainly could not do the same on Hall's.

Gelnovatch said that Tuesday's result is a credit to his team's resiliency because it did not play its best game of the season and still triumphed.

"We competed hard and played hard and showed a lot of character but it wasn't our sharpest game. ? To be able to come through this game with a win against a very good team shows a lot of character," Gelnovatch said.

Virginia looks to ride momentum
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 24, 2004

To their credit, the majority of Virginia players said their win over then-No. 10 Arizona on Sunday was just one game. Of course, in the world of sports-talk clichés, such a response was expected and tonight’s contest against Appalachian State will reveal the sincerity of that message and mentality.

Still, there was little boasting afterwards and while there was celebrating by the players, it was small compared to the just-a-little-too-early, storm-the-floor reaction of the Virginia students.

In terms of what the 18-point win means for Virginia, only time will tell. There are, however, at least two conclusions and observations that can be made. Both also have time elements attached and one of them exists locked in a vacuum of sorts.

The most uncertain conclusion is how the victory could factor in any Virginia hopes for the NCAA Tournament. It’s quite foolish to talk about such things in November but it is certainly not irrational.

In the wacky world of the RPI and subsequent NCAA Tournament selection, Sunday’s result is indeed locked away for now. Virginia’s fate is now loosely tied with Arizona’s in a way. Let’s explain, but it is a little complicated. Virginia’s hope now is that Arizona goes on to have a stellar season and thus with each Arizona win, Virginia’s RPI will rise.

Of course, that will only enter the conversation if there is doubt of Virginia’s selection some four months from now. With the ACC expected to be the nation’s best league this season, a conference record of 6-10 or 7-9 might be quite respectable.

If the Cavaliers sit on that fence with a 6-10 or 7-9 ACC mark (again this is just baseless conjecture at this point), their non-conference slate will then be examined carefully. At that point, an 18-point win over Arizona in the third week of November could be very valuable. Of course, the other factor is only time well tell how good Arizona is also.

This is all getting way ahead of things, but such a scenario is at least food for thought.

The more tangible result of Sunday’s win is pure and simple confidence.

For a team that was picked eighth in its league and led by a freshman point guard, any good and unexpected fortune can only be a positive, especially when it arrives so early in a season.

“To beat a top-ranked team in the country helps us a lot. It helps us build our confidence going into the next game. We really just have to take one game at a time,” sophomore Gary Forbes said.

Added Devin Smith: “It does give us some confidence. I think the most important thing is that it shows us we can play with anyone.”

Singletary, that freshman point guard who was so electrifying against Arizona, is the one player whose confidence probably received the biggest lift after such a performance so early in the season. Yet, he seemingly reflected maturity beyond his years.

“Like you said it was only our second game and we have a lot more games to go. … We have to work hard every day in practice. We believe in ourselves but we have to work hard each and every day,” Singletary said.

The Cavaliers don’t have to look too far to see what can or cannot happen after a significant early non-conference win. Two years ago, Virginia defeated Kentucky by 14 points in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational in its third game of the season. The Cavaliers, however, never really capitalized or received a boost from the win as they finished the season 16-16.

It is repetitive but how the Cavaliers respond from this victory is the answer that will only be found in time as well.

“This is a big game but it is just one game. We have a game on Wednesday. This is no statement game or anything like that,” Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. “I don’t know if it sets a tone. You all [the media] can write about that. We still have to get better and improve. We will play in the best league ever so we have to play well to play in the type of league we’re playing in. … There is a lot of work ahead of us.”

Tech in driver's seat for BCS bid
UVa needs to beat Tech, for the Hokies to beat Miami, and a favorable jump in the BCS standings to get the ACC's automatic bid.
By Mark Berman
981-3125
The Roanoke Times

It looks like Virginia Tech or Miami will get to ring in the new year in the Big Easy.

Then again ...

Beginning next year, when the ACC has a football title game, it will be quite simple to determine who earns the league's Bowl Championship Series berth.

This year, however, there is no title game. The ACC might have to turn to its tiebreaking procedures to figure out who gets the precious BCS bid - a berth that will likely result in a trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

The tiebreaking procedure might not come into play, though. If Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-1) wins its final two games - against visiting UVa (8-2, 5-2) on Saturday and at Miami (8-2, 5-2) on Dec.4 - the Hokies will finish the season in sole possession of first place in the ACC. Virginia Tech will reap the BCS bid.

If Tech loses one or both of the games, it will be time to sort out the tiebreaking process. Tech, UVa, Miami and/or Florida State (8-3, 6-2) could tie for the league title, and the ACC would turn to the BCS standings for a resolution on who gets the BCS bid.

Florida State plummeted in the BCS standings with its loss to Florida last weekend, however, so it no longer has a shot at the BCS berth. It looks like Miami or Tech would wind up with the bid, depending on who ends up tied atop the ACC standings, but Virginia still has a shot in one of the scenarios.

Here's a look at the scenarios should Tech lose one or both of its final games:

Three-way tie: Tech, Miami and FSU

• How it happens: Techbeats UVa, knocking the Cavaliers out of the ACC title picture, but loses to Miami.

• Current BCS rankings of the three: Miami is ninth, Tech 14th and FSU 18th.

• What happens: Even though Miami would be 2-0 against FSU and Tech, that wouldn't matter. The ACC would disregard head-to-head play because Tech and Florida State haven't played each other this season.

The bid would go to the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings, which will be unveiled on Dec.5. Miami would no doubt remain ahead of the other two in the final standings should it beat Tech, so it would get the bid.

Three-way tie: UVa, Tech and FSU

• How it happens: Tech loses to UVa but beats Miami, knocking the Hurricanes out of the picture.

• Current BCS rankings of the three: Tech is 14th, UVa 17th and FSU 18th.

• What happens: Head-to-head play would not be a factor because Tech and FSU haven't played each other. The bid would go to the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings.

This is the most interesting of the scenarios.

UVa would no doubt move ahead of Tech but still trail Miami in next Monday's BCS standings if the Cavaliers beat the Hokies. If the Hokies bounce back and win at Miami, will Tech jump back in front of UVa in the final BCS standings and get the bid? Probably, but a lot would depend on how far Tech fell after losing to UVa. Virginia could conceivably remain in front of Tech in the final standings.

Tech and UVa would have a nervous night waiting on the next day's BCS standings.

Three-way tie: UVa, Miami and FSU

• How it happens: UVa and Miami both beat Tech, knocking the Hokies out of the picture.

• Current BCS rankings of the three: Miami is ninth, UVa 17th and FSU 18th.

• What happens: All three teams have played each other. Miami is 2-0 against the other two, with FSU 1-1 and UVa 0-2.

The BCS rankings would still be used, but because of its 2-0 record and spot in the BCS standings, Miami would be in great shape.

Miami would no doubt remain ahead of UVa and FSU in the final BCS standings should it beat Tech, so Miami would get the bid. Secondary tiebreakers would not have to be used.

ABC sets up outside of Lane
Tech notes
By Randy King
981-3126
The Roanoke Times

BLACKSBURG - As if state bragging rights, an ACC title, and a possible BCS berth weren't already enough, there was another tip-off Tuesday on the significance of Saturday afternoon's clash between No.16 Virginia and No.11 Virginia Tech.

How big is this one? Well, four days before kickoff, an 18-wheel tractor trailer emblazoned with the words "ABC Sports" already was stationed on the perimeter of Lane Stadium. "I came in here and saw that big truck and I said, 'they're ready already, man, and it's only Tuesday,'" Tech senior defensive lineman Jim Davis said.

From the sound of things, Saturday can't come fast enough for the red-hot Hokies (8-2, 5-1 ACC), who will carry a six-game winning streak into the meeting with archrival UVa (8-2, 5-2). Tech is a 4-point favorite for a contest in which the winner is guaranteed of no worse than a share of the ACC title.

"It's definitely going to be something special," Davis said. "It's going to be long, it's going to be bloody, it's going to be a fistfight, man.

"I think our guys are ready for the challenge. This is big game for us, a big game for this town, this college, this state ... and the winner takes all."

Well, not necessarily. No.9 Miami (8-2, 5-2) will still have something to say about the BCS part. If Tech beats UVa, it still will have to whip the 'Canes in the Orange Bowl on Dec.4 to claim the ACC's BCS berth.

That's another story for another week, however. Right now, this is UVa-Tech week. Certainly, take No.86 in the long series between the state's only two Division I-A football programs ranks as must-see viewing.

"This game is bigger than any individual out on that field," Davis said. "This is a whole state thing, it's a pride thing, a team thing, university, you name it.

"This game means the world to them and to us. May the best man win."

Imoh still 'iffy'

Tech's leading rusher, tailback Mike Imoh, didn't practice Tuesday and likely won't participate in today's workout, trainer Mike Goforth said.

"I think it's going to wind up being a game-time decision," said Goforth, when asked about the status of Imoh, who strained a left hamstring in Tech's 55-6 rout of Maryland last Thursday.

"If Mike feels good, we're not going to hold him back. He's better [Tuesday] than he was [Monday]. He can get in and out of his stance, he can jog around a little bit. I still think he's questionable, though."

Beamer said he would like for Imoh to get some practice work, but it's not imperative in order for him to play.

"If he says he's ready, I know he'll be ready," Beamer said. "He's been through the battles, so he knows he needs to be full speed before he gets in there."

If Imoh can't go, Tech's tailback duties fall in the lap of Cedric Humes and Justin Hamilton.

"I've worked to get to this point and feel real good about it. I'm ready to roll," said Humes, who appears to finally be back at full speed since breaking his left leg last April.

Rivalry game, but ...

Davis said he's not concerned about the heated contest turning into another South Carolina-Clemson fiasco. Those two in-state rivals engaged in a late-game brawl that eventually led to officials from each school deciding to forego playing in bowl games.

"I think that's a little ridiculous, going a little too far when you've got to throw blows and stuff," Davis said. "I mean guys are going to take their shots. I mean don't get me wrong, this is football. But this is a healthy rivalry. Sure, there's going to be lot of guys running their mouth, but it's everybody-knows-one-another type deal. We're going to play hard, but we're not gonna throw a bowl trip, man."

Nice gesture

While Frank Beamer and Al Groh certainly aren't on each other's Christmas card lists, the UVa coach did send flowers to Beamer's family after last Thursday's passing of Herma Beamer, the Tech coach's mother.

"I thought it was a very gracious thing to do," Beamer said.

Turkey feast

The Tech players will enjoy an 11 a.m. Thanksgiving feast before working out Thursday, Beamer said.

When will the media be served?

"About 11:30," a grinning Beamer said. "But good luck after that crowd goes through there on anything being left."

A sack of duties
Darryl Blackstock is a parent in addition to a football player and student at Virginia.
By Doug Doughty
981-3341
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE - As he has continued his climb up the ACC career sack list, one-time media favorite Darryl Blackstock has become increasingly irregular in fulfilling interview requests this season.

While it might be possible that Blackstock didn't like some of his early press, chances are the media isn't high on his priority list. When he isn't leading UVa's pass rush or taking care of academic responsibilities, Blackstock has helped raise his 15-month-old son, Savion.

"I haven't seen my dad since I was four," said Blackstock, a junior from Newport News. "I don't even know my dad. That just makes me want to be stronger. I don't want to be nothin' like he is. I want to be 10 times better.

"I don't want to be a father. I want to be a dad. There's a big difference. I'm always going to be there and I'm there now. That's never going to change."

Virginia coach Al Groh, accustomed to watching tape with Blackstock at daybreak Sunday, said it was early afternoon when Blackstock arrived this week.

"I had to get Savion," Blackstock said. "If I have to stop everything I'm doing for my son, I do it. If I'm a little late here or a little late there just for him, I've got to do what I've got to do."

Blackstock has a tattoo on his arm with three words in block letters: Strong, dedicated, dad.

Blackstock hasn't been totally without a father figure. He has a stepfather and expressed some regret this week that their relationship hadn't been better.

"I was young," Blackstock said. "It was hard for me to look at a new guy. I was like, 'Who are you?' I think he accepted me, but I didn't accept him for a while ... till I got here, actually, till I got to UVa. It took us a long time to develop a relationship, but I'm glad that we did."

Blackstock and Savion's mother, also a UVa student, do not live together. They take turns watching their son.

"I had him all last week," Blackstock said. "I was there when he was born. I was there from day one. I just looked at it as, I had to deal with it. That's responsibility. I couldn't take that out on a child. The child is innocent.

"Regardless if I'm with [the mother] or not, I've got to step up to the plate."

If last Saturday is any indication, Blackstock might want to make in-season baby-sitting a regular practice. He had three sacks in a 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech, giving him seven in three games heading into Virginia's regular-season finale Saturday at Virginia Tech.

When Blackstock's sack totals were down during the first half of the season, Groh said repeatedly that he was happy with Blackstock's play and that he had become more of a complete player.

"Honestly, I took what the defense gave me," said Blackstock, a 6-foot-4, 242-pounder. "There are going to be times when I drop back more than I rush."

But, four sacks in seven games?

"I was like, 'That's not me,'" Blackstock said. "I'd say that all the time. When I got seven in the last three [games], I was telling everybody, 'I'm getting back to my roots.'"

It made for a long afternoon for Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball.

"I [sacked] him three times and hit him at least four other times," Blackstock said. "I crushed him a lot. He even came up to me after a few plays and said, 'Man, that was a good hit.' I was trying to take his head off."

When those kind of plays occur at home, Blackstock frequently finds himself scanning the stands in search of his son.

"It's crazy because he'll be over there clapping," Blackstock said. "He's only 15 months. He doesn't know what he's clapping about, but he's clapping. He's really into the game."

That's definitely in his genes.

Hoffman alert and ready
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE - From the little bit he observed of a dazed Andrew Hoffman during a Nov.13 game with Miami, Virginia football coach Al Groh said he wondered if Hoffman was in the same time zone as the rest of the Cavaliers.

Nobody was questioning Hoffman's focus this past Saturday during UVa's 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech. "He was so anxious, I don't think we could have put a ball and chain on him and it would have slowed him down," Groh said. "He had the energy and emotion of two games pent up inside of him."

There has been considerable speculation about the cause of a concussion that limited Hoffman to nine plays against the Hurricanes, although Hoffman said Saturday that it occurred during the game and not in warm-ups, as some have contended.

On the other hand, he might not be the best person to ask.

"I feel like I lost a day out of my life, really," said Hoffman, a three-year starter at nose tackle, "but, I've been ready to go mentally since Sunday."

Groh declined to look back at the Miami game and assess the impact of Hoffman's absence, but for weeks he had been saying that no Virginia player was having a better season.

"When you play the 3-4 defense, it all starts from the inside out and that means the nose," Groh said. "The nose tackle needs to be a significant presence in the game and most weeks he has been that. He's a factor on - and has to be dealt with - every play.

"This is the best nose tackle play that we've had at any time since I've been here."

Ex-UVa nose tackle Monsanto Pope starts on the defensive line for the Denver Bronocs, but, as Groh pointed out, Pope played tackle in a 4-3 scheme before spending his final season in the 3-4 under Groh.

Hamilton rewarded

Marcus Hamilton, whose two interceptions moved him into a tie for the ACC lead with Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams, is a candidate to replace true freshman cornerback Philip Brown in the Cavaliers' starting lineup Saturday at Tech.

Hamilton, a sophomore, had started the first seven games of the season. He has four of UVa's nine interceptions this season.

"It was probably one of his better performances," observed Groh, who said of a possible lineup change: "If we want these positions to be competitive, that's the whole purpose of having the competition. The competition for playing time brings out the best in the players."

Quote-unquote

"Bryan Randall has done more for his team this year than any other quarterback in the conference." - Groh on Virginia Tech's starting quarterback.

By the numbers

Outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock leads the ACC in sacks with 10 1/2 . ... Other ACC leaders from UVa include Alvin Pearman in all-purpose yardage (159.4 per game) and fellow tailback Wali Lundy in scoring (96 points). Lundy's 40 career touchdowns are tied for first on UVa's "modern-day" (post-1937) list with Thomas Jones ... Connor Hughes' three field goals gave him eight in two years against the Yellow Jackets. Only Tech's Brandon Pace, among ACC place-kickers, has more field goals than Hughes, who is 14-for-20. ... Three of Kurt Smith's kickoffs resulted in touchbacks Saturday, but each of Smith's last two kickoffs resulted in 46-yard Levon Thomas runbacks.

Odds 'n ends

Players nominated for All-ACC by the UVa staff were Hoffman, linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Darryl Blackstock, running back Alvin Pearman, tight end Heath Miller, offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, offensive guard Elton Brown and center Zac Yarbrough. ... Redshirt freshman Tyrus Gardner, the Cavaliers' long snapper from Wytheville, had his first two tackles of the season (one solo, one assist). ... Groh said that sophomore fullback Jason Snelling, who has missed five games with an undisclosed foot injury, has plans to practice this week in hopes of playing. ... Groh showed up in a V Foundation hat and asked for contributions to the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity that is raising money for cancer research by running the game ball from Charlottesville to Blacksburg.

U.Va.’s Miller semifinalist for top tight end award
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 24, 2004

The 2004 Virginia football media guide flatly declares junior Heath Miller “the top tight end in the country.”

The voters for the John Mackey award might well agree.

Miller on Tuesday was selected as 1 of 3 semifinalists for the Mackey, given to the top tight end in the nation. The winner will be announced Dec. 9.

Miller leads the Cavaliers in receptions (34), receiving yards (440) and touchdown catches (5) .

His reception total is less than half of last year’s, when he set an ACC record for tight ends with 70 catches. But that’s more a product of a change in offensive philosophy than any drop-off on Miller’s part.

“I didn’t think I’d catch as many balls because I knew our offensive line was more experienced and with the running backs we have, our running game would be more productive.” Miller said. “I’m very satisfied. I feel like offensively we’ve performed well all year, so there’s not much to complain about.”

Miller, 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, was nicknamed “Big Money” by his teammates because of his sure hands and ability to get open. He holds the ACC career record for touchdown catches by a tight end (20). He needs six catches to break the ACC career reception record for a tight end (142) and 50 yards to break the yardage record (1,652).

Marcedes Lewis of UCLA and Alex Smith of Stanford are the other semifinalists.

On the double
Virginia's Marques Hagans is relatively new at this QB thing, but can do some magical things.
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 24, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- He should have thrown it away. There was nothing there, just three Georgia Tech defenders and the sideline. What chance did he have?

Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans often gets himself in trouble for not chucking the ball out of bounds in hopeless situations. But for Hagans, an escape artist in cleats and pads, there's always hope.

"I never give up," he said. "I keep fighting until the whistle is blown."

By the time the whistle was blown, Hagans had completed an 11-yard pass to Wali Lundy to keep the chains moving. But only after he had (a) sprinted out to the right side, (b) dodged three defenders who had him cornered, (c) looped back around to the middle of the field and (d) spotted Lundy "waving his arms like he was trying to get an airplane to rescue him from an island" for the first down.

You can imagine the whoop that went up when that play was viewed during Monday afternoon's film session, right as the Cavaliers began preparing for Saturday's showdown at Virginia Tech.

"He's like a magician out there," right guard Elton Brown said. "He always finds a way. Those are the kind of plays that only he can make."

On the sideline, offensive coordinator Ron Prince turned to coach Al Groh and chuckled, "We're geniuses." Well, maybe they were for signing a 5-foot-10 kid to play the position most believe is suited only for those a half-foot taller. But could Peyton Manning, a future Hall of Famer, have made that play? Tom Brady? Matt Schaub?

"To be honest, nothing he does really surprises me," tailback Alvin Pearman said. "He does stuff like that on a daily basis."

Remember, Hagans was an athlete long before he was a quarterback. Prior to his 10th-grade year at Hampton High, he hadn't planned on going out for the football team. Reason being, it would interfere with his basketball, where he was a pretty good point guard. But Crabbers coach Mike Smith, aware of Hagans' reputation from rec league football, persuaded him to give it a try.

Hagans played wide receiver and defensive back that season. But one day in practice, Smith realized he had a pretty good quarterback on his hands.

"When he was a sophomore and Ronald (Curry) was a senior, they were seeing how far they could throw the ball," Smith said. "Ronald threw one 80 yards down the field. Then Marques threw one 75 yards."

In the fall of 1998, with Curry at North Carolina, Hagans became Hampton's quarterback. The Crabbers had won three consecutive state titles; Hagans led them to a fourth. After graduating from Hampton in the spring of 2000, Hagans spent an academic year at Fork Union. John Shuman, FUMA's coach, said he was as good as anybody he's ever coached there, a list that includes Vinny Testaverde and Don Majkowski.

Then to Virginia, where for Hagans' first two seasons he played sparingly behind Schaub. Yet his athletic skills were so great that Groh made the unusual move of using his second-string quarterback as a receiver and punt returner. So when Hagans became Virginia's starting quarterback this season, at least he had that experience as a guide.

Hagans started hot. In his first six games, he completed 69 percent of his passes with only two interceptions. He made Michael Vick-like plays, like when he turned what looked to be a sack into a 59-yard touchdown run against Syracuse.

But like most quarterbacks, especially those who are new to the position, he hit a rough stretch. After injuring his hip at Florida State on Oct. 16, Hagans completed 31 of 62 passes and threw three interceptions in three games. Groh and Hagans insisted his hip was fine, but for whatever reason, he was off.

Hagans looked more like his old self in last week's 30-10 victory at Georgia Tech, hitting on 19 of 28 passes for 171 yards. Eleven of those yards came on his magic-act pass to Lundy. It felt good to get it back.

"I did," he admitted, "play with a little chip on my shoulder."

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer is afraid that chip will still be there on Saturday. He has seen first-hand what gifted quarterbacks can do when nothing seems to be there.

"When Michael Vick was here, sometimes our best plays were when they broke down," Beamer said. "I think that's what's happening with Virginia and Hagans right now. ... He's dangerous when the play breaks down."

With a win Saturday, Hagans would become the third quarterback in school history to lead the Cavaliers to nine regular-season victories. The two who did it before are Cavalier legends: Shawn Moore (in 1989) and Aaron Brooks ('98). Neither accomplished the feat in their first season as the starter.

Hagans is still learning, and Groh likes how his quarterback has developed.

"Maybe the biggest thing at this stage is that most of what he will encounter during his career as a quarterback, he's already seen at least once now," Groh said. "Maybe we haven't covered the full alphabet here, but most everything that he's going to be exposed to and eventually have an answer for he's experienced one time here.

"We all know that, for many tasks you try to learn, be they mental or physical, that one-time exposure doesn't necessarily mean we've mastered them. But you've got a lot better chance after you've seen what's out there, rather than when it's all new.

"He's seen what's out there. Now, he just needs more turns, more exposure to those situations."

Tech's steady Bryan Randall is gaining attention as an ACC Player of the Year candidate.
BY NORM WOOD
247-4642
Published November 24, 2004

BLACKSBURG -- Senior quarterback Bryan Randall has neither the time nor desire to explore such topics as records and accolades he'll collect before leaving Virginia Tech. Nor does he have time to re-live past failures.

As Randall, a Bruton High graduate, prepares for Virginia on Saturday and at Miami on Dec. 4, excuse him he has one goal in mind: winning a Bowl Championship Series game. He feels it's his duty to have such focus, that it's what leaders do.

That's why Randall's stack of old tapes from his freshman season at Tech are gathering dust. He doesn't plan on watching them until he's in his 80s.

But by season's end, Randall will be Tech's all-time leader in total offense and passing yards. Neither record is worth talking about to him. He's more proud of starting in 35 consecutive games, a Tech record for quarterbacks.

Oh, and don't even mention the growing opinion that Randall might be voted the Atlantic Coast Conference's Player of the Year. He's flattered, but it's not something he hadn't even thought about until a few folks started mentioning it earlier this month after Tech's 27-24 victory against North Carolina.

"I've never really considered myself the ACC Player of the Year," Randall said. "Then again, I've never really sat down and compared myself to how other people are doing. Right now, my main focus is just winning. The individual things really mean nothing to me. I'd rather be the worst player in the ACC, as long as we came out here and won the ACC championship."

It's that humble approach that has made Randall a success. He has been that way since high school.

At Bruton, Randall was rated the top football player in the state in 2000 by most recruiting analysts. He was also the Associated Press' Group AA basketball player of the year as a junior.

Not impressed? Randall was also a National Honor Society member at Bruton and continued his academic success at Tech, from which he graduated in three years with a sociology degree. He is taking master's level courses now. Still, there have never been signs of ego.

Randall is going to have a shot at being the conference's best player on its best team. Tech (8-2 overall, 5-1 ACC) will win the ACC title and gain the conference's automatic BCS bid if it defeats U.Va. (8-2, 5-2) and Miami (8-2, 5-2). In the minds of some ACC coaches, Randall is already the favorite to win the player of the year award.

"I think that Bryan Randall has done more for his team than any other quarterback in the conference," U.Va. coach Al Groh said. "I think he's had a terrific season."

Randall might be a special case. He's not the kind of player many people notice when they think of a conference player of the year. He has completed just 53.5 percent of his passes (122-of-228) for 1,617 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season.

Those are solid numbers, but nowhere near the statistics of Miami quarterback Brock Berlin, who is considered by many media members to be Randall's primary competition for the award. Berlin has completed 166 of 293 passes for 2,370 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. The advantage Randall might have when compared with Berlin is that Randall has exorcised many of the bad memories from his past and replaced them with fantastic finishes.

He had a tough time in losses last season to West Virginia (three interceptions), Pittsburgh (39 yards passing) and Virginia (two interceptions). He had to split time with backup Marcus Vick during a late-season four-game stretch in 2003. This season, Randall led Tech to fourth-quarter rallies for victories at Wake Forest and Georgia Tech and played smart in the closing minutes against West Virginia and North Carolina.

"It's kind of like when Michael Vick was going for the Heisman (Trophy)," Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "He earned it. Week after week, he made plays, and all of a sudden he was in the Heisman. Bryan Randall has done the same thing here. Week after week, he's made plays for us, and he's certainly been special for us. I think he's a special player in the ACC. I hope he gets consideration."

Randall's leadership on and off the field is a perfect example of his selflessness. When tailback Cedric Humes lost his starting job in the fourth game of the season, Randall was the first player to offer him a pep talk.

"I remember he pulled me aside and told me not to worry about it," Humes said. "He told me about the hard times he went through last year when he was switching with Marcus (Vick) at quarterback and how it made him better. That meant a lot to me. It's an example of why he's such a great leader. He really stabilizes the offense."

Maybe the player on Tech's roster who is most unfazed by Randall's career is Randall himself. He is proud of his 7,278 total yards. His 5,861 passing yards, 42 touchdown passes and 1,417 rushing yards are impressive, but they aren't career highlights for Randall.

He's more pleased with where he has come from in such a short time.

Randall has gone from confused freshman backup to green sophomore starter to frustrated junior to All-ACC caliber senior. His one remaining wish is to cap off his senior season with three more wins.

"I think people have really questioned my ability," Randall said.

"I guess some people don't do that anymore, but some people do. You win some over, and some people you don't. I don't worry about it. I've got bigger things on my mind."

Kaine, Kilgore on opposite sides of Tech-UVa. rivalry
The Top Story
Chris Graham
chris@augustafreepress.com

Jerry Kilgore was getting ready to talk hard politics.

Which makes sense, given the stakes. There's a state to be run, after all, not to mention a gubernatorial election - Kilgore, the attorney general in Virginia, is the frontrunner for the Republican Party nomination to run for governor in the Old Dominion in 2005.

After an exchange of pleasantries with the reporter on the other end of the phone line, though, Kilgore let on that something else was on his mind in addition to what one might otherwise expect.

"I'm not doing well, I have to admit. I'm still not over the Miami game," said Kilgore, a native of Southwest Virginia and a lifelong fan of University of Virginia sports.

A few minutes and another phone call later, and Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee to run for governor in '05, revealed that he had college athletics on the brain on top of the usual things regarding budgets and taxes and what to do about the state's transportation infrastructure.

"You've caught me at an interesting time to bring up that question. I'm on my way down to the Tech-Maryland game as we speak," Kaine said last week a few hours before Virginia Tech's home football game with the University of Maryland.

Kaine, as it turns out, is a self-described "huge" Tech football fan.

One point on which Kaine and Kilgore agree in the walkup to the Virginia Tech-Virginia football contest coming up on Saturday is that the addition of Tech to the Atlantic Coast Conference was very much a good thing for the Blacksburg school and its sister school in Charlottesville as well.

"I'm thrilled that Virginia Tech is in the ACC," Kaine told The Augusta Free Press. "It's definitely to their advantage, and really it's to the benefit of both schools that both are in the ACC. It's a good thing for the state of Virginia. It takes what has been a traditional rivalry and gives it that much more meaning."

"Being in a conference like the ACC can do so much for your athletic programs and for your academic programs," Kilgore told the AFP. "The only evidence that you need there is to look at what happened the year Virginia Tech played for the national title in football (in 1999). Applications soared after that. It was unbelievable. So when it appeared that the Big East might be crumbling around them, it was imperative that they secure a place in a viable conference."

It seems that both are a bit out of place with their football rooting allegiances - given that Kilgore is a native of rural Scott County in the heart of Hokie Nation, and Kaine is the former mayor of Richmond, a Wahoo stronghold.

"I go down to Blacksburg every chance that I get. I love seeing the Hokies play in Lane Stadium," Kaine said. "Tonight's game will be my first Thursday-night game. I've been down a number of times on Saturdays, but I understand that they really get this place rocking on Thursday nights."

They did, as Virginia Tech rolled to a convincing 55-6 win over Maryland, a team that had fallen to Virginia by a 16-0 final two weeks earlier.

Kaine might not be able to make it back to Southwest for Saturday's Tech-UVa. matchup.

"My wife and I are taking a trip to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We're supposed to be back later in the week, and I'm hoping to be able to make it down. It's just a matter of how bad the jet lag is. But for me, I really want to be there," Kaine said.

Wild horses couldn't keep Kilgore away, for those keeping score at home. Kilgore will watch the game from the president's box at Lane Stadium as a guest of Tech president Charles Steger, "but I won't be afraid to be in there with my orange and blue," he said.

"All my Virginia Tech friends understand," Kilgore said. "I'm not going to walk the political tightrope and try to pretend that I'm neutral. I have friends on both sides, but when it's time for the football game, I'm a Cavalier all the way. And then when UVa. wins, we can go back to being friends."

Whether he's in Blacksburg or watching at home with friends, Kaine will be pulling hard for his Hokies.

"This is the kind of issue that politicians like to dance around and walk the fence on. I can't do that. When it comes to Tech and Virginia, I'm always rooting for Tech. I root for Virginia every other weekend, but I'm a big Tech football fan," Kaine said.

The winner of this weekend's game could have the inside track to the ACC title and the conference's slot in the lucrative Bowl Championship Series. Kilgore, for his part, thinks the outcome of next year's game could mean even more.

"I think that next year's game could decide who plays in the national-championship game. I really do," Kilgore said.

"I'm not sure if I can take it. Running a gubernatorial campaign in the fall and watching Virginia make a run at the national title. I'm not sure if my heart can take it," Kilgore said.

Ends' game
Freshmen bolster Cavs' defensive line after loss of Canty
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Nov 24, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE Two months have passed since the University of Virginia football team lost its most decorated defender, a dominant player who contributed in myriad ways on and off the field.

Life without Chris Canty has not been easy for the Cavaliers. Virginia has lost twice since the 6-7, 290-pound end suffered a season-ending knee injury against Syracuse. But the recent development of two freshmen who grew up near Scott Stadium has bolstered a defensive line forced to regroup after No. 95 went down.

"When you lose a player the quality of Chris Canty, you know you have to step up," Chris Johnson said.

Johnson, a 2003 graduate of Charlottesville High who redshirted last season, has started the Cavaliers' past two games. Chris Long, a 2004 graduate of St. Anne's-Belfield School in Charlottesville, is again flashing his trademark speed and tenacity after a bout with mononucleosis. Long, whose father is Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long, recorded his first sack in Virginia's 30-10 win at Georgia Tech last weekend.

"Not only are Chris [Johnson] and I from the same place, we're playing the same position, so it's been a good opportunity," Chris Long said. "We had to grow up a lot the last couple weeks."

Johnson played especially well against the Yellow Jackets.

"He began to show the cumulative benefit now of seeing plays run at him in games, rather than practices," Virginia coach Al Groh said.

U.Va.'s base defense is a 3-4, and its starting linemen in 2002 and '03 were ends Canty and Brennan Schmidt and nose tackle Andrew Hoffman. That trio returned intact this season, only to lose its most visible member Sept. 25.

"When C-squared went down, I knew I would have to step up even more that I had before," Johnson recalled. "My role was going to change. At that point, I became the top reserve."

In their first four games after losing Canty, the Cavaliers started junior Kwakou Robinson in his stead. But academic issues cost Robinson his spot on the first team be fore the Nov. 13 game with Miami, and the 6-3, 275-pound Johnson replaced him.

Johnson played well enough against the Hurricanes to keep the job, and he's listed No. 1 on the depth chart for 16th-ranked Virginia's game Saturday at No. 11 Virginia Tech.

"It's crazy," Johnson said. "I never thought it was going to come this quick. I'm just happy for the opportunity. My mother always tells me, just be thankful, keep trying, keep working hard. The opportunity presented itself, and I had to take it and run with it."

Long, who stands 6-4, bulked up to 275 pounds during training camp. But after the season began he noticed he was losing strength and dropping weight, and he was diagnosed with mono in late September. Long, who'd played in each of Virginia's first three games, didn't make his fourth appearance until Nov. 13.

During Long's illness, his weight fell to 252 pounds. He's back up to about 262, and his role is expanding, too. After playing a total of 29 snaps in his first four games, Long played 29 against Georgia Tech. Robinson was in for 11 plays and Johnson for 23.

Long has great potential as a playmaker, and he rushes the quarterback in passing situations.

"His motor runs all the time," U.Va. offensive guard Elton Brown said.

That's what they used to say about a big guy who played on the Oakland Raiders' defensive line. That same guy was at Bobby Dodd Stadium last weekend, and Howie Long watched his son with an expert's eye.

In his postgame conversation with his father, Long said, they "didn't really talk about the sack. I thought there were a lot of things I could have done better in that game. He said there were some good things and some bad things, and that's the way it is" every game.

Come spring practice, Long is likely to battle his friend Johnson for a starting job. For now, though, Long focuses on trying to improve each day.

"You think you got it, but you don't have it yet," he said. "You get one thing, and there's something else you got to get. I'm a lot more advanced [than in August]. I wouldn't say I'm anywhere near where I need to be."

The same is undoubtedly true for Johnson. Still, their coaches and teammates are encouraged by the local products' progress.

"Those two guys are really getting better," Schmidt said.

Cavs stay focused
Brown says Virginia will treat Appalachian State like major foe
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Nov 24, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE - To hear Elton Brown, the Appalachian State Mountaineers should not expect a holiday letdown from Virginia's basketball team on the eve of Thanksgiving.

"We're not going to take it easy on them," said Brown, U.Va.'s senior center. "We're going to take it like they're Arizona or Carolina or Duke."

If the Cavaliers perform tonight at University Hall the way they did Sunday against then-No. 10 Arizona, Appalachian State will be in trouble. Virginia, unranked and unheralded, whipped the Wildcats 78-60 to improve to 2-0.

The Mountaineers are unbeaten, too, but they've played only once, and their victim was the wonderfully named Flying Fleet of Division II Erskine College, not a perennial Division I power such as Arizona.

ASU's fourth-year coach, Houston Fancher, has his top four scorers back from 2003-04. They're back, however, from a team that finished 9-21.

The Cavaliers' win over Arizona didn't earn them a spot in either major poll this week, but their performance, especially the play of freshman point guard Sean Singletary (15 points, eight assists, six rebounds, six steals), attracted national attention.

"A lot of people doubted us," said Brown, who had 17 points and six rebounds Sunday. "Nobody thought we even had a chance of beating them. If you had said Friday night that Virginia would win by 18, [people] would have said, 'What, are you crazy?' We're just showing people we can play."

The win over the Wildcats, U.Va. coach Pete Gillen acknowledged, was significant. Still, Gillen refused to get carried away. "It's one game," he said.

"I think we have some good players, but we got a lot of improvement to do, a lot of work ahead of us."

Gillen's players, too, said all the right things afterward.

"Once again, we're only 2-0. It's a long, long season," Singletary said. "There's going to be a lot of tough times in the ACC. It's a good win, but tomorrow is a new day."

This is the third of four consecutive home games for Virginia, which entertains Richmond on Sunday. Then come three games away from U-Hall. The Cavaliers play Dec. 1 at Northwestern in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Dec. 3 against Auburn at Virginia Commonwealth's Siegel Center, and Dec. 6 at Iowa State.

 

Hokies Tailback Imoh Is Questionable for Cavs
Strained Hamstring, Flu Have Sidelined Junior, Who Has Emerged as Virginia Tech's No. 1 Rusher
By Mark Schlabach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 24, 2004; Page D03

Virginia Tech tailback Mike Imoh won't practice this week because of a strained hamstring and a case of the flu and is questionable to play in Saturday's game against Virginia, Hokies running backs coach Billy Hite said yesterday.

Imoh, a junior who leads the ACC with an average of 105.8 rushing yards in conference games, strained his left hamstring during the first quarter of the No. 11 Hokies' 55-6 rout of Maryland last Thursday night. Hite said he had hoped to gauge the strength of Imoh's hamstring during Monday night's practice, but the former Robinson High standout spent much of the day vomiting and couldn't practice.

Hokies running back Mike Imoh, here scoring against the Terrapins last week, has been hampered by a strained hamstring and a bout of the flu. (Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)

"He laid on the floor during our running backs meeting," Hite said. "That's how bad he felt. The boy's having a rough time right now. . . . I'm not one of those guys who in the 11th week of the season says you've got to practice to play. If he can help our football team, he'll be out there."

If Imoh can't play against the No. 16 Cavaliers at Lane Stadium, Cedric Humes would probably make his fifth start of the season. Humes, a junior from Virginia Beach, ran 18 times for 85 yards against the Terrapins, only the second time in the last seven games he carried more than five times. Humes, who broke his leg during spring practice, started the first four games and has run for 390 yards and four touchdowns.

"Cedric really played well against Maryland," Hite said. "To me, his [injury] has all been mental. His leg is fine. He's just had a hard time fighting through it, but I think he's ready. I still think he's a special back. He's a big back that can run around you and can run through you."

But Imoh had clearly emerged as Virginia Tech's primary back in the last seven games, running for 686 yards and six touchdowns. Imoh was suspended for the team's first three games, after he was involved in an incident in January with teammates Marcus Vick and Brenden Hill, in which they supplied alcohol to underage girls and encouraged them to undress in Vick's apartment. The three players pled no contest to three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in May.

The three players were suspended three games each by Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver in August; Vick was suspended from school for the fall semester after he was charged with reckless driving and misdemeanor possession of marijuana in another incident.

Instead of moping about his situation, Imoh worked hard during preseason practice and during his three-game suspension. When neither Humes nor junior Justin Hamilton emerged as a solid replacement for all-American Kevin Jones, Imoh stepped forward. He ran for 74 yards in the Hokies' 17-16 loss to N.C. State on Sept. 25 and then started against West Virginia the following week and ran for 115 yards in a 19-13 victory.

"God works in mysterious ways," Imoh said last week. "It is crazy. Things are just working out for me right now. I just came into this situation and said, 'Let's see what happens.' I busted my butt every day, and it's paying off now."

Hite said Imoh learned a tough but valuable lesson.

"I think he learned that sometimes you only get one chance when you're an athlete," Hite said. "If you're a regular student, you might get more than one chance. But he came pretty close to doing something that could have cost him the rest of his football career. The sad thing is that he's a great person, but he made one mistake on one evening."

Imoh, 5 feet 7, 197 pounds, has always felt like he was being short-changed. When he was in high school, several colleges didn't offer him scholarships because of his size. After finally getting his chance at Virginia Tech, there were concerns about whether he was big enough to be an every-down back. He proved he was against North Carolina on Nov. 6, running 32 times for a school-record 243 yards in Tech's 27-24 victory.

Even then, he wasn't given full credit. Imoh was originally given 236 yards, but the official scorers had mistakenly given seven yards to Hamilton. The mistake was caught by Carter Myers, who keeps stats for the Virginia Tech radio crew.

"Naturally, I've had added appreciation for the game," Imoh said. "You just want to go out, play hard and move on from what happened. What happened happened and it happened for a reason."