Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • Page 26

COLLEGES C4 Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1 997 McCarthy offically introduced at VGU Wake QB taking the hits in stride Coach will replace Smith in 1998-99 By Dave Johnson Daily Press ssic -A flu Daily Press Wake Forest quarterback Brian Kuklick gave up what could have been a lucrative baseball career to play college football. Kuklick led the ACC in passing yards and total offense last season. Some believe he has the size, arm strength and toughness to make it in the NFL Virginia Commonwealth University showed off the present and future of its basketball program Monday at a press conference in Richmond, officially introducing WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. At this point of his career, the most danger Brian Kuklick expected was an occasional line drive coming back at him or those notorious minor league bus trips.

He didn't think every Saturday afternoon would be "Come Take A Shot at Brian Kuklick Day." Oh, what fun. Kuklick, Wake Forest's gifted Mack McCarthy as associate head coach and successor to Sonny Smith. Smith, 60, announced that the 1997-98 season will be his last. After nine mi Courtesy Wake Forest but much-battered quarterback, was sacked 28 times last season. That makes three statistical categories he led the ACC in last season MCCARTHY of which was the chance to be involved in a program where so many positive things are happening." McCarthy cited the construction of VCU's new on-campus arena, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 1998, and the chance to work with Smith, his old friend.

McCarthy and Smith worked together on three other staffs, at Virginia Tech, at East Tennessee State and at Auburn. They were assistant coaches at Tech, and McCarthy worked for Smith at ETSU and at Auburn before, becoming head coach at Chattanooga in 1985. "We had the unique opportunity to hire someone who has been very successful and whose track record speaks for itself," VCU athletics director Dick Sander said. "The relationship that Mack and Sonny have made this an easy decision and one that we feel is going to benefit the University and both Sonny and Mack." McCarthy, 45, is a native of Covington and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1 974. His teams at Chattanooga were 243-122 with eight Southern Conference regular-season titles, five NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances.

Smith is 127-108 in eight seasons at VCU and is expected to become the Rams' all-time winningest coach next season. He has a career record of 330-285 in 21 seasons. KUKLICK WAKE FOREST LAST YEAR: 3-8, 1-7 (8th) in ACC TOP PLAYERS: QB Brian Kuklick, WR Desmond Clark, WR Thabiti Davis, DT Aljamont Joyn-er, DT Robert Fatzinger, DB D'An-gelo Solomon. OUTLOOK: Believe it or not, the theory is that the Demon Deacons got a tad cocky after starting last season 2-0. But after that upset over Northwestern, Wake defeated only Duke which went 0-1 1 the rest of the way.

The Deacs are deeper and stronger, but still not deep and strong enough. PROJECTION: Eighth. Staff writer Dave Johnson continues his daily reports from the ACC Football Tour when he features Clemson Wednesday. teamed with wideouts Desmond Clark and Thabiti Davis to give Wake a prolific passing attack. The problem has been, simply, keeping Kuklick vertical.

"The toughest guy on your team had better be your quarterback," Wake coach Jim Caldwell said. "Especially when you throw as much as we do. He took some really good shots last year, but he was resilient." Kuklick came to Wake from Hat-boro, Pa yet another quarterback from the Keystone State. In addition to starring on his high school's football team, he averaged 20 points a game as a basketball player and pitched on the baseball team. It was baseball, everybody agreed, that set Brian Kuklick apart.

And baseball would be his ticket. Kuklick was 9-1 with 106 strikeouts in 62 innings as a senior. The Mets took him in the fifth round of the 1994 draft, but could not get Kuklick to agree to terms. Kuklick won't discuss specific terms, but apparently the money wasn't right. Plus, he had another option a scholarship offer from Wake Forest.

Kuklick pitched for Wake during the '95 season, but that he missed fall practice to play football was evident. He lost his only decision and finished with an ERA of 7.20. Although he didn't play the last two baseball seasons, the Mets showed up just before spring drills began last March hoping to sign him. "They did make an offer for me to play next summer and the summer after that," he said, "but it just wasn't what I was looking for." A redshirt junior, Kuklick had always spoken of his fifth season at Wake in "when and if" terms. Now, with the Mets out of the picture, he's ready to commit.

"Yeah, definitely," he said. "Hopefully after this season I'll have a lot of pro scouts looking at seasons, he will remain with the VCU athletic department in an unspecified position, and he is expected to consider broadcasting opportunities. "After 40 years in this business, I could not have dreamed of any better way to retire from coaching than to have Mack take over for me," Smith said. McCarthy resigned unexpectedly Aug. 2 at Tennessee Chattanooga, where he had coached for the past 12 seasons.

He is the winningest coach in UTC history and led the Moccasins to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last spring. "This opportunity was very appealing to me for several reasons," McCarthy said. "The first the other two, passing yards (2,526) and total offense (223 per game), were a bit more desirable. Keep in mind, that's only sacks. Lord knows how many times he was clobbered a split-second after getting the pass off.

Kuklick lasted the entire season, but somewhere along the way, he must have wondered: Why, exactly, did he turn down that six-figure signing bonus the New York Mets offered him three years ago? "Not really," he said. "Coming out of high school I was looking at becoming a professional baseball player, and now I've got some people telling me I might have a chance to play professional football. I had always overlooked that. "You know, a lot of people thought I got banged up pretty bad. I really didn't get beat up too bad.

There were a couple of games where I had some bumps and bruises, but that's football." If Kuklick has the time, chances are he won't miss the receiver. He completed 51.6 percent of his 396 passes last season the fourth most in school history and me and thinking I'm good enough to play in NFL. But I'll definitely be back for my fifth year. I think that's important for my growth and maturity as a quarterback. "Baseball was always my first love.

I didn't even play football until my sophomore year. I played some in the eighth grade, but I had torn cartilage in my knee and had to take two years off. But I love football, I love playing football. And my main objective is the NFL" At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he has the size and the arm strength. And as he showed last year, he has the toughness.

His teammates see that. "He's a smart quarterback," Clark said. "This year, the offense will be more under his control because he'll be able to check off at the line of scrimmage more. And he makes right decisions." And speaking of decisions, Kuklick insists he made the right one three years ago. His career at Wake hasn't been filled with team success the Demon Deacons are 7-26 overall, 2-22 in the ACC since his arrival.

But that's the only thing he regrets. "It's been tough, but I knew from the start it would be a long process," he said. "The team didn't have big numbers and coach Caldwell was weeding out guys he didn't want here who he felt couldn't handle it. It took a while. "But I think we're right on schedule, but we need to win this year.

If we don't, it's our own fault." Ex-Bethel star heading to JMU Daily Press year academic suspension before deciding to leave the program. Morant, a redshirt freshman, has been accepted by JMU but remains academically ineligible pending an appeal of a failing grade at Virginia. The Division I-AA Dukes may eventually use Morant at running back. He gained 454 yards as a senior at Bethel in 1995. Virginia linebacker Chris Morant, whose future with the Cavaliers was clouded by academic questions, is transferring to James Madison.

Morant, a Bethel High graduate and a star of Virginia's spring scrimmage, was appealing a one- I GCII I COME SEE THE PENNZOIL 100 AUGUST 30, 1997 LANGLEY SPEEDWAY HAMPTON, VIRGINIA Li 2 4 i I i i nam i mm II IA3 UIMJT Stop. Go. Penn: Exclusive 21 Step Service plus tax (upto5qts. of oil) Reg. Price $26.95 Pennzoil only ill Win Tickets At Both Locations TOP TEN" STANDINGS Sain late mmi Division 1.

Phil Warren 47 2. Mike Buffkin 84 3. Greg Edwards 97 4. Danny Edwards 61 5. JoeCaita 13 6.

Craig Estep 2 7. Ashton Lewis, Jr. 80 8. David Boyd 5 9. JohnStaton 17 10.

Shawn Bailuzzo 48 30 HD 40 HD 9Q0 QT. iow-3o 4 4( 10W-40 I. iyQr: WATCH EIM mm msmmEj funny car 8 Old Fox Hill Rd. 722-3935 HERITAGE AUTO PARTS' TRY TO TURN LEFT ON nucoiiiiinuT nei ntov nM 1 AmA HARD TO FIND parts PENIUUIL 1 M-F: 8-8 Sat 8-7 Sun; 9-6 Stop. Go.

Pennzoil? 'V i.