Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia • 26

C8 Monday August 28 2000 College Football Rfchmond Times-Dtspatch Gala night is swept away TECH NOTES Br Staft Warm Mm Haxxis streak might continue The weather postponement of last Black Coaches Association game between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech may help Hokies senior INck Sorensen keep alive a streak of starts Had the teams played last nigit streak would have ended He was scheduled to start at outside linebacker alter starting every game at free safety last season But a troublesome shoulder got worse as the week ptogresaed and would have kept Sorensen out of the starting lineup Senior Plflllp Summers listed on the two-deep as backup at raver was slated to start in Sorensen's place Sorensen was expected to play some He probably will be ready when the Hokies pfey Akron on Saturday at noon at Lane Stadium in way out of nor vipii Tech's Hokies Jackets wanted to play BY JERRY LINDQUIST Tmes-Dbpatch Star Wuna Blacksburg The plan Frank Beamer said was to take the $600000ilus payout from the Black Coaches Association game and spend a large portion of it on a new drainage system for Worsham Field kind of ironic it? the Virginia Tech football coach said Ironic indeed As if the lightning that stopped last game with Georgia Tech just as it was about to begin enough the ensuing downpour flooded the natural turf Even if the skies cleared there was no way they could block and tackle without tearing up the field So the llth-ranked team have to day three games in 12 days to open the season after alL Talk about a bummer especially with the biggest home crowd in Tech history (56276) looking on were excited for the fans to see our revamped defense and of course Michael Vick" said redshirt sophomore cor-netback Ronyell Whitaker At first Whitaker admitted the lightning had him running tor cover was the worst I was scared to death" he said "I saw a lot of other guys scared hunched down in the locker room hiding against the wall Then given a moment to reconsider Whitaker said "I wasn't scared I knew God wasn't going to do us no harm It was a mud bowl out there I wanted to get down and dirty so I was disappointed they had to call it Tailback Lee Suggs a redshirt sophomore scheduled to make his first collegiate start agreed 1 was kind of let he said things happen for a WELCH EnJUMynMES-MSHUCH So much a aummerVworth of preparation A 15-point underdog which not a few people said wasn't enough against last national runner-up Georgia Tech reportedly was feeling pretty good about itself Coach George had a few tricks in store for the Hokies doesn't take a game he doesn't think he can a member of the Wreck party said I told them the game was cancelled there were i lot of guys throwing said who clearly liked the show of emotion put a lot into this game I think we had a solid game plan on both sides of die balL Georgia Tech won the pregame coin toss and elected to receive which is un- usuaL Most teams defer to the second half i try to keep it out of All-American quarterback hands as much as explained adding re-ceive every I The kickoff and receiving teams were on the field fix at least five minutes wait- i ing for ESPN2 televising the game nationally to come out of a commercial break and permit announcers Ron Franklin and Mike Gottfried a few last-minute comments At 8:05 the signal was given to start the game With that a huge bolt of lightning struck just outside Lane Stadium and the teams were ordered off the field main thing was the field was so bad said Beamer an hour and a half later not only your safety but your safety too If got more lightning coming' it only takes one boh to regret not getting out of The awful conditions persisted fix more than two hours after the game was called It was a night to remember if not fondly we looked real good in said was fidriy Beamer said the same thing about his team that has eight new starters on defense from a unit that led the nation in scoring prevention (1(X5 points) a season ago least we know now how going to warm up We don't know how going to Contact Jeny Lindquist tf (804) 649-6323 or JNndquistMnwsifcpatciLCom Tech Frank career as a forecaster watched the Weather Channel all Beamer said looked to me the stums were got a right be- Outside linebacker is the third position Sorensen has played at Tech He came to the school as a quarterback Geoigta Tech made interesting call on ton The evening started with a rarity Georgia Tech won the toss and elected to receive Usually the Yellow Jackets (heck most teams for that matter) defer the choice until the second half The Yellow Jackets no doubt wanted to keep the ball out of Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick's hands as long as possible With the weather postponement that ended up being even longer than Georgia Tech figured Lightning delay first for Hokies since 91 The lightning delay that came before the postponement announcement was the first for Virginia Tech since a 1991 game at West Virginia was delayed 50 minutes George Tech was last delayed In 1980 at home against Florida Officials from both schools couldn't remember a weather postponenent since World War II Weather postpones several starting debuts The weather delayed the first career start for eight Virginia Tech defenders: Summers freshman end Nathaniel AdM sophomore end Lamar Cobb junior tackle David Pugh junky linebacker Jake Houeeright Junior comerback Larry Auetki sophomore comerback RonyeN Whitaker and sophomore free safety Willie Pile lot of young kwus-guyswho are hungry We Well at least Upper PAGE Cl will consist of home game against Akron not the most inspiring of invaders It says here the defense especially could've used last night as a umm barometer before taking on serious competion got a kit of young guys who are said cor-nerback Ronyell Whitaker himself a sophomore and in his first year as a starter wanted to see where we As it was the Hokies shuffled around fix a half-hour in a meeting roam under the stands trying to keep the adrenaline from being washed away were crowded in there" Whitaker reputed was hot We kept thinking the storm would pass over We were just so fired up We've been waiting fix this Another half-hour later a couple of minutes after 9 the game was postponed and file moment had passed So had president of the Gazelle Group comment on financial repercussions Officials quickly cleared the field after the first lightning bolt and later cleared the mostly metal stands at Lane Stadium A vehicle in a parking lot near the stadium was strode by lightning Weaver aaid he had received no reports of any injuries to spectators Cassell Coliseum the school's basketball arena adjacent to Lane Stadium was opened so spectators could go in and stay dry Rain hit Blacksburg yesterday morning but the weather cleared by early afternoon and remained that way until moments before the first sign of lightning Heavy rain moved in quickly and continued fix more than an hour Rain stopped fix a while not long after the game was postponed but started falling heavily later 8-01 it looked like it would be Giles said is about as biarre as it gets" Contact Mike Karris at (804) 649-6830 nMWfyMWmWOBpMCWXOlll neering mqjor Godsey is flaying a real killer schedule this semester tackling a course load comprised of Thermo Dynamics Engineering Economy Supply Chain Modeling Senior Design and ta-dum Physics of the Weather Godsey probably consulted his bar graphs and computer printouts licked his right index finger poked it in the air and told everybody concerned this baby was doomed from the start Now he and anyone else with any sanity in Atlanta can tell the secondary they maybe dodged a bullet by not having to make their new-millennium debut against Vick Tf we can contain him be in pretty good Jackets strong safety Chris Young said the other day be gets loose hurt you in every kind of way Michael Vick damaged no one last night The kid can walk on water He just flay on it Contact Bob Upper it (804) 649-6555 or bUppattimesdtspatchxom FROM PACE Ci night We want to get any student-athletes hurt in a i son gune on a very bad i Weaver said the decision to postpone was made after a meeting that included Braine nfficfala from ESPN and officials of the Gazelle Group which promotes the BCA game Weaver said coaches Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech and George of Georgia Tech also were consulted and water are two things you fool around with" said the best interest of the players I think we made the right Beamer agreed Weaver said ticket-holders should retain their stubs until a decision has been made about a makeup date If it turns out there is none a refund policy will be announced Each team was supposed to receive a minimum of $600000 for last game Rick Giles wanted to see wherewe offer wont be as the fix Channel 6 Too bad nobody consulted George Godsey the rust-laden junior replacing Joe Hamilton as Georgia quarterback and while his 13-ftx-32 passing over two seasons the sort of numbers to snap a defensive coordinator to attention he does know his way around a slide rule An engi USC runs Penn State into Patemo suffers worst opening loss since The Associated Pus EAST RUTHERFORD Sultan McCullough proved more than a track star playing footbalL The sophomore tailback had a career-high 128 yards rushing as No 15 USC ground Sandy Fletcher returned it 6 yards to give USC a 7-0 lead just 2:15 into the game Penn State which lost nine starters on defense didn't seem like it had an overhauled defense early in the game An interception by Bhawoh Jue gave the Nittany Lions possession at USCs 38 and a late hit out of bounds by Ryan Nielson on Casey set up Ryan Pri-mantfs 37-yard field goal that cut it to 7-3 with 7:37 left in the first But the defense provide any more big plays and Penn offense which was expected to be the strength actually surrendered more points in the first half than the defense s-a USC-FMdw btacM pat nan (Newbury kick) PSU-KMmnBlT USC PipAihkhlnwWHikwykldO USC MahMi 41 kSwtryBwi nan (kkfc MM) USC-KNntanrff PSU-SMy AHmmS newmS ktoctad pwtMmdnm USC-FGNmtwyir USC-KNcatwy UVa PAGE Cl has to be when throwing live hand grenades out there He's going to have to get hia groove back on Saturdays and that will take a Before he could think about regaining his form at defensive end however Sanders had to regain hia academic eligibility no sure thing considering his poor classroom performance in 199899 definitely came Sanders recalled He pieced them together in summer school Virginia coach George Welsh among others doubted Sanders could achieve the Bminus average he needed to become eligible again But Smith said difficult to look inside a young heart and find his Smith called apartment one Friday nght and was told Sanders was at the library studying was then that I came to realize how hungry he Smith said Sanders said: always took things for granted I never attempted to do well in school It was always about football I made the wrong decision doing Bad knee and all Sanders is one of the top three ends Smith said and well start" against BYU No 1 thing he gives us at that position and on the defensive team is a personality Smith said loves to play he has great emotions and above all 1 think he is one of the mo6t respected players on the team as far as toughness Contact Jeff Wife at (804) 643-6838 or jAitetimd vatchcom On offense sophomore tailback Lae Suggs and junior tigit end Browning Wynn were scheduled to start ferthe first time Notable Trivia time: Georgia Institute of Techndoar is one of five Division 1-A football-playing schools without the word in its official name What are the others? George Tech was supposed to be the first tepm from the state of Georgs to play a football game at Virginia Tech The Hokies have played at Georgs Tech once (1990) and at George twice (1931 1932) Virginia Tech has 16 defensive backs on its roster Only two rovers Cory BM and backup ate seniors Five of the eigit secondary siote on the two-deep for last night's gsme were filled by freshmen and sophomores In Frank Beamer's first 13 seasons in chargs at Virgnia Tech the Hokies got 57 touchdowns from their defense and special teams Every defensive position has produced at least one touchdown The first touchdown under Beamer in 1987 came on a 92-yard touchdown return by freshman Jon Jeffries Virgnia Tech tight ends Wynn Bob StowfcowsM and Derek Carter caught 17 passes last season 16 of which went for first downs We know the staffs at Virgnia Tech and George Tech are tgit but both sets of coaches showed up last night in white shirts and khaki pants Trivia answer The US Naval Academy the Air Force Academy the US Military Academy and Boston College Up next: Akron also wifi te playing its season opener The Zips were 7-4 tost year Tech is 4-0 lifetime against Akron including a 21-18 victory in 1996 in the mote meant meeting THE ASSOCIATED PRESS yesterday in the Kickoff Classic The Trojans playing Penn style of smash-mouth football outrushed the Nittany Lions 164-6 the lowest total fix any Penn State team under Joe Pater-no say I'm just a track star They say "Oh feat but all he can do is run said McCullough a sprinter on USCs track team want to show everybody I can do it McCullough who emerged as the starter in training camp rushed fix 413 yards last season and never carried more than 21 times before getting 29 carries against Penn State It was the worst seasorvopen-ing loss fix Penn State since a 44-6 defeat against Nebraska in the 1983 Kickoff Classic The loss spoiled a homecoming fix Penn Rashard Casey The senior quarterback Perm State quarterback Raehard Caaey fright) scrambles to avoid USC defensive tackle Ryan Nielsen MfSNNM me (ss-ug incaimpi is-us fra- Hi IMA Htnan HA MadteMlt ImSrt-(M 1-1 Mnvr 4-mims M) Na Stats (IMA UotaHM S-21 warn 1-A Ctrimtta l-l McCm Kim Bnwnwn4 1-taiw 1 A Cy S-OniM MX Im l-S FASSINS me S7A Mmr 1S-JS-1-ST Fan Stata (lA-N-I-LMA Cwcy 7-24-1-1K Smcil-M-M BECHVSM use UcCatant 1-M Mann ML My ANnmt ML ItacKaaia Hakaas 1-L Faaa Stata CfWHkM ASA StaaaR ML SJctnaa ML fttaan 1-A Mahan l-Oiumk) who grew up in nearby Hoboken played his first £une since being charged with assaulting an off-duty police officer in May Casey was 7 of 24 fix 106 yards He was replaced by Matt Senneca in the fourth quarter was a tough outing for him for a lot of said Pa-temo who is Darting his 35th season had a tough presea son Penn State came out tentative and USC capitalized early The Nittany Lions committed two false start penalties in the first three plays then made a crucial mistake on special teams Safety Frank Strong a late scratch from the starting lineup burst up the middle arid easily blocked David punt and.