The Roanoke Times from Roanoke, Virginia • 14

The Roanoke Times Rutgers regresses vs Virginia Tech BLACKSBURG Rutgers was the birthplace of college football If it has to play Virginia Tech many more times it could be the death of it too Unlike that other bunch from New JACK BOGACZYK Jersey that came to Lane Stadium this season the BCA Bowl promoting money gulping Ga zelle Group the Scarlet Knights left town with nothing In a 49 0 pounding Saturday from the Hokies Rutgers looked nothing like the team that had started 2 0 with 10 Ml touchdown passes from Mike McMahon The Scarlet Knights simply looked well like they usually do against Tech The Hokies have won eight straight in this Big East football series the last six by a combined score of 288 77 Tech is going to need routs like this again because after losses last weekend by Miami and Syracuse it appears the Big East 2000 slogan might be some thing like: play football in drib The only thing about Rutgers that should worry the Hokies is that one of coordinators Bud oster or Rickey Bustle will be the next Scarlet Knights head coach Tech began help ing embattled Terry Shea out the door Shea made first mistake When a 34 point underdog on the road to a team averaging 415 points in its last 18 games and you win the toss why defer to a second half op tion particularly when you know immediately going to have to face the strength? Not that Tech needed help It was a day on the road to maturity for young defense a day when quar terback Michael Vick brought Hokies hearts into throats with the kind of touchdown somersault that sidelined him early last season McMahon the Rutgers quarterback looked like Ed McMahon handing out Publishers Clearing House gifts In three games against the Hokies McMa hon has nine interceptions one touch down and two game ending injuries If he gun shy he played like it even considering quick drop passing game Vick was well himself That is pre cisely what Hokies offensive designer Bustle wanted In impressive dismantling of East Carolina 10 days ago Vick have to play spectacularly To his cred it he try His refusal to force it amidst expectations and Heisman hype is one of his strengths i In preparations for the Big East opener Bustle told Vick he ed him to practice like he 7 Vick had been hanging in the pocket in practice to complete the ball where in a game he would take off and Bustle said Vick scrambled the Scarlet Knights repeatedly and a lot easier when a defense has to worry about not only rolling deep against arm but also playing honest enough to try to slow the Lee Suggs led running game rushing day subtracting sacks was 8 for 1 5 That makes him an eye popping 19 for 245 this season and 123 for 067 in 14 career games How he frustrates opponents is begin ning to show in jawing under the pile twisting and post whistle aggression by ECU and Rutgers Vick is accompanied by a Virginia Tech campus police officer to ward off unwanted advances in the postgame He may be the only player in college foot ball with such protection Between the lines that help am concerned about Bustle said of the after play action directed at Vick hope something like that happen I do think people are going to try and get into head and try to rattle him I think wasting their time doing His arm and legs are enough to get a grip on as Rutgers learned again Jack Bogaczyk can be reached at 981 3124 or jackbroanokecom Sports 2 C9 14 SUMMER OLYMPICS Jenny Thompson earns her sixth gold medal the most by a US woman in Olympic history C9 Sportsunday SUNDAYSEPTEMBERgl7A2Q00 1 0 GAME 3 Virginia Tech 49 Rutgers 0 Mdes makes point 31 VW 1 ti '7 ERIC BRADY THE ROANOKE TIMES Virginia Tech freshman Eric Green (1) pounces on Rutgers punter Mike Barr after a bad snap in the first quarter setting up a touchdown for a 14 0 lead Defense responds to challenge with shutout By RANDY KING THE ROANOKE TIMES A bagel? A doughnut? Both? The Virginia Tech football defense care which it was served Saturday afternoon in Lane Stadium as long as we got Tech linebacker Ben Taylor said Lunch delivered fellows inally getting a chance to feast in the third week of the season defense chewed up and spat out Rutgers in the eighth ranked 49 0 Big East grilling in front of 50272 fans at sold out Lane Stadium get a big goose egg up on the board is a big boost for Taylor said needed this right now just what the doctor Of course a visit from long time Big East whipping boy Rut gers never hurts when somebody needs to get well In beating the Scarlet Knights for the eighth straight time Tech rode a de fense that had four intercep tions and yield ed season lows in total yards (241) and rush ing yards (57) Those were pretty numbers to the Hokies who entered the day ranked 91st in the country in total defense (414 yards per game) 52nd in rushing defense (1245) and 72nd in scoring de fense (255 ppg) Hokies defensive guru Bud guys exactly fly solo on the cool sunny after noon Sophomore quarterback Michael Vick hey you do re member that guy right? led an offense that raced to 527 total yards including a season high 348 rushing In some nu merology that hurt his Heisman Trophy campaign Vick posted his sec ond double triple in three games this season Turning Rutgers PLEASE SEE H0KIESC2 had to let people know that our defense going anywhere that still CORNERBACK RONYELL WHITAKER GENE DALTON THE ROANOKE TIMES Hokies tailback Andre Kendrick (4) tries to fend off a Rutgers defender with a stiff arm Wt BEARTRAPPED NATALEE WATERS THE ROANOKE TIM I 'H it I 'A Bril PHILIPPE TABRON of Virginia Union let Livingstone quarterback Hopper get away The Panthers beat the Blue Bears 44 13 at Victory Stadium See story C5 If GAME 3 Vilonia 26 Duke 10 Cavaliers defeat Duke UVa quarterback Dan Ellis throws for 333 yards in moving the Cavaliers to 2 1 By DOUG DOUGHTY THE ROANOKE TIMES DURHAM NC Con tinuing its pattern of playing 30 good minutes of football each week Virginia elected to play in the second half Saturday night against Duke Actually Virginia woke up in the final five minutes of the first half but the first ACC Division I A and road vic tory of the season was a tedious affair Winless Duke was able to stay with UVa for 32 quarters before the Cavaliers prevailed 26 10 befqre a Wallace Wade Stadium crowd of 18776 go out into the sta dium before the game and Virginia coach George Welsh said help Duke said that It seem to help Vir ginia cither but the Cavaliers finally were able to put Duke away when quarterback Dan Ellis connected with Billy McMullen on a 31 yard touch down pass with 9:19 remaining Ellis finished 20 of 30 for 333 yards and McMullen had eight receptions for 189 yards career highs in both catego ries McMullen a 6 4 more repeatedly burned 5 llT" Blue Devils cornerback Derrick: Lee about time" Welsh after watching McMullcru catch seven passes for 99 yantv in the first two games was a lot of one on one there on McMullen I know if ever do that had trouble McMullen whether it was short or 1 or the second week in a row an opponent tried to shut1 down running game and like Division I AA PLEASE SEE UVAC6 SUNDAY! SEPTEMBER: 17 20 ION 1.