University of Virginia Library

'Hoos Lose

DURHAM, N.C. - George
Blackburn's Cavaliers had
another one of those days
Saturday, and if not for a
clutch defense Duke's Blue
Devils could have made up for
Virginia's 50-20 massacre of
two years ago. Tom Harp's
charges were that good. They
ran up a total of 452 yards on
offense but two fumbles, an
interception, four missed filed
goals and two goal line stands
hindered their scoring output
to such an extent that the
lucky Cavaliers were in the ball
game until the final seven
seconds.

Duke (2-1) needed the win
in the worst way. Not only had
the Blue Devils not beaten the
Wahoos for two years, but next
week they travel to Columbus
to engage number one ranked
Ohio State in what should
bolster their confidence and
diminish the rapidly sagging
reputation of the ACC.
Besides, Quarterback Leo Hart
had a personal vendetta to
fulfill against Virginia. Last
year in Wahooville he suffered
through the worst day of his,
gridiron career as he could only
pick up a net 60 yards total
offense.

But Hart and the Blue
Devils had not counted on an
intangibly lucky Virginia
defense. Eight times Duke
made it inside the Virginia 20,
twice losing the ball on fourth
and one at the Virginia one,
Still Hart, second in the nation
in passing going into Saturday's
game, connected on 17 or 28
passes for 231 yards to give the
Blue Devils an astounding 25
first downs and possession of
the ball by a 2-1 ratio.

Virginia only had one really
big offensive play of the whole
game, that coming on a 64
yard, pass-run combination
from Larry Albert to Dave
Sullivan. The first quarter score
gave the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead
which held up until Dave Pugh
booted a 39 yard field goal 44
seconds prior to intermission.
Other than that the Duke
offense was excruciatingly
frustrating during the initial
half because six drives into
Wahoo territory were killed by
four missed field goals, a
fumble, and an interception. In
the first half the defense led by
Paul Rid and Wills Williams,
was adequate if not any
statistical leader. The less said
about the offense the better,
though it did appear to have a
solid ground game in spots.

The defense was given
respite only once during the
second half, that coming
during a drive from Virginia's
20. Helped by an interference
call, Albert's passing, and
Helman's running, the
Cavaliers pushed all the way to
the Duke seven. With fourth
and three Blackie elected to
forego a 24 yard field goal
attempt and go for it. It looked
as if Jim Lacey had made the
necessary yardage but the
referee moved the ball to
where the chains said no by
inches.

Then Duke took over, Hart
hit on four passes for 51 yards,
Steve Jones mechanically
picked up the short yardage
downs and the Blue Devils had
their first touchdown on a one
yard plunge by Jones with
5:05 left in the third quarter.
After Pugh's conversion made
it 10-7 the Blue Devils took the
gambling out of their attack,
preferring to grind out the
yardage and the clock. All the
Cavaliers could seem to do the
rest of the game was let Jones
punch out 5 and 6 yard gains
deep into Wahoo territory where Virginia would somehow
stymie the Hartless attack
(Hart was roughed up and had
to leave).

Defensive End Wills Williams (Left) And Flanker Dave Sullivan Did Well In17-7 Loss To Duke

Sophomore Williams Enjoyed Dumping QB Leo Hart While Sophomore Sullivan Caught TD Pass

But somehow, with Duke
pushing the 500 yard total
offense mark, the Cavaliers had
a chance to win it with 40
seconds left in the game. Down
10-7, the never-say-die defense
had halted Duke at the two on
a fourth and goal situation.
Albert fired four incomplete
passes, however, and the Blue
Devils took over and got their
gift touchdown on a Dennis
Satyshur to Brad Evans pass
with seven seconds left.

About the game and all its
breaks (called 'Wahoo ball' in
days of yore) Coach Black burn
said, "I'm beyond
embarrassment. We can't seem
to get a close call, and we're
not making the big downs
offensively."

As for Duke, it is easily the
best team Virginia has faced so
far and it is not that hard to
imagine a conference
championship up for grabs
when UNC meets Duke in
Chapel Hill the last game of the
season. Virginia didn't really
do that badly on defense for
anyone watching Hart drilling
the football between the first
and fourth phalanges of his
receivers' hands during
warmups could only hope
against hope. The defense was
there when it counted, mostly.
The offense was nonexistent at
times. When the running game
was clicking a pass interception
would stop the threat and
whenever Helman or Lacey
were given a chance to rest a
fumble would stop the drive.
Albert said, to put it bluntly,
"We should have had at least
three more touchdowns," but
by the same token Duke
should have had at least six
more touchdowns. It was a
frustrating afternoon.