The Cavalier daily :: Tuesday, October 5, 1971 :: University of Virginia Library

The Cavaliers, led by
quarterback I—try Albert, ended a
three week period of
disappointment Saturday in Scott
Stadium, as they came back from a
fourth quarter deficit to top
previously unbeaten Vanderbilt,
27-23.

Albert, almost forgotten a few
short weeks ago, made his first
start of the year a tremendous
success, as he scored two
touchdowns and threw to wide
receiver Bill Davis for a third on a
37-yard play which provided the
winning margin for the Wahoos.

Davis Breaks Record

The 5-10, 180-pound signal
caller completed 14 of 23 passes for
217 yards, and rushed 21 times for
53 yards. Davis was his favorite
receiver, as the split end pulled in
seven passes for 135 yards, breaking
Jeff Anderson's single-game
Cavalier record of 132 yards set in
1968.

"Larry did a great job at
quarterback," said an elated Don
Lawrence in the locker room after
the game. "It is traditional for a
head coach to keep the game ball
after his first win, but Albert
played so well, I gave it to him."

Mr. Lawrence watched the game
from the press box, which is
unusual for a head coach. "I didn't
like being up there," he said, "but
I'll try anything in order to win. I'd
rather be close to the players, but
you can see better from up top. I'll
stay in the press box as long as we
keep winning, and I hope I don't
come down until 1980."

'Gave Larry A Chance'

The decision to start Albert was
made early in the week. "We felt
Albert moved the ball well against
Duke. When you're not scoring,
you change something, so we gave
Larry a chance. Nobody on this
team has his starting job wrapped
up."

When asked about plans for
Harrison Davis who started the first
three games, Mr. Lawrence replied
that "the team is fortunate to have
two fine quarterbacks. Harrison is
going to be a great one, but now
Larry is moving the team, so he will
start."

The Cavaliers wasted no time
ending their string of games
without a touchdown, as they took
the opening kickoff and marched
72 yards in 10 plays to take an
early lead.

Albert Sneaks For TD

Despite two 15-yard penalties,
the team moved down the field
with Albert and Kent Merritt doing
most of the running. The big play
of the drive was a 29-yard pass
from Albert to tight end Joe Smith
who broke across the middle and
was hauled down on the Vanderbilt
two. Albert went in on a
quarterback sneak on the next play.
Bill Maxwell converted the PAT to
make it 7-0.

The Cavalier lead did not last
long, however, as Doug Nettles
gathered in the kickoff at his own
five, and raced 95-yards behind
good blocking for the score. Taylor
Stokes' kick made it 7-7.

Cavalier Stanley Land touched a
Cavalier punt early in the second
period, and the Commodores
recovered at the Wahoo 34 to gain
good field position. A 37-yard punt
four plays later by John Scheffler
gave the Cavaliers the ball at their
own one-yard-line. Two plays later,
Albert fell on a fumble in the end
zone for a safety and a 9-7
Vanderbilt lead.

Mullins Scores

It looked as though the
Cavaliers would go into the locker
room at the half behind, when a
drive late in the second quarter
stalled at the Commodore 26 and
Maxwell's 44-yard field goal try
failed, but the Wahoo defense held,
and Scheffler punted. Gerard
Mullins gathered the ball in on his
own 30, and sprinted 70 yards for a
touchdown behind a beautiful wall
of blockers. The score came with
28 seconds remaining and put the
Cavaliers ahead 14-9 at the half.

The third period was scoreless,
but the Commodore's took over the
lead early in the fourth as
quarterback Steve Burger threw a
21-yard pass to Walter Overton in
the left corner of the end zone.
Burger tried a keeper for the
two-point conversion, but failed.

Albert brought the team back
after the kickoff, driving 70 yards
in nine plays. He ran three times,
and hit Davis three times on passes
and scored again on a sneak from
the one. A two-point try failed
when Albert rolled to his right and
came up just short in a call that was
disputed by many Cavaliers.

Jamie O'Rourke scored on a
ten-yard run for the Commodores
with 2:27 left, capping a 61-yard
drive, which took 12 plays. Burger
threw to Dave Leffers for two
points after touchdown which gave
Vandy a 23-20 lead

'Great Pattern'

It took seven plays for the
Cavaliers to get from their own 34
to the Commodore 37, but only 32
seconds were used up when Albert
hit Davis for the clinching score.

"We set that pass up," said Mr.
Lawrence after the game. "Bill
Davis ran a great pattern, hitting
the seam between the cornerback
and the safety." Albert called the
play.

Mr. Lawrence said that the team
has now had "a taste of victory,"
and that he doubted that "we'll be
out of any games from now on.
Playing all those top teams helped
us. Once we broke that ice, our kids
were ready to play. Our kids have
worked hard and believed in me,
and they deserve the credit for the
game."

The Cavaliers topped the
Commodores in almost every
statistical category, as they rolled
up 385 yards' in total offense to
248 for Vandy.

Larry Albert Holds For Billy Maxwell Kick

Quarterback Led Cavaliers To Year's First Victory Saturday