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Matching the hype Michaelmania rages through Virginia Tech
Posted: Friday December 10, 1999 07:54 PM
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Keith Short was in the dark like everyone else. Oh, he had heard the hype about Michael Vick, the freshman phenom who was being redshirted, but as Virginia Tech's first-team center last season, Short was working with that unit while Vick toiled for the scout team against the defense. Roommate John Engelberger, a starting defensive end, filled him in. "Engelberger would come home every day and say, 'Wow. That kid Vick's amazing. He's making all these throws and we can't stop him,'" Short said this season, recalling the somewhat startling admission from a defensive stalwart. Defense, after all, had keyed the Hokies' rise in status throughout Short's career. One year later, though, it all has changed because of Vick, a lefthander with the almost unfair combination of a powerful arm, breakaway speed and a seasoned understanding of the game. He's the most exciting player in college football and has turned Virginia Tech into a balanced team and championship contender. And now, with "Hokiesmania" having gone national and Virginia Tech bound for the Sugar Bowl against Florida State, "Michaelmania" has taken on a life of its own, too, as the national awards and citations have taken center stage. Big East offensive player of the year. First-team All-American by The Sporting News. And now, the first freshman finalist invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation, to be made Saturday at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. Vick, who has remained as reserved and soft-spoken off the field as he is dazzling on it, greeted the news with equal parts disbelief and reverence. "I really can't believe this has happened. This whole season has been great, but I never thought this would happen. I'm very fortunate," he said Monday. Vick said he thinks the Heisman Trophy should be for upperclassmen, but added that being a finalist "makes it that much more special for me." Vick led the nation with a 180.4 quarterback rating, ahead of fellow Heisman invitees Joe Hamilton of Georgia Tech (175.0) and Chad Pennington of Marshall (171.4). He's the first freshman to lead Division I-A in passing efficiency. For opposing coaches, Vick's first season had been frightening. Boston College coach Tom O'Brien said Vick is playing at a level Charlie Ward and Donovan McNabb didn't reach until their third or fourth years. West Virginia's Don Nehlen called him the best deep passer he's ever seen. Even Florida State's Bobby Bowden has coveted the 19-year-old he'll face on Jan. 4 in New Orleans. Vick's teammates even more fully appreciate his importance to the Hokies. Corey Moore set a Big East record with 17 sacks and has collected some impressive hardware himself recently: the Mike Fox-Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive player, the Lombardi Award as the nation's top lineman. But all season, Moore has insisted Vick is what makes the Hokies go. "The guy is unbelievable," Moore said after Virginia Tech beat Boston College to complete its first perfect season in 81 years, with Vick throwing for three TDs. "He's our team MVP. He's the reason we're 11-0. He's our sparkplug." And it didn't take Vick long to establish that he was for real. In the Hokies' season-opener against James Madison, Vick ran for three touchdowns, the last a spectacular 7-yard run that ended with him diving from the 3, flipping completely after being hit and landing on his feet in the end zone. It also featured the first of many perfectly thrown deep balls, a 60-yarder that hit Ricky Hall in stride just out of the reach of a defender, and a 54-yard touchdown scramble, the first of five scoring runs of at least 46 yards. Vick finished the year with 12 touchdown passes, four that went for at least 59 yards. He threw just five interceptions, three in his second start Sept. 23. Most importantly, said Short, Vick never lost his cool, whether he was throwing those three interceptions in a close, nationally televised game against Clemson or facing 85 yards with no timeouts and 1:15 left against West Virginia. "He gives our offensive line confidence because he's just such a confident player," the senior said. "I've never seen him get down or look nervous or anything. He keeps his head up and keeps us in the game at all times." Against West Virginia, Vick made perhaps his most remarkable play while driving the Hokies 58 yards to set up Shayne Graham's season-saving field goal. Flushed from the pocket from his own 38, Vick raced to the right sideline and appeared ready to step out of bounds and settle for a 10-yard gain. But when the Mountaineers apparently thought the same thing and didn't close in quickly, Vick burst forward again, hurdled a defender and turned it into a 26-yard gain. Three plays later, Graham's kick gave the Hokies the 22-20 victory, capping a drive in which Vick completed three passes for 32 yards and ran the other 26. Moore, who sprinted off the field so fans and teammates wouldn't see him crying, said he never doubted Vick would manage to pull it out. Six games into the redshirt freshman's career, Moore was already sold on his teammate's magic. "We put a lot on his shoulders, but he's done a great job of handling it," said Moore, whose last college game will be the Sugar Bowl. "People are going to want to come here to play with Michael Vick. Heck, I wish I had another year."
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