University of Richmond Athletics
Elliott's Spiders Scrapbook
02/15/2001 | Football
Feb. 15, 2001
If I were asked to describe the 1985 Spider football season in one word, I would say "record-breaking." The 1985 season found the Dal Shealy-coached Spiders ranked No. 1 in the nation in Division I-AA after starting the season 7-0. The Spiders finished the season undefeated at home and the team broke 13 school records, with individuals such as split end Leland Melvin and quarterback Bob Bleier turning in record-breaking performances. The special team play, led by the efforts of kicker Brendan Toibin and return man John Armstrong, was truly special. The defensive effort, highlighted by free safety Taylor Lackey-he ranked nationally in interceptions with seven-routinely held teams to two touchdowns or fewer.
Even with all the accomplishments recorded by the '85 team, the season-opening victory in Blacksburg may have been the most impressive performance of the season. The Spiders had not beaten Virginia Tech in five years and had not beaten the Hokies on the road in 35 years. It was also Richmond's first win over a Division I-A opponent since it had moved to I-AA. To add to the list of firsts, September 7, 1985 was the first time QB Bob Bleier played well in Tech's Lane Stadium. He had struggled in his first two outings in Blacksburg.
After several uneventful drives, Richmond received a punt in Hokie territory and, aided by a Tech penalty, scored on a third and goal Bleier-Melvin connection from a yard out. After successfully kicking the extra point, Toibin booted the kickoff out of the back of the end zone for the second time that game to start the Hokies on their own 20. Tech marched the length of the field to score and tie the game up at 7-7 in the closing seconds of the quarter.
Richmond answered with a touchdown on its first drive of the second quarter. Tailback Danny Holly ran up the gut from 10 yards out for Richmond's second touchdown. A Tech punt and a Richmond fumble later, VPI QB Greenwood scored on a keeper from the Richmond 1-yard line to tie the score at 14-14. The Hokies threatened to score again late in the second after a Bleier pass was picked off. Tech was unable to capitalize, coughing the ball up on Richmond's seven-yard line with eight seconds left in the half.
The Spiders went into halftime with well-deserved confidence. The only question was whether or not they could keep the same level of play in the second half and finish what they had started.
After a pair of three-and-outs, Richmond put together its third scoring drive of the afternoon. A balanced attack, which included rushes by Holly and fullback David Bayer, and a well-distributed passing attack resulted in a three-yard TD pass to tight end John Henry. Tech threw an interception on the next play, then was forced to punt on its next drive as time winded down in the third. After three quarters, the score stood Spiders 21, Hokies 14.
After a long but unsuccessful Richmond drive to open the fourth, Toibin pinned Tech on its own nine with a well-placed punt. The Spider defense forced a punt, which would ultimately result in the final Spider score of the afternoon: a 26 yard Toibin field goal with 7:11 left in the game. Only a sick twist of fate or some unbelievable trick plays could give Tech a win now, and Richmond was too focused to allow that to happen. With eight seconds left in the game, Lackey intercepted a Hokie pass, punctuating a great game with a great play by one of Richmond's stars.
The Spiders went on to win seven more games that year, finished undefeated at home, and saw big season numbers from many players (Bleier 18 TDs, 2,208 yards passing, Melvin 65 receptions for 956 yards, Lackey seven interceptions, Toibin 12 points in one game, Armstrong two punt returns for touchdowns for the season). Coach Shealy posted back to back eight-win seasons with his '84 and '85 campaigns (1985 ranks 7th all time among Richmond coaches) and led his team to the playoffs again two years later. It was a season of firsts and broken records that, even with a few late season losses, cannot be tarnished.
