Assistant head coach Billy Hite and offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle took the calls on Monday night's radio show.

Coach Beamer was in New Orleans speaking to a weekly Sugar Bowl dinner event. Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer spoke last week, and South Carolina's Lou Holtz follows next week.

Bill Roth quipped that Beamer is there to scout out the team hotel for the Sugar Bowl.

AT LONG LAST

Roth recalled recent discussions with former VT coach Bill Dooley who said he was proud of where the program was headed, his talks with former coach Jerry Claiborne along the same lines, and then a half-hour spent on Saturday with Charley Coffey. Coffey said it was a dream come true for him to see a sold out Lane Stadium (which was expanded with a second deck since the Coffey regime ended after the 1973 season) and a Top 10 Virginia Tech football team.

Roth asked Hite, in his 22nd year as a VT coach, if he ever thought the Hokies would reach this level.

"I honestly didn't," Hite said, "until the Big East Conference." He recalled that many of the games Dooley scheduled out of necessity for some wins were not very attractive to the fans.

Hite said it is a thrill to play in Blacksburg now when Lane Stadium is rocking. The support can be unbelievable, like a 12th man, he said. "Our kids can't wait to run out of that tunnel."

INJURIES

QB Michael Vick worked in passing sets Monday with trainer Mike Goforth. Bustle said Vick is expected "to practice full" on Tuesday.

Hite said he would be surprised if the team is not at full speed by Clemson game. Derek Carter is fine after suffering a thigh bruise, and Hite credited Goforth with the excellent rehab. DL Nathaniel Williams should be ready to practice by Saturday and Jake Houseright is "three days from full strength," Hite said. LB Brian Welch is to undergo surgery Tuesday for the torn ACL.

THE UAB GAME

Coach Bustle said it was a frustrating second quarter against UAB. But he claimed to actually be more at ease with Meyer starting the game at QB than he was with Vick's first start as a freshman the previous week.

The first 15 plays went very well for Meyer until he had to make some decisions, Bustle said. He didn't make a lot of bad ones, but the ones he made turned the ball over, according to Bustle. Overall, he made a lot of good decisions, too.

The halfback pass by Kendrick was something they had practiced and UAB was in a defense that allowed it to work.

Bustle said the OL played better. He said Short, Redding and Kadela played well, Lambo and Wincek are "coming along," and Lehr had a much better game against UAB. Consistency is needed at left tackle, where the personnel is young.

WONDERING FANS

Several callers asked questions about various formations and routes they apparently would like to see. Bustle indicated there's much more in the offense to be shown. Yes, they have some crossing patterns to use against man coverage. Yes, the offensive package has something with the backs crossing. Yes, they have some passes out of the full-house backfield formation.

But with Dave Meyer struggling in the start Saturday, Bustle said he didn't want him throwing the ball over the middle.

The full-house backfield, called the "jack-set," has been very effective as a goal line offense for VT since 1995, Bustle said. Visiting coaching staffs comment about this when they review film, he said.

Hite likewise said there are some things in the offense that they haven't gotten to, and that they don't want to overload the young quarterbacks.

A caller noted that Tech hasn't come close to blocking a punt yet and wondered if that were a "conscious decision."

"We really haven't gone after anybody yet this year," Hite said. Teams have been changing their protection formations when they face VT, he said.

On the other hand, Hite said, the Hokies are getting good punt returns -- Ricky Hall has a fine average of around 19 yards per return -- and Tech's kick blocking prowess is forcing teams to take practice time to work against the punt rush.

A caller said VT doesn't throw enough to the fullback or tight end. I think Hite responded that they threw two times each to fullbacks Ferguson and Hawkins. On one play against JMU, the defense had three people covering the Tech tight end.

And then the same guy mumbled something about Tech not developing receivers, which prompted Roth to ask if he'd ever heard of Brian Still or the richest receiver in NFL history, Antonio Freeman.

Another caller asked about Corey Moore's comments Saturday about the offense needing to step up. Hite downplayed the comment and said that Corey is a great competitor and it's the nature of the beast sometimes for comments like that to come out.

BEST BACKFIELD

Coach Hite, never known for understatement, was gushing again. This time he said he has the best group of running backs ever in his 22 years at Tech.

He credited Jarett Ferguson's development at fullback as the biggest surprise in his 29 years of coaching. He issued superlatives for all the other fullbacks and tailbacks for their work and effort. Said he was happy for Lee Suggs getting his first touchdown in a goal line situation, etc.

Are all those quality backs happy, a caller asked. Yes, said Hite, and their play determines who gets to play.

IN GENERAL

• There was some discussion of the Conference USA officiating crew that worked the UAB game. Hite said he was surprised there was no grounding call against UAB late in the first half, and said that Beamer, upon film review, thought that Graham's field goal attempt was good. The referee was a former back judge in the Big East who left in order to advance to referee in CUSA.

• The Tech jayvees play at 2 p.m. Friday. No mention of the opponent. Will Vick play for experience, a caller asked. "No way" they take that chance, said Bustle. Grant Noel will start at QB. No players being redshirted can take part even in a JV game, Roth said. Graduate assistant coaches Billy Houseright and Chris Malone will lead the defense and offense, respectively. Admission is free.

• Why hasn't the VT logo been painted at midfield for the first two games? Roth said he doesn't know. The mystery continues.

• Caller asked about VT's ability to counter a quick release passing attack by Clemson. "With our pass rush, I don't worry too much about what [quarterback Brandon] Streeter can do," Hite said.

• The Hokie Hotline will originate live from the Volume II bookstore on Sept. 20 and 27. The second date is kids' night.

• With the off date this Saturday in advance of the Thursday night ESPN game, here's the preparation schedule. The team returns to practice Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, does conditioning Thursday, JV game Friday, then game week simulation starts. This means that Saturday is like a Monday, Sunday = Tuesday, etc.

• Roth said he got e-mail from a Tech fan in Taiwan who listened to the UAB game in the middle of the night over the Internet. Are you a fan of the Internet, Roth asked Hite. "I don't like the Internet at all, to be honest with you," Hite said. Well, there are some good things about it, Roth responded. Ahem.

SEPTEMBER 23rd