Bill Roth called this Thursday night's nationally televised game with Clemson "a showcase game" for the 8th ranked Hokies.

Much of the discussion with coaches Beamer and Foster was about the threat of Clemson's wide open offense.

The same scheme/coaches at Tulane last season produced a 12-0 record and averaged more than 40 points per game.

The offense features the no-huddle, tempo changes, the equivalent of a 2-minute drill in the middle of a series, screens, a lot of short quick underneath passes and taking their shots with some long passes.

The scheme and pace are unique, Bud Foster said, "but we are a unique defense that's as hard to prepare for" as Clemson's offense is.

Foster said they have watched a lot of film of Tulane from 1998, while also scrutinizing Clemson's 1999 film to see what confidence they have in their personnel and to determine who their better players are.

QB Brandon Streeter doesn't hold the ball long, Foster said, and the Hokies need to create a lot of long yardage situations on second and third down so that the defense can "pin their ears back." The plan is to mix the coverage and the pressure.

Bill Roth reminded that West Virginia QB Marc Bulger and Alabama's Zow tried the same approach -- quick passes -- last year against the VT defense and it didn't work.

The Hokies have never beaten Clemson in Blacksburg and are 0-5 all time there against the Tigers.

Eight hundred tickets remain and will go on sale Tuesday morning. Clemson sold only about 2,000 of its allotment and returned about 1,000 tickets -- which Roth said accounts for the available tickets.

QB Michael Vick is fine, and Foster cracked about how the defense had been chasing him around in practice.

DL Nathaniel Williams will not be available as expected. His rehab was set back when he came down with chicken pox and was contagious. Williams' work has been limited as a result, and he probably won't play, Foster said. Sounded like he's expected back for the UVa game.

John Engelberger will start at tackle again and Chris Cyrus will start at defensive end.

Foster said he shared a caller's concern about depth next year at DL. He explained that VT lost two DL recruits at the 23rd hour in February, then lost another to academics. (Beasley and Pugh return as likely starters in 2000).

He mentioned two prospects for DL next year -- Thenus Franklin, who is already in the program and needs to get stronger, and 1999 recruit Kevin Lewis who will enroll in January. The word on Lewis was that he's very athletic and up to 262 pounds. Foster said they are considering signing "a junior college player or two" for the DL, and Roth recalled the impact that JUCO Jim Baron had at VT.

Roth asked Foster to talk about the freshmen who are redshirting this fall. He praised their ability, but gave no information about individuals. Garnell Wilds continues to get some reps in practice at DB in case of other injuries, but the intention is to redshirt him. The ACL injury to Reggie Samuel forced them to at least consider playing Wilds in 1999. Beamer later indicated that 1999 redshirt Jake Grove is the type of player who could start at center for four years.

A questioner asked Foster about his personal goals and what offers he had received to coach elsewhere. He said he may want to be a head coach in the right situation, or coach in the NFL, but that he and his family love Blacksburg and he works for the best head coach in America in Frank Beamer. Roth reminded that Foster was offered and declined the Florida defensive coordinator's job in the off-season. Foster handled it with class by saying that Steve Spurrier made a good hire for the position in John Hoke.

The Hokies begin the week ranked 8th in both major polls, their highest ranking ever. Beamer said that's a credit to the players and the staff. He said he told the players that he didn't want to talk about rankings, and that you focus on what you can control. For that matter, the team has practiced well for the most part in recent days.

Beamer said Vick is in good shape. A caller talked about the clock management factor in some other early games and Beamer said the Hokies worked two days last week on their 2-minute drill with Vick. The only drawback with him is that he is inexperienced and has played just 1.5 quarters.

Clemson uses a lot of four-wideout sets and "two, three, five yard routes," Beamer said. He stressed the importance of tackling well because of the way Clemson spreads things out. "Just make the tackle. Don't let them be running backs" after the catch, he said.

"We've got to mix it up -- make them guess," Beamer said regarding the pressure that VT will bring on defense. A key will be to make Clemson react AFTER the snap, he said.

QB Streeter has completed 71 percent of his passes through two games, has two interceptions and has been sacked three times. He's thrown for 20+ yards 10 times, and for 30+ yards four times.

Monday night's show was live from the Volume II Bookstore and a number of the new Beamer Ball T-shirts were given away in drawings. Roth said there are plans for Beamer Ball polo shirts and hats. Next week's show also originates from the bookstore, with free T-shirts for kids who ask questions on the air.

Speaking of Beamer Ball, a caller said, what about the absence of any blocked kicks in the first two games? Beamer said JMU picked up on the punt rush and that UAB changed its protection scheme from the previous year. It was better to take the returns -- "however you can get the yardage." He said the team had a goal to be better at returns this year due to the punting teams stressing protection. The Hokies lead the Big East in punt returns.

The coach was asked to assess things so far. He said the defense has played well, then twice said how important it is for DB Ronyell Whitaker to develop and play well; kicking has been good; offense is tough to judge when you are changing quarterbacks.

Roth talked about how the Big East was perhaps three plays away from winning some big games the past two weeks: PSU-Pittsburgh, PSU-Miami, and Syracuse-Michigan. Miami is in a "sandwich game" this week (between PSU and Florida State) at East Carolina. ECU is 3-0, with one win each against teams from the SEC, ACC and Big East.