Frank Beamer on Virginia Tech's Matchup With Ohio State: "Games Like This Don't Come Along Very Often"

By Eric Seger on September 2, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer knows what he has coming to town Monday night in Ohio State.
Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire
30 Comments

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer's been coaching the Hokies for 28 seasons, but has said time and again he's never had the opportunity to host as big a game at Lane Stadium as the one that's coming Monday night against No. 1 Ohio State.

Wednesday on the ACC teleconference call, Beamer reiterated that sentiment, and even added more gumption to it.

"We understand the challenge, we understand that games like this don't come along very often," Beamer said.

What follows is the complete transcript of the Hokie boss from Wednesday, complete with questions from reporters and Beamer's answers. Virginia Tech's depth chart can be found here.


Opening Statement:

"This team we have coming in here this week to Lane Stadium is talented, well-coached, No. 1, ran the table last year and got a lot of guys back. We understand the challenge, we understand that games like this don't come along very often, but at the same time it's the opening ball game. You gotta keep it what it is and that's the opening ballgame against a great football team. Whole country watching but what we gotta do is treat it like any other opening ballgame and go play it. Find out where we are as a football team and then go improve from there. That's the formula we've used for years around here and that's going to be the formula used this year. Let's go play and find out where we are."

With last season's success by your tight ends against Ohio State, was that something schematic you saw or just your tight ends making some plays?

"We are fortunate, we've got tight ends here that block inside, they’re good enough to get out in space with a little height advantage. Good speed can be effective out there, too. I think that’s always going to be a big part of our game plan, is trying to figure out how can we gain an advantage here and what can we do to get these guys matched up. That's always going to be a big part of our game plan each and every week."

What is tight end Kalvin's Cline's status for Monday?

"We think he’s going to be, he’s still working with the medical staff but I’ll let the medical staff determine that."

You've said this is the most anticipated game you've ever had in Blacksburg. What is the second most anticipated game you've hosted?

"This may be the first and second. We’ve been fortunate. When you go back and think about it, all those Miami teams that came in here, Texas A&M and Nebraska, you kind of go on and on with all the big games that's happened here in the last few years. This is one where its never before there’s been a unanimous No. 1 to start the year. Then to have them come to our place to open the season, that’s special. The game is big, there's no question about that. The whole country will be watching, people will have an opinion on Virginia Tech after that game. We’re going to determine whether it’s a good opinion or not. There's a lot riding on it, but it’s still the first ballgame and get better from there."

Is it difficult to have your team be focused mentally when there is such a highly touted team coming in? What have you seen from your team?

"It’s been my experience that playing a team like this helps you as far as the focus for the game. We got smart guys around here. We turn the tape on and they understand we gotta play a great football game to have a chance to win this thing. They understand that you're playing a very, very talented football team. I think those things get your attention pretty quickly. You kind of keep your attention when you get out there and practice. To me, playing a team like this helps you as far as you attention to detail and your preparation."

Who have you been some of your most impressive defensive players that you've seen in camp and think you can lean on?

"I think a guy, (fifth year senior defensive tackle) Luther Maddy that got hurt last year, but what a steady influence he is for our football team. Not only playing inside there but being good in that position, which where that's where it all starts — inside and out. I think in the secondary we have some guys, (Brandon) Facyson, (Kendall) Fuller, (Chuck) Clark and (Desmond) Frye, guys that have some height to them, but they're smart guys and they're good football players. On the back end, having those guys is really, really helpful. When you can do some things with them, it kind of turns your front loose a little bit. I think those guys are key for us."

How do you replicate your defensive line's performance from last season against what is now a much more experienced Ohio State offensive line?

"You look at them and most of those guys are back, I saw where about three or four of them are preseason All-Big Ten. It’s a different game. We like our guys, but I know they like their guys, too. That's going to be a big part of it. It always starts up front in big games. Who wins the battle up front and that’s going to be a big issue in this game right here."

What is the biggest difference between when you played Ohio State last year and Ohio State now?

"Well, we haven’t played them yet, so that's going to be hard to tell. But I think a year of experience and probably confidence, confidence is such a big thing. We both were in a situation where we were running a lot of new guys out there last year. We happen to get a couple big plays, scoring plays and ended up winning the football game. But as you go through a year and you play, you get better and your confidence improves, I think that’s big. This is a good team and I’m sure a very confident team. I think that’s a big, big part from last year to this year."

Is Brandon Facyson all the way back from the leg injury he sustained late last year?

"I think you gotta wait until the game to see for sure. He's been good, he's been playing with a lot of aggressiveness and going and getting the ball-type deal, the whole deal. It looks like to me he is, but I think you gotta go out there and play and get him comfortable in that setting. We'll know more I think after a game like Ohio State where you gotta cover some great people, you've gotta make some tackles. We're going to get singled up a little bit, gotta make a tackle. I think we'll know a lot more after this game."

30 Comments
View 30 Comments