Is this Bud for Clemson?

Greetings, Hokies. Apparently, summer isn’t quite done here in Blacksburg, where it has been about 80 degrees and sunny the last few days. Not complaining. Not one bit. It’s beautiful here.

One potential worry for the Hokies, though, is that the current forecast for game time in Boston Saturday night calls for temps between 40 and 50 degrees. Tech hasn’t practiced in much cold so far this fall. It’s a small thing … but small things sometimes become big factors in football.

I’m sure, however, you didn’t come here for a weather update, right? You’d probably prefer to know, instead, whether defensive coordinator Bud Foster is interested in/excited by the potential head-coaching vacancy at Clemson after this season.

Well … here’s what Bud told some of us hacks after tonight’s practice.

“That’s something I don’t even want to talk about right now. I’m focused right now on Boston College. I mean, you could answer that for me. But right now, all I’m focused on is Boston College … that’s all I can care about. We’ll take care of everything else as it comes along.”

You know reporters, though. We’re a curious (and persistent) bunch. So I pushed a tad harder. What would you do, Bud, if Clemson called tomorrow and said they wanted you?

“I’d be stupid” not to go, Foster said. “That’s what you guys have all asked me for the last five years, six years. Who wouldn’t be (interested)? ... That’d be one I’d be jumping through hoops to try to get. But at the same time, right now I can’t worry about that. All I can worry about is what I can control, and that’s trying to put the best defense on the field here.”

So there you have it. If Clemson comes calling after this season … Hokie Nation’s nightmare scenario would likely commence. That said, the Tigers’ gig is a high-profile position and they can attract any number of qualified candidates – many of them with previous head-coaching experience.

Purely a guess here, but I’m thinking Clemson, after all the disappointment with Tommy Bowden, will want to go for a “name” hire. And the trend, for the most part, lately has been to hire offensive gurus for head-coaching gigs.

So maybe this one’s not for Bud. Maybe it is. Who the heck knows at this point. Nothing, I’d guess, will be done until after the season. But even if Foster doesn’t get the Tigers’ job … keep in mind that whoever does get it will likely leave behind an opening elsewhere. And maybe that’s when Tech fans can truly freak out. For now, it’s all just speculation.

So let’s traffic in some reality here and talk about some stuff we know. Like this …

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR BUD FOSTER

ON CALLING BOSTON COLLEGE’S D-TACKLES ‘WAR DADDIES’ A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHEN NOTING HOW THEY HANDLED GEORGIA TECH’S OFFENSE AND WHAT CHALLENGE THEY POSE TO VT’S OFFENSIVE LINE: “Well, I don’t know. You’d have to ask those guys. I saw them … and they’re playing a different offense. You can’t compare how they’re going to play against us with how they played against Georgia Tech. They were physical last year, going to be physical this year.”

ON HIS OWN D-TACKLES HAVING A BIG CHALLENGE IN BC’S HUGE O-LINE: “Boston College traditionally has one of the better offensive units in the league that we play, year in and year out. And it starts with them up front. Each year, they find guys that are giants. One tackle’s 6-8, 322. The other guy that started last year as a true freshman is 6-7. He’s added about 20-25 pounds. And their guards are usually big and physical guys. So, yeah, it starts with that group up front. One of our keys to success week in and week out is being able to stop the run, and it’s going to be no different this week.”

ON HOW HE’D ASSESS HIS D-LINE’S PLAY SO FAR: “We’re OK is where I’d rate us right now. We’ve given up too many big plays. We’ve given up too many points. The defense overall, but the D-line is part of that. But I’d say we’re OK. I’ve been pleased with our progress. I think Jason Worilds (DE) has continued to get better each and every week. Cordarrow Thompson (DT) to me has been one of the pleasant surprises because of what he’s done physically and how he’s been able to consistently perform. John Graves (DT) has continued to get better and better … and Orion Martin (DE) obviously is a steady Eddie guy that you can count on and trust and be there at the start and be there at the end. So we’ve been solid right there. We’ve been very solid. But I’d like our numbers to be better.”

ON BC HAVING A QB WHO CAN STILL PASS BUT WHO IS MORE MOBILE THAN LAST YEAR’S QB, MATT RYAN, AND THE EAGLES ADDING A READ-OPTION PLAY FOR CHRIS CRANE … WHAT CHALLENGES THAT POSES: “Well, what it does, it makes you play honest. Maybe where in the past, you didn’t have that option in the offense, you could maybe pin your ears back and go and take a chance with some pressures … but right now, they’re going to force you to play sound football, assignment football along with being good in the passing game. You’ve got to be able to rush the passer, but at the same time you’ve got to be disciplined enough in those option principles.”

DT JOHN GRAVES

ON THE IMPROVED PLAY OF TECH’S D-TACKLES: “We were both kind of getting used to the whole system and the speed of the game for the first couple games, but now I think I can speak for him to: The game’s slowed down a lot for both of us.”

ON WHAT HE CAN DO BETTER WHEN THE GAME SLOWS DOWN: “Well, when the game slows down, you can start playing anticipating football instead of just worrying about like getting lined up right and things like that.”

ON WHERE BC’S O-LINE RATES: “They’re going to be probably one of the best offensive lines we’ve played against. They’re physical, they’re big and they’re tough. They’re very physical.”

ON THE EAGLES’ O-LINE PASSING THE EYEBALL TEST: “When you look at them, you know they’re coming out to play. They’re going to come hit you in the mouth. You know that, so you’ve just got to be prepared.”

ON WHEN THINGS “CLICKED” FOR HIM: “I guess we started noticing it more probably around Week 3. It’s a big step from watching a game to playing.”

ON HIS KICK-BLOCKING STATS DECLINING AS HIS TACKLING STATS HAVE IMPROVED: “That’s how it goes sometimes. It’s tough to block a kick, first of all. I’ve just got to try to improve on that now. (Opponents) haven’t done too much different, but the teams are doing a great job of keeping me out of there (on field goals).”

CB/KR CRIS HILL

ON HIS LAST TIMED 40-YARD DASH: “Uh, 4.34. I think Brandon Dillard did a 4.28. He got me in the 40. I think in a race, I’d win.”

ON NOT MAKING MUCH IMPACT YET AT CORNER, BUT HAVING A CHANCE NOW (THANKS TO INJURIES TO KENNY LEWIS JR. AND DAVON MORGAN) TO PLAY A BIG ROLE RETURNING KICKOFFS: “I’m just trying to seize the moment, trying to contribute any way I can. It’s a pretty big opportunity for me.”

ON HIS CHANCES OF BEING A STARTING KICK RETURNER SATURDAY: “It’s looking pretty decent right now. It’s not finalized yet, but hopefully I’ll be back there.”

ON HIS KICK RETURNS FOR SCORES IN HIGH SCHOOL: “I had about two kickoffs and one punt (returning kicks as a junior and senior at Highland Springs).”

ON WHAT THE COACHES WANT HIM TO FOCUS ON WHEN RETURNING KICKOFFS: “Just be patient. Just follow your blockers and be patient for the hole to open up.”

ON WHAT HE’LL DO IF HE GETS HIS HANDS ON A KICK SATURDAY: “I’m going to be off to the races.”

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