Time for Tech defense to get in gear, irked Foster says

BLACKSBURG

Defensive coordinator Bud Foster tacked a note to his players' lockers this week. Along with a newspaper clipping about Virginia Tech's national defensive rankings in recent seasons, the note read:

It's your responsibility to uphold the tradition.

The Hokies have ranked no worse than seventh in the country in yards allowed each of the past five years. Three weeks into this season, Tech is 77th. But what is "appalling," Foster said, is that the Hokies rank 107th in run defense, allowing more than 200 yards a game. That's nearly double last year's average.

"It's embarrassing," Foster said. "It's unacceptable."

Many of Tech's problems stem from missed tackles leading to big plays. The Hokies have allowed eight runs of 20-plus yards, including a 61-yarder. So on Tuesday, Foster put his players through extra tackling drills. Instead of tackling dummies - Tech's standard practice - Foster used live players.

"Bud has coached so many great defenses that this is not a regular thing for him," defensive back Eddie Whitley said. "He's very frustrated. We don't want to let him down. We don't want to be the defense that's going to be different from all the past defenses that have been dominant."

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Coale's dad has regrets

There are surely a few thousand regret-filled Tech fans this week - those who poured out of Lane Stadium as the Hokies trailed 15-10 in the final two minutes against Nebraska on Saturday.

Some felt the pang of remorse while walking to their cars and hearing a roar rise inside the stadium. Danny Coale had hauled in his historic 81-yard catch that set up Tech for a most-unlikely winning score.

Coale's father felt the strongest sting; he was almost 200 miles away. In a rare turn, he had not made the trip to see his son play.

"One of the very few he hadn't since I was little," Coale said. "My little brother had a baseball tournament in Richmond, and he went that route."

Coale's father watched the first half on television, then turned his attention to baseball. He learned of his son's heroics by way of phone calls from friends. He didn't get to see a replay of the catch until late Saturday night.

"I think it was pretty hard on him," Coale said.

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Renewing An old rivalry

A few talking heads have all but handed the No. 9 Hurricanes the ACC's Coastal Division title. And with a win Saturday, that might be just about right.

Beating Tech would leave Miami 3-0 in the league, with wins over Florida State, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech - three of the conference's other top contenders. But the No. 11 Hokies have something to say about that.

"We're back-to-back champs," Whitley said. "We've got to defend our throne. We're going to do that. Nobody's going to push us over."

The bravado is yet another indication that this weekend's game could be a throwback to the Tech-Miami rivalry of old. Hurricanes quarterback Jacory Harris has brought back the swagger that Miami has been missing.

This summer he told a reporter he hoped to win the Heisman Trophy so he could wear a pink suit to the ceremony and carry a "pimp cup," which is apparently a jewel-encrusted goblet.

If he keeps up his current pace - 656 passing yards in two games - he might get to make that fashion statement. The Hokies hope not.

"He has a lot of confidence, but I don't think he's seen a defensive backfield like us," Whitley said. "We're not just going to let him throw all over us. We're going to challenge him."

Let the game begin. The gamesmanship already has.