Like it's 1999

Very interesting Q&A with Frank Beamer here from Kyle Tucker of the Virginian-Pilot.

Some of the notable excerpts:

-- Beamer was extremely close to taking the North Carolina job in 2000. Compare the records of the Hokies and Tar Heels since then, and imagine how much might've been different.

-- Beamer lists Clemson and South Carolina among the schools he'd have enjoyed coaching over the years. Some folks say he was interested in coming here in 1998, but I'm not certain of that.

Another compelling topic: Beamer lamenting his aggressive nature in the BCS title game that followed the 1999 season. The Hokies lost by 17 points to Florida State, but the game was close for a lengthy stretch and Beamer's team was in position to grab some crystal.

"We were good enough to beat Florida State, but we faked a punt and faked a field goal – which I thought were good calls at the time, but they probably weren’t so good. And defensively, we probably tried to heat them up too much (with blitzes) and they took advantage of us in some one-on-one situations. I think probably, if I’d have been a better coach in that game, the outcome could’ve been different."

This is intriguing from a Clemson perspective because, just a few weeks ago, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden was wondering what might've been in his 1999 game against the Seminoles -- and it also involved a decision with a fake field goal, one Bowden chose not to run.

Here's what he said in his lengthy interview with Cris:

"I remember we had about a third-and-two on the right hash. I had a fake field goal where the guy would have walked in. We would have beaten them with it.

"Rich (Rodriguez) and I were discussing back and forth what we were going to do. I wanted to run a sweep to the field. I was going to have the guy flip the ball over the head. Well, with a right-footed kicker, you'd have to flip it over where he could run to his right. But you have to be on the left hash or the left middle. I needed to get the ball over there. Rich wanted to run more power. I said, 'Let's run a sweep to the left. It'll work. The guy will walk in.' We finally ended up running more power and it was a long yard and a half. Had we beaten them, they probably wouldn't have won the national championship."

Bowden's anecdote is fascinating to begin with because of the enormous impact such a (successful) sequence would've created -- and not just with Florida State's national title run.

Bowden's father Bobby Bowden built his reputation on crazy, daring trick plays. The craziest and most daring of all, of course, came in 1988 when he called the "Puntrooskie" play that gave the Seminoles a win at Death Valley.

Just imagine Bowden's son Tommy pulling off something similar in their first meeting to pull off a mammoth upset and ... wow.

Would a whole lot be different right now, 12 years later? Tough to say. But it's interesting that Beamer also looks back to his 1999 game against the Seminoles and rues the fakes that he did call.

Now for some linkage...

-- I know Clemson doesn't face Miami this year (in the regular season), but Al Golden is a compelling story to follow. In this article, Golden's players are motivated by his "soft tape."

Safety Ray-Ray Armstrong said his coaches have told him, “You have to be tough in order to play on this defense.” How tough? Well, you better not make it on the “soft tape.” The soft tape is a video of highlights — or lowlights — of players shying away from contact or not jumping in on a tackle.

“I don’t think anybody wants to be put on a soft tape,” Armstrong said.

-- Here are five questions on Maryland as the Terps began camp yesterday.

-- And more five questions on Georgia Tech.

-- Hey, looks like Clemson isn't the only team coming off a losing season and saying all sorts of positive things during August camp. Lotta sunshine in Athens, too.

-- Speaking of Beamer and Virginia Tech, Rivals.com has a good preview of the Hokies.

-- Are my eyes deceiving me? Mike Krzyzewski opening some of his practice to the -- gasp! -- media?

Any idea the last time that happened?



LW