Bud Foster, boogers, and links

Bud Foster probably never envisioned he'd have it this difficult against Clemson.

Four years ago, he interviewed with Terry Don Phillips for the vacancy created by Tommy Bowden's departure. And there was a newspaper article something like a year later that reported Foster told Phillips he'd, um, take liberties with Clemson's backside if Phillips didn't hire him.

In 2006 and 2007, Foster's defense completely shut down Clemson's "Thunder and Lightning" running game in winning by a combined score of 65-30, holding the Tigers to a total of 88 rushing yards on 51 carries.

It's quite reasonable to say Foster was in Clemson's dome at the time the way Chad Morris has been in Foster's dome over the last year or so. Giving up 61 points and 780 yards in two meetings will do that to a man.

Foster spent a bunch of time in the offseason studying up on ways to stop the hurry-up, no-huddle stuff that vexed him against Clemson last year, and whatever innovations he devised didn't work too well against North Carolina recently when the Tar Heels put up 48 points while rolling up 533 yards (including 339 rushing).

Foster turned his attention to Clemson this week, and in this article he gives some insight:

Bud Foster couldn't help but laugh, leaning back in his chair and offering a hearty chuckle when asked about the challenge Virginia Tech's cornerbacks will face going up against Clemson wide receivers.

The prospects of trying to defend all of the Tigers' athletes, particularly two as talented on the outside as DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins, has driven many a defensive coordinator zany.

"To have that kind of offense with some dynamic athletes is a real booger to prepare for," Foster said.

Foster on Nuk Hopkins: "It looks like he's one of their best, if not their best football player on the offensive side of the ball."

Cornerback Antone Exum: "I'm not going to go in saying we're going to give up some big plays, but I will say that they're going to make some things happen. Maybe not the 70-yarder. Maybe they might catch a 15-, 20-yard first down or something like that. But we don't want to go in thinking that we're going to give up big plays."

Clemson's receivers have to like the sound of this: The Hokies, like they've done all year, will play plenty of single coverage. "We've got to play what we play and what we know," head coach Frank Beamer said. "I don't think you go changing stuff here in the middle of the season."

And this from defensive line coach Charley Wiles: "I've said if we held them to three yards or less rushing [per carry] and they threw for 300, I bet we'd have a really good chance of winning the game."

In this article, Mike O'Cain debunks the theories that Clemson stole the Hokies' offensive signals in last year's two smokings of the turkeys.

In reality, he says, Virginia Tech's offense was just mind-numbingly predictable (Virginia Tech fans must be heaving a sigh of relief.)

And here's a look at VT's plan to continue rotating its tailbacks.

LW