Beamer discusses UNC challenge

What were Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer's comments about what he expects to see out of North Carolina this weekend in Chapel Hill? Take a look at what the longtime Hokies' skipper had to say at the ACC teleconference.

Opening statement:

"We've certainly got our hands full with North Carolina. They played tremendously---a really good football game---up at Rutgers. They've got I think everybody back but one guy on offense (Scott Lenahan), and they moved a guy there that had played some (Aaron Stahl). The experience shows. The quarterback is playing well. The wide receivers are exceptional. (Brandon) Tate is exceptional, but so is (Brooks) Foster and so is (Hakeem) Nicks, and so on. They're good up front. They're athletic on defense. It should be a really good football game. I think they're the best football team we've played, and we've played a couple pretty good football teams, so we've got our hands full."

Thoughts about Brandon Tate:

"You'd like to keep the ball away from him. The trouble is he's got other ideas. He wants to go catch it, and where he starts out may not be where he ends up. He's quick. He's got great speed. He's got size. Very, very impressive. Watching him in these first couple of games on tape, he's just very, very impressive."

What makes you think UNC is better than East Carolina?

"I think just from an overall team standpoint---offensively, I think they've got it all. They've got the big back (Greg Little), and then (Shaun) Draughn, I think he's an exceptional player at tailback. I think you look at the receivers---the quarterback is playing well, they're very solid up front. You look at them defensively, every position they're athletic. I think a lot of East Carolina, and (Patrick) Pinkney and all those guys, I think a lot of them, but I think this is the best football team."

What are some of the things that currently make you happy about your team?

"Last game against Georgia Tech (a 20-17 victory in Blacksburg), I thought our effort was great, and that's what we've asked our football team to do, is give great effort. As long as you're giving great effort I think you'll continue to get better, and that's what we've got to do as a football team. We're too young at too many positions, and we're just kind of growing. As long as there's effort involved, I think we'll get to be a better football team."

What were the biggest challenges when you took the VT job back in the mid-1980s?

"When I took over here (for Bill Dooley), they had been successful. It was kind of an unusual situation. Also when I took over, we were short on scholarships---and then when I took over they wanted to increase the schedule. They wanted to play better teams. And then they wanted to spend less money. So, you kind of put all those things together, we had some challenges, but fortunately it's worked out okay."

"I was just fortunate to have administration here that could see that we were making progress. In our recruiting we were making progress, and academically we were making progress, and how we were treating the kids we were making progress. I was fortunate they let us hang around long enough to play enough games to where we could be successful on the field."

What would be your advice to young football coaches out there?

"The only advice I'd give is that you've got to be who you are---I don't think you can be somebody else--- and you've got to do what you believe in, and continue to do what you believe in. I think that's the only way to be successful."

Thoughts about the atmosphere he expects during Saturday's game in Kenan Stadium….

"It's ACC football. I would expect a great college atmosphere. I think it's two football teams that's got a lot on the line---a lot at stake, no question about that, so I would think the atmosphere would be very, very exciting."