DATE: Wednesday, September 24, 1997         TAG: 9709240624

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ED MILLER

LENGTH: 57 lines

VIRGINIA TECH REPORT

Beamer: Packed

stadiums part of

being top program

If Virginia Tech is to become one of the top football programs in the nation, Hokie fans need to fill Lane Stadium for every home game, coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday.

Even Arkansas State.

``The greatest thing that could happen, would be that we could have 50,000 people in that stadium Saturday,'' Beamer said at his weekly press conference.

Lane seats 50,000. A crowd of about 45,000 is expected Saturday, when the 14th-ranked Hokies will take on the Indians. While that may seem like a good turnout for a team that lost to Division I-AA Southern Utah last week, it's not enough for Beamer.

``You come to Lane Stadium because it's Virginia Tech playing,'' he said. ``I don't know this for sure, but I bet Nebraska, when they played Akron and when they played Central Florida, I bet they were sold out. I bet Florida when they played Central Michigan was sold out.

``To me that's part of a growing program, and becoming one of the top progams in the country, your program fills that stadium every week.''

Beamer defended Tech's schedule Monday, saying the team is playing the likes of Arkansas State, Miami of Ohio and Alabama-Birmingham so fans can have six home games.

Ticket sales posing no

problem for 'Canes visit

One game Beamer didn't have to urge fans to attend is the date with Miami Nov. 8. That game is sold out, and interim athletics director Sharon McCloskey is considering bringing in portable bleachers to be placed in the south end zone.

The bleachers could add about 2,500 seats. Tickets won't be sold until a decision is made.

Tech's walking wounded

Beamer said there were more players in green and blue jerseys at practice Monday than at any in recent memory. Players in green jerseys don't practice at all, while those wearing blue see limited action.

The Hokies were without fullback Marcus Parker and defensive end John Engelberger in Saturday's 23-13 win over Temple. Parker didn't play at all, while Engelberger played one series before leaving with a knee injury.

Parker, who also had a knee injury, will be back against Arkansas State. Engelberger is questionable.

Injuries have hit the defense hardest, and Beamer will do some shuffling at linebacker and in the secondary Saturday.

Korey Irby, the team's starting ``whip'' linebacker, will not play. Irby's backup, Cory Bird, may also not be available. Beamer said he'll move Tyron Edmond to the ``whip'' spot. Sean Ruffing, a redshirt freshman, will take Edmond's spot.

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