Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 11, 1994 TAG: 9401110046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle will leave to take the same position at South Carolina, the university announced Monday.
Tech coach Frank Beamer, in California at the football coaches' convention, said he expects to appoint Bustle's replacement soon, although Beamer admitted Bustle's departure was not expected.
"It kind of came real quick for me," said Beamer, who did not interview anyone outside Tech's staff last Bustle year before promoting Bustle to replace Steve Marshall, who took an assistant's job at Tennessee.
Bustle had been Tech's quarterbacks and receivers coach from 1987-92 before succeeding Marshall.
Former Florida State offensive coordinator Brad Scott, South Carolina's new coach, hired Bustle after interviewing him last weekend.
Bustle said the decision to leave Tech, where he has coached with Beamer for seven years, was tough. The Hokies were 9-3 with an Independence Bowl victory in 1993, and they set school records for total offense, total points, total touchdowns and passing touchdowns.
He said the new position permits him to move his family closer to home - he and his wife are South Carolina natives - and he will get a salary increase. Bustle flies to Columbia, S.C., Wednesday.
As he did at Tech, Bustle will coach the Gamecocks' quarterbacks. That means he trades Tech's Maurice DeShazo for South Carolina's brash and talented Steve Tanneyhill.
"I've been away 16 years. I hoped someday I could do that," the Clemson graduate said of returning to South Carolina. "[Tech's] program has gotten to such a high level, and you've been a part of that. The chance of continuing success was so great. We've enjoyed living in Blacksburg. . . . That's what makes it tough."
Bustle said Scott contacted him, not vice versa. Though Scott and Bustle never had worked together, he and Scott's defensive coordinator - former Florida State linebackers coach Wally Burnham - coached together with the USFL's Arizona Wranglers in 1983.
Bustle said Tech has "modeled a lot of our offense after Florida State" and said he would feel comfortable working with Scott.
The Gamecocks struggled for five years under Sparky Woods, who was fired after last season.
Tech will feel Bustle's loss not only because it will enter '94 with its third offensive coordinator in three years. Bustle also was one of the Hokies' top recruiters, mainly responsible for bringing in players such as DeShazo, Cornell Brown, Torrian Gray and Bryan Jennings.
Beamer didn't argue when Bustle told him he was leaving.
"I understand it all. I just hate to lose him," the head coach said. "We reached new heights with our offense this year. I really felt like this is what he'd like to do right now. . . ."
Said Bustle: "I'm excited about a new situation and also very sad about leaving this one."
by CNB