Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 9, 1994 TAG: 9411090058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
He has a commitment from the Hokies for a five-year contract renewal. And with coaching pink slips starting or about to fly in some prominent programs, the name-dropping makes Beamer a big man on some campuses besides that of his alma mater.
His name has surfaced in rumors and more at Georgia Tech, Georgia, Kentucky and LSU. Some of those schools have had friends of friends contact Beamer associates.There also is a rumor afloat that the Carolina Panthers have called Beamer's attorney, Craig Kelly, of Columbia, S.C.
That one's not true, say the coach's acquaintances. If the NFL expansion club is to hire a college coach, it likely will be Miami's Dennis Erickson or Florida's Steve Spurrier - and a move by either could put Beamer's name on another wish list.
The only programs with Beamer's immediate attention are his own, Rutgers and Virginia, the Hokies' final two regular-season opponents. With one more win, it's likely the 7-2 Hokies will make Beamer the first Tech coach to go bowling in back-to-back seasons.
Tech's potential commitment of $926,000 in base salary and an annuity to Beamer over the next five years makes a statement. That said, there is a concern among some alumni and Tech fans that the Hokies and Beamer have yet to sign an extension that was announced six weeks ago after Tech started 4-0.
It does not seem to concern Beamer, Kelly and Tech athletic director Dave Braine, however. Coaches don't want such distractions during the season. Kelly has been on the Tech campus three times in the past two weeks, meeting with Beamer to finalize a contract proposal that will be made to Braine in the next few days.
``What we have, in effect, is a five-year agreement for a base salary and an annuity,'' Kelly said. ``What we will be attempting to negotiate are items other than Frank's salary, some things you can't put in a formal contract. It's like we're asking the question, `Where can the program go?'''
Those items include improved facilities, more money for assistant coaches' salaries, and an increase in the recruiting budget. ``Frank's concerns are not so much for himself as they are for his program, his assistant coaches and his school,'' Braine said.
Beamer refuses to discuss other job prospects, and said he didn't expect to have a signed contract renewal before the end of the regular season anyway. He started the season having signed an addendum to his current contract, in which Tech agreed to a new deal if the Hokies won at least six games.
The Hokies gave in after the 4-0 start, and after ESPN telecast analyst Mike Gottfried - Beamer's former boss on the Murray State staff - chided Tech's administration for holding Beamer to the six-win clause. What wasn't said is that it was Beamer and Kelly who asked for the six-win mandate after they couldn't get Braine to renegotiate when the coach had two years remaining on his current pact.
``It was the best we could do at the time, so we took it,'' Kelly said.
Did Beamer deserve a new contract after an Independence Bowl victory, one year removed from a 2-8-1 finish? No. One bowl season doesn't a solid program make.
Does he deserve what he wants now? Yes. Beamer agreed to make needed changes in his staff and program, and he's prospered. His staff's recruiting has improved. His leadership has toughened. He's personable. He's what's good about college football.
However, the buyout clause in his contract already had expired. The promised, new pact has no buyout, either. So, Beamer is free to leave if he desires. However, Beamer and Braine seem on the same page on most of what the coach wants. Tech President Paul Torgersen has told Braine to ``get going on the facilities building,'' the Hokies' AD said.
That project, which needs state approval, could be either a new building or an addition to the Jamerson Athletic Center, and is likely to cost in excess of $3.5 million. If the Hokies finish the season as expected, the funds shouldn't be difficult to raise. So, Beamer could have the weight room and meetings rooms the program needs by 1996.
Still, no Hokie will be surprised if Georgia Tech athletic director Homer Rice calls Braine for permission to speak to Beamer, whose ties to former Yellow Jackets national championship coach Bobby Ross are so tight they share a vacation address in the Atlanta-Augusta region.
If Georgia cans Ray Goff, Beamer could be nuzzling the doolapped UGA, the bulldog mascot. At Kentucky, Beamer's former coach and mentor, Jerry Claiborne, remains a Lexington resident and influential alumnus.
Beamer also knows that most of his two-deep roster will return next season. The Hokies could be just as good as this year, maybe better. He's built a program in a solid conference.
``If Frank wants to stay and be our coach, the offer is there,'' Braine said. ``On the other hand, if he wants to leave and we can't afford to keep him, he has no restrictions. In no way, shape or form do Frank and I have a problem with what's transpired with his contract. I hope he's our football coach in the future, and I will do everything I can to see he is.''
Should Beamer see whether the grass and money is greener elsewhere? He can't afford not to, and his reported candidacy could be a bargaining chip with his alma mater. Will Beamer leave Tech? It doesn't seem likely, but two years ago consecutive Tech bowl teams didn't, either.
by CNB