Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 18, 1995 TAG: 9508180048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
So what is offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle grinning about?
``It's just so nice to be back home,'' Bustle said. ``I never realized how much I missed this place.''
After one season at South Carolina, Bustle did the hustle back to Tech in January. He got his old job back when his Tech successor, Gary Tranquill, resigned to take the offensive coordinator's post at Michigan State.
``My wife [Lynn] and I sat down there [at South Carolina] and really missed Virginia Tech,'' Bustle said. ``We had really made this home [from 1987-93].
``I think sometimes you go check that other green grass over there ... and you really don't realize what you have here and how happy you were here.''
Head coach Frank Beamer and the Hokies are happy Bustle is back. In 1993, Bustle's high-revving offense ran up a school-record 400 points.
``I couldn't have a better man for that coaching spot,'' Beamer said. ``I'm just fortunate I could get him back.''
Bustle was on a recruiting trip for the Gamecocks in December when he first heard Tranquill had submitted his resignation in Blacksburg.
``I didn't know Gary had gone,'' Bustle said. ``I had just come out of a recruit's home, then I called home. My wife told me on the phone, `You're not going to believe what's going on.'
``Then, Frank called. We talked, then my wife and I took a few days. We sat down, talked about it and made the move.''
Unbelievably, only nine days before Beamer called, the Bustles had sold their house in Blacksburg. What great timing.
``Here we had been trying to sell it all year,'' Bustle said, shaking his head.
``I had left Blacksburg in January, and the family had come down [to Columbia, S.C.] in July. So we really moved twice in six months.
``I still had boxes from the first move. I just piled 'em back on the truck. The same people who brought us down brought us back.
``I'd say I'm here for a while. My wife doesn't want to be doing this anytime soon, believe me.''
While Bustle said he may keep some of Tranquill's schemes, most of the offense will come out of 1993's high-octane sets.
``I've looked at what they did here last year and it was some good stuff,'' Bustle said. ``But you've got to go with what you believe in.
``We'll probably be doing more of what we did two years ago and a few things we did at South Carolina last year. It's a little different. The running game is not going to change much. The passing game changes.''
Unlike in '93, when he had the scrambling, option talents of Maurice DeShazo, Bustle will go the drop-back route this season with a first-time college starter, Jim Druckenmiller.
``I don't think you have to change the offense that much,'' Bustle said. ``Mobility can hurt you as well as help you sometimes. I think Jim can move well enough. You're not going to see him 50 yards [downfield] with the football. But I do think you'll see him move around a little bit, pull it down and go get 7, 8 or 9 yards.''
TECH TIDBITS: The Hokies will conduct the first intrasquad scrimmage of camp at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lane Stadium. Three additional scrimmages, all starting at 7 p.m. at Lane, will be held Aug.23, Aug.26 and Aug.29. ... Besides junior college transfers Myron Newsome and Greg Melvin, who are listed first and third at Ken Brown's old linebacker spot, three other newcomers made the preseason depth chart. True freshmen listed are Loren Johnson and Marcus Gildersleeve, currently second and third at left cornerback behind Antonio Banks, and No.4 fullback Shelly Ellison of Hampton. ... Redshirt freshman Al Clark, whose hopes of winning the starting quarterback job from Druckenmiller ended with an ankle injury in spring practice, has fallen behind Cody Whipple on the depth chart. ``Cody took advantage of that situation [Clark's injury] and did a real nice job,'' Bustle said. ``Al has been hurt by not having a complete spring practice. He's a sharp guy. I think he and Cody can push Jim somewhat.'' ... The offensive line has been hobbled because of nagging injuries to junior Jay Hagood, a returning starter at left tackle, and redshirt freshman Derek Smith, senior Chris Malone's projected backup at left guard. Hagood has been slowed by a pulled hamstring, while Smith hurt one of his legs in a recent automobile accident.
by CNB