ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 12, 1995 TAG: 9512120060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Although he claims he has yet to be contacted by University of Georgia officials, Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer remains one of only two coaches being mentioned in connection with the Bulldogs' vacancy.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday that Beamer is considered the No.2 candidate behind Northwestern's Gary Barnett to replace Ray Goff, who was fired Nov.23 - although Goff will coach Georgia in the Peach Bowl against Virginia on Dec.30.
Barnett, the architect of Northwestern's stunning 1995 turnaround, said last week he wasn't interested in leaving the Big Ten Conference school.
But according to the Journal-Constitution report, Barnett on Saturday was in Athens, Ga., where he was given a tour of the Southeastern Conference school's facilities by Vince Dooley, the Bulldogs' athletic director.
Barnett told the Atlanta paper he had been on a recruiting trip in Georgia and simply decided to visit the school's campus.
If Georgia can't lure Barnett, sources contend Beamer likely would be the school's next target.
Since his name surfaced in connection with the Bulldogs' position, Beamer has contended he ``hasn't contacted [Georgia] and [Georgia] hasn't contacted him.''
But if approached, Beamer might not be able to turn down a look. Goff's financial package was worth approximately $500,000 per year, nearly double the value of Beamer's deal at Tech.
Beamer, 49, has become somewhat of a hot coaching commodity after leading Tech to 26 victories during the past three seasons and a school-record three consecutive bowl bids. The Hokies (9-2) are ranked 13th after winning their first Big East Conference title this season and will meet No.9 Texas (10-1-1) in the Dec.31 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Beamer was in New York City on Monday and was unavailable for comment. Dooley, coincidentally, was in New York, too, according to a Georgia source.
PLAYER ARRESTED: James Crawford, a reserve split end for Tech, was arrested and charged Nov.27 by Blacksburg police with defrauding an innkeeper and a felony hit and run with injury.
According to police reports, Crawford's car was towed - at the request of campus police for unpaid parking tickets - to a Blacksburg service station.
Crawford then showed up and demanded his car back without paying the towing bill. Once in his car, Crawford struck a service-station employee twice with the vehicle. The report didn't specify any injuries to the attendant.
Crawford, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Deerfield Beach, Fla., could receive a sentence of up to one to five years in a state correctional facility, 12 months in a local jail or $2,500 fine for the hit and run with injury charge, an unclassed felony.
Crawford, who caught one pass in eight games this season, also faces up to 12 months in jail or a $2,500 fine or both on the charge of defrauding an innkeeper.
NICE-PAYING PARLAY: The $3.5 million Sugar Bowl payoff won't be the only thing that makes the cash registers of Tech's athletic department go cha-ching on Dec.31.
Dave Braine, the Hokies' athletic director, says the school stands to make a nice profit from the move of Tech's New Year's Eve home basketball game with Wright State to New Orleans. The basketball game, which will be played at the University of New Orleans' 9,000-seat Lakefront Arena, starts at 11 a.m. CST.
Braine expects many of the Hokies with tickets for the 6 p.m. CST Sugar Bowl will spend the afternoon watching Tech's basketball game. If so, it will be money for Tech.
``We've got a great deal,'' Braine said. ``Sure, it cost us some more to bring two teams [Tech and Wright State] to New Orleans.
``We need to draw 3,000 people to break even. Anything over 3,000 people will be gravy for us. If we get 6,000 or 7,000 in there, it will work out very well for us.''
TECH TIDBITS: While the Hokies don't resume practice until this weekend, quarterback Jim Druckenmiller said he and many of the wide receivers have continued to play catch almost daily. ``To be truthful, I'd rather have kept playing,'' Druckenmiller said. ``I hate this waiting. I love just playing football.'' ... Tech's defense finished No.1 in NCAA Division I-A against the rush, giving up 77.4 yards per game. The Tech ``D'' was fifth in scoring defense (14.1 points) and 10th in total defense (285.9 yards per game). ... The Hokies' offense scored 321 regular-season points, the second-highest total in school history. The Hokies' scoring average of 29.2 points was the third-highest ever. Tech's 4,233 yards of total offense ranked fourth all-time. ... A school-record 18 players scored points for the Hokies this season.
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Beamer.by CNB