ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 26, 1995 TAG: 9512260069
SECTION: BOWL GUIDE PAGE: BG-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
FRIENDS AND FAMILY in Christiansburg are happy Steve Bernstein will be coaching in a bowl game again this year. They aren't rooting for his team to win, however.
``I'm not going to put that burden on my in-laws,'' said Bernstein, the Texas secondary coach.
``I know who the Maddys are rooting for in the Sugar Bowl. They go to Virginia Tech games all of the time. I'm sure my wife is rooting for Texas, though. I'm positive.''
Like the Hokies, Bernstein will be in one of the traditional New Year's bowls for the first time. The Longhorns' date Sunday night against Tech at the Louisiana Superdome may be the first between the teams, but it certainly isn't foreign territory for Bernstein, who was the Hokies' defensive backfield coach from 1978-84, when he worked for Bill Dooley.
Bernstein's wife, Carolyn, is a Christiansburg native. The couple still has a home there. Bernstein's stepson, Todd Linkous, is a property appraiser in the New River Valley. ``I know he'll be rooting for Tech, too,'' Bernstein said, laughing with a certain resignation.
And when Bernstein returns to Virginia each summer for a visit, he always gets together with Tech assistant head coach Billy Hite, the only aide remaining on the Hokies' staff from the Dooley years.
``It's really strange playing Tech,'' Bernstein said. ``We played Virginia this season [a 17-16, last-second Texas triumph in Austin], but I never thought this would happen. They've won nine in a row. Tech is really on a roll, and we've had a great season, too. I've seen some films. They're one of the best teams we've played, in terms of what they do with their offense.''
Bernstein is finishing his fourth year at Texas, where he moved from Illinois with Longhorns head coach John Mackovic. The secondary coach left Tech a decade ago for Colorado, where he spent three seasons. Bernstein had just left Wake Forest for Virginia Tech in 1978, when Mackovic took over as the Demon Deacons' head coach.
``I really don't think I've changed much as a coach, although the men I've worked for all have been different,'' said Bernstein, a Los Angeles native whose coaching career began in 1969 when he tutored the secondary for the Quantico Marines. ``I learned a lot working at Virginia Tech. I really think that's where I kind of started toward where I am today.
``I worked for Bill Dooley, Bill McCartney [at Colorado] and then John Mackovic. All good coaches, good men to work for, very loyal. All different, all fairly successful. With Coach Dooley, you always knew what to expect. There were never any surprises, and that's a great situation to work in. McCartney was a very good motivator, and he was into change. We went from a passing team to a wishbone team. He was very stern.
``I've been with John eight years now. He's more offense-oriented, and he does things with the offense that puts a lot of stress on defenses. Practice is interesting. He's high on motivation, too. Coach Mac and Coach Dooley were the most organized. The one thing all three had in common that I really like is they let the [assistant] coaches coach.''
Bernstein will be coaching in his 10th bowl in 16 seasons, ninth different postseason destination and sixth bowl in eight years as a Mackovic aide. He has been a defensive backfield coach for 23 years. A decorated Marine platoon leader in the Vietnam War, he always has been a quiet, explaining sort of teacher. He wants the emotion to come from his players.
In eight of the past 10 years, he has worked with a defensive back who played in the NFL. The most accomplished was former Illinois star Henry Jones, an All-Pro pick with Buffalo in 1992.
Bernstein went from Colorado to the Fighting Illini in 1988, along with former Tech defensive coordinator Lou Tepper, to join Mackovic's staff. When Mackovic left for Texas, Bernstein considered staying at Illinois, where Tepper was named head coach and had promised Bernstein he would be named assistant head coach.
``That was a really tough decision,'' said Bernstein, 51. ``I'd have had a title and a significant amount of more responsibility. Then, I thought that at Texas there's a better chance of winning a national championship. The weather was a factor, too. Austin is a great place to live. This season, it's just gotten better and better, and next year, we're getting in the Big 12, a great football conference.
``It's kind of neat, Virginia Tech and Texas in the Sugar Bowl. I'm sure I'll see some familiar faces.''
LENGTH: Medium: 80 linesby CNB