ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310087
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MIAMI
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
If familiarity can breed competitiveness, then tonight's Orange Bowl could be a defensive standoff.
Ten months ago, Virginia Tech coordinator Bud Foster led a group of Hokie defensive coaches on a pilgrimage to Nebraska.
``Who could have figured we'd end up playing them after the season in the Orange Bowl?'' Foster said. ``We traded ideas, but mostly we came away with a feeling that we have similar philosophies.''
Nebraska is a popular stop for these coaching caravans and their off-season swap shops. The Cornhuskers had a 25-game winning streak and back-to-back national championships entering the season.
Members of Virginia's staff also visited Lincoln last winter. ``I guess people come because they figure we're winning, so they want to see what we do,'' said Cornhuskers coach Tom Osborne.
The Tech coaches got a request from the Cornhuskers before they left Blacksburg. Osborne's staff asked to see tapes of the Hokies' Sugar Bowl victory over Texas.
``Their coaches spent the whole day with us,'' Foster said. ``We showed them the Texas film, and they appreciated it, but I don't know if it helped them.''
The Longhorns defeated Nebraska 37-27 in the Big 12 Conference title game earlier this month.
Foster and assistants Lou West and Jim Cavanaugh came away from the Nebraska session with an appreciation for why the Cornhuskers are playing in their 16th consecutive traditional New Year's bowl game.
``We talked about game plans and got some good ideas,'' Foster said. ``We learned some things, and I think they did, too. They were very interested in our zone pressure.
``What struck me the most is that we're a lot the same. We try to outnumber people with an aggressive style by the up-front people.
``We get to the same things a lot of times, but we might do it from different looks. To us, it just solidified what we were doing, that we're doing the right thing. Part of why we went out there is to see what good people do.''
This season, the Cornhuskers (10-2) have slipped slightly on defense since the suspension of linebacker Terrell Farley earlier in the year. Still, Nebraska ranks fifth in rushing and scoring defense and seventh in total defense in Division I-A.
In recent years, the Tech defensive coaches have visited Washington, where Jim Lambright developed the attacking eight-man front, Florida State and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
``When you're trying to be the best you pick the brains of the best,'' Foster said. ``With Nebraska, at least we saw we were on the same page with them.''
Now, they're on the same field, too.
LENGTH: Medium: 58 linesby CNB