THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 1995 TAG: 9512160433
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Even as Virginia Tech officials insist Frank Beamer isn't going anywhere, they are busy trying to make sure their head football coach stays put.
Beamer, reportedly the top candidate for the coaching position at Georgia, met Friday with Virginia Tech athletic director Dave Braine and school president Paul Torgersen to discuss a ``reward'' for the Hokies' successful season.
``Georgia has not offered me a job,'' Beamer said just before meeting with Braine. ``I want to be at Virginia Tech. I plan to be at Virginia Tech, and that's the whole story right now.''
After the 15-minute meeting, Braine said: ``We did not finalize anything. Frank didn't tell me he was leaving, nor did he tell me he was staying.''
Would Braine be surprised if Beamer left his alma mater?
``Where's he going to go?'' Braine said. ``No one from Georgia's contacted me. How can I say anything about the University of Georgia? You guys are starting to make a mountain out of something that doesn't exist.''
However, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is not backing down from its earlier reports. A story today restates Beamer as a leading candidate for the Georgia position.
Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley is said to be a one-man search committee who is operating clandestinely.
``The only thing I can tell you is the search and evaluation is ongoing,'' Dooley said Thursday. ``We will name a coach hopefully by the first of January.''
After meeting with Beamer, Braine conferred with Torgersen in the athletic director's office. Later, Torgersen went to Beamer's office for a private meeting with the coach. Torgersen said Beamer ``asked to speak to me.''
Beamer would not comment on the meeting, and Torgersen said only that any university negotiations with Beamer ``would be up to (Braine).''
Beamer's contract at Tech, with a base salary, radio and TV deals and other perks, totals about $350,000 annually. The bidding for the next Georgia coach is expected to start at about $500,000.
Beamer, 50, had his best season in nine years as Tech's head coach - a Big East title, 9-2 record, No. 13 ranking and a berth in the Sugar Bowl against Texas on Dec. 31. According to language in Beamer's contract, he is due a bowl bonus ``at least equal to one month's salary.''
``We're not going to get in a bidding war,'' Braine said. ``Anything we do for coach Beamer and his coaching staff will be a result of their accomplishments this year. This is not a result of Georgia, period.''
Braine had pointed out on Thursday that in April, Beamer signed a contract extension through 1999: ``We have let it be known we want him to stay here; hopefully we will not have to do that every year.''
Beamer missed the Hokies' first bowl practice Friday, returning to campus around 3 p.m. after attending Thursday night's Bear Bryant Coach of the Year banquet in Houston. Beamer was one of six finalists for the honor, which went to Northwestern's Gary Barnett.
The Journal-Constitution reported that Beamer became the leading candidate at Georgia when Barnett removed his name from consideration this week. Georgia coach Ray Goff was fired last month, although he will coach the Bulldogs against Virginia on Dec. 30.
Assistant head coach Billy Hite, who ran Friday's practice in Beamer's absence, said Beamer is staying.
``It's simple; he ain't going anywhere,'' Hite said Friday evening. ``He still hasn't been contacted and he's still a Hokie. If anything was going on, we wouldn't have 20 (recruits) in here this weekend.'' MEMO: The Roanoke Times contributed to this report.
by CNB