DATE: Sunday, September 28, 1997            TAG: 9709280223

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                        LENGTH:   81 lines

HOKIES ROLL, BEAMER GETS RECORD 65TH VICTORY MAKES HIM TECH'S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH, PASSING DOOLEY.

Sure, it might have been sweeter for Frank Beamer had his Virginia Tech Hokies beaten a Miami or a Virginia on Saturday. But nothing, not even the fact that the opponent was lowly Arkansas State, could detract from the sense of satisfaction Beamer felt after winning his 65th game as Tech's coach.

The 14th-ranked Hokies spanked Arkansas State 50-0 to make Beamer the winningest coach in the school's 106 seasons of football. The victory surged him past Bill Dooley, who with 64 wins was the only Tech coach prior to Beamer to win a bowl game.

``If anyone was going to break coach Dooley's record, I'm glad it was Frank,'' said assistant head coach Billy Hite, who played for Dooley at North Carolina and coached under both men at Tech.

Few thought Beamer would surpass Dooley, much less last a decade, when he took over a Tech program in 1987 beset with academic problems, dissension among alumni and impending NCAA probation.

Through his first six seasons the Hokies averaged less than four wins and he was forced to fire assistant coaches to recharge the program. Some alumni were calling for Beamer's head.

All along, Beamer predicted greatness for the Hokies.

``I kept telling people it will be great someday when Virginia Tech is going to the Orange Bowl or the Sugar Bowl,'' Beamer said. ``I guess some people must have thought I was crazy.

``But even when we were 2-8-1 (in 1992), I knew were close. We were ahead of seven opponents in the fourth quarter in games we lost. We were almost there.

``I'm just thankful the administration here realized we had the right foundation in place.''

What happened since has been nothing short of miraculous: four bowl bids in four seasons, including visits to the Orange and Sugar bowls; a 41-11 record, including 4-0 this season; and loads of national television exposure.

Beamer acknowledges that wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Tech's admission to the Big East Conference. Hite says it wouldn't have been possible without Beamer, either.

``Shortly after he got here we were on probation and down in scholarships,'' Hite said. ``It was rough at times, real rough. But he did a wonderful job of building the program.''

Not that it took a great program to beat Arkansas State. The Indians (1-3), whose only victory came over Division II Central Arkansas, were outgained by the Hokies 498-168 and held to minus 28 yards rushing, which ties a school record.

It could have been worse for Arkansas State. Two Tech extra points were blocked and a touchdown nullified by a penalty.

Tech quarterback Al Clark continued to impress as a first-year starter, completing 11 of 14 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Backup tailback Lamont Pegues, a transfer from Clemson, had his best game as a Hokie, rushing for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Starter Ken Oxendine rushed for 45 yards in limited action, enough to vault him to 10th on Tech's career rushing list with 2,058.

Late in the third quarter, with the Hokies ahead 37-0 and many in the crowd of 42,178 streaming to the exits, Beamer began inserting subs. But the onslaught continued as backup quarterback Nick Sorensen, a redshirt freshman, led Tech on a 60-yard drive culminated with his 11-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Gildersleeve at 10:33 of the fourth quarter.

Lorenzo Ferguson, a redshirt freshman from Chesapeake's Western Branch High, then closed out the scoring a minute later with an 84-yard interception return. It was the ninth longest return ever at Tech.

At game's end, Beamer was doused with a cooler of Gatorade and given the MVP plaque presented each game by players.

``I'm excited by what this program has done, but I'm more excited about where the program is going,'' Beamer said. ``I think we're on our way. We're right in the middle of changing the status of this program, of taking it to another level.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos

ROANOKE TIMES

Larry Green of Virginia Tech soars high to break up a pass intended

for Lennie Johnson of Arkansas State during fourth-quarter action.

Virginia Tech quarterback Al Clark continued to impress as a

first-year starter, completing 11 of 14 passes for 177 yards and two

touchdowns.

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