Fowler-Corso-Herbstreit will bring ESPN's College GameDay set to Blacksburg Saturday and the challenge is on to pack in more than 10,000 screaming Hokie fans to top Kansas State's record crowd on a show last year.

Gates 1-3 will be opened in the south end of the stadium at 9 a.m. The ESPN set will be situated near the tunnel, presumably on the field, although it wasn't totally clear from Bill Roth's remarks. The cameras will shoot back toward section 2 in the west stands, which is where fans will gather.

The show is on air from 11 a.m. to noon, with a rehearsal at 10:30.

"What are they gonna rehearse?" Coach Beamer asked on the show Monday night from the Volume II Bookstore.

"[Saying] Go Hokies!" someone said.

The Hokies lead the Big East in 13 key statistical categories this week. Bill Roth read them off so fast that I couldn't write them all down. First in: rushing, points scored, kickoff returns, pass efficiency, total defense, third down conversions (defense?), sacks.

Ricky Hall is number one in the nation in punt returns.

Michael Vick was offensive player of the week in the Big East for the second consecutive week. In his past two games, he is 18-21 passing for 578 yards of total offense, 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Was Vick's half-game at Rutgers the best ever by a VT quarterback, Rickey Bustle was asked.

Bustle: "That first half was the best I've ever been associated with or been around," Bustle said.

Vick has played on 36 offensive drives so far, of which 53 percent led to scores: 16 touchdowns and 3 field goals. Tech has 80 percent success so far in the red zone: 14 TDs and 2 FG's in 20 trips inside the 20.

Tech is averaging 6.2 yards per carry when the Hokies run the ball on first down. Beamer talked about how a lot of second and fours impacts how the defense guesses what you're going to do and opens up VT's options.

Roth said VT's average spot of taking over possession this season is its 38, compared to the 25 for opponents. Tech has started in the opponents' territory 18 times, compared to six times for opponents in Tech territory. "That's winning and losing right there, Bill," Beamer said.

A caller asked about Kibble kicking some short punts -- for Kibble anyway -- at Rutgers. But Beamer said he wasn't concerned because he's still kicking them high and allowing good coverage.

In fact, Kibble's punting average of 39.4 yards may be lower than normal for him, but Roth said he's had only six of 18 kicks returned so far for a total of 32 yards -- an average of just 5 yards per return. Ricky Hall, in contrast, is averaging 20.4 yards per return on 20 tries.

Center Keith Short was described as questionable for the Syracuse game with a sprained knee.

Steve DeMasi will start at center. Bustle said DeMasi got a lot of practice work this fall, and said he played well against Rutgers on 28 snaps.

Freshman Jake Grove is being prepared to play and they will give up his redshirt if it comes down to needing him. Beamer said they have already cleared things with Grove and his family for him to play.

Beamer and Bustle also said they will just have to see how Short comes along this week. Beamer said it's still possible that Short could play. OL Matt Lehr made some snaps in Monday's practice in case of an emergency.

Meanwhile, former backup center Tim Schnecker is probably out until the bowl game with his broken ankle.

Vick is not 100 percent, but is very close to it, Bustle said. The QB had no problems with the ankle vs. Rutgers.

No other injuries were mentioned on the show.

The Sears National Championship Trophy will be displayed at the game and on the ESPN set Saturday.

Lane Stadium will be only the 26th stadium all time to feature an appearance of this trophy, according to Roth. (Beamer even allowed his focus to wander for a moment when he said, "I'd like it to have a permanent home later in the year.")

Roth interviewed the PR guy who will be traveling with the trophy, and he said it will be displayed Tuesday-Wednesday this week in Richmond, Thursday in Roanoke, and then on to Blacksburg. The trophy's Waterford crystal top took 3.5 months to handcraft and is insured for $30,000.

Why is the trophy coming to Blacksburg? According to the spokesman, it's because the Hokies ranked at number four is "a big attraction," and because College GameDay will be there.

Most of the same defensive unit that held VT to 165 yards last year returns for Syracuse. Bustle indicated the biggest difference is that the defensive linemen have lost weight and are quicker. He said it is the best defense VT has faced this year, and Beamer said SU is the best team VT has faced. The 'Cuse defense is built around Bullock at linebacker.

SU uses a scheme in which it keeps a linebacker in to shadow/mirror what the QB does. That means he has to be accounted for on draw plays, but not other plays, Bustle said. Besides, he said, Vick has told him that when he's scrambling, "I can make one guy miss."

So when did Bustle decide to call for the bomb that led to a score on Tech's first play from scrimmage? It wasn't scripted during the week, but rather just came to him while the team was stretching prior to the game.

He said the offensive assistants ask what he's going to open up with and that he doesn't always know himself until the time comes.

At Rutgers, Bustle said he was watching WR Andre Davis stretching and "I told him to loosen up real well." Then he told Michael Vick to do the same thing. They teamed up minutes later on a 74-yard scoring pass.

Beamer was proud of how the Hokies played, especially after a few early shaky plays on defense. He said that in watching film of the game, there was an obvious difference in the speed of play in the first half compared to the beginning of the second half. The defense can't assume that it's going to shut things down just because they've done it before, he said of the first quarter defense.

The coach stressed how pleased he is with how consistent the offense is playing. He talked about the OL, but also gave much credit to receivers coach Tony Ball for the way the receivers are catching the ball, running after the catch and blocking downfield.

Beamer also said he was proud about two people coming up to him on the Rutgers trip at different times to compliment the Tech players' manners and how they acted.

The team didn't arrive back in Blacksburg until nearly 6 a.m. because the Roanoke airport was closed Saturday night for tarmac repairs. The players apparently had to bus in from the Lynchburg or Greensboro airport. The coaching staff flew in to the Tech airport on a smaller plane around 1:30 a.m., got home at 2 and was back watching Syracuse film by 7 a.m. Sunday. Little did they know that the buses had just recently dropped off the players, Bustle said.

The offensive coordinator acknowledged that they keep expanding the play package. He said they've added several delay pass plays to the fullback, tailback and tight end.

He said that Ricky Hall "really came on" against Rutgers.

Beamer and Bustle contended that the players and staff are not talking about all the hype, poll rankings and BCS possibilities.

"We're excited about where we're ranked, but we want to win number six," Bustle said.

"Everybody's aware, but we never talk about it," Beamer said. He's not heard a player mention it.

In meetings with the players, "I've not yet talked about a ranking or the polls," only the next opponent, Beamer said.

• Two callers to the show were from Colorado and Kansas. The Kansas caller said he was the guy with the VT banner in the crowd on College GameDay at K State last season. He said the ESPN show is a great showcase opportunity and the atmosphere is like a bowl game.

• Offensive lineman Shorty Nihipali became a father over the weekend.

• Recruiting is going very well. The staff will focus on recruiting in a meeting next Wednesday during the open week. Some recruits were at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and Rutgers games. Beamer said VT is "in on some great players." No elaboration at this stage, of course.

• A caller noted that margin of victory is a factor in at least one of the BCS polls. Beamer said he intends to do things his normal way and said there's no reason to run up a score.

• One guy asked Beamer what he says to opposing coaches after the game. He said he wishes them luck. The discussion got into how much the coaches fraternize during conventions and meetings in the off season. Beamer said there is a lot of respect for each other in the coaching fraternity and said there are only a couple who aren't well thought of. (No names.) You don't see much cheating in recruiting anymore, Beamer said, and there's not as much hard feelings or distrust of other coaches.

• The subject of Nike came up and Beamer put great emphasis, again, on how important Nike is to recruiting. "Nike is a real recruiting issue. Kids know what kind of shoes you wear." "Go ask a recruit who's wearing what. They know." Nike is selective and turns down teams, and Beamer mentioned that UVa once was associated with Nike, but not now.

• As of Monday, the Hokies were at Day 10 in possession of the Commonwealth Cup. And so it goes.