Coaches Beamer and Bustle dwelled over and over on their respect for the Pittsburgh team and how close the Panthers came in their loss to Penn State, plus outplaying Syracuse in the second half in another loss.

Both coaches said they are impressed with Pitt after studying game film. Pitt will offer the best defense VT has played so far, Bustle said, and could easily have won all three games it lost.

Beamer said Pitt is a "scary football team." Based on the Penn State game film, Pitt "looked like they belonged" in a game with PSU.

Bustle talked about how VT did not run the ball well against Pitt in 1997 or 1998, and that the Hokies are going to have to make some plays in the passing game against Pitt's defense. Beamer later agreed that the Hokies "have got to hit some passes."

Their defensive tackles and ends are experienced and good, and Bustle said the safety is a ferocious hitter.

Bill Roth said he has been talking to folks associated with Pitt (Pittsburgh is his hometown) this week and "they really think they can beat us" after coming close against Penn State and Syracuse.

Roth said he had just come from the locker room and talking with Tech's players after practice, and he found them to be very focused. "The team is so focused on game number seven."

When he asked Beamer about the team's focus, the coach said "I hope so." Not sure what was meant by that response.

The polls/BCS situation was discussed at length in the team meeting today. Beamer said it was stressed that all VT can determine is how it plays in its games. He referred to release of the first BCS rankings coming out Monday night as "this thing coming out tonight," as if he didn't know what it was called. Right.

Keith Short is "questionable to doubtful" at center this week after knee surgery, Bustle said. Schnecker is still out, so DeMasi will get the start again. Lehr is getting snaps in practice as a backup, but Bustle conceded it had hurt Lehr's performance in trying to prepare to play two OL positions vs. Syracuse. Jake Grove continues to get practice work in case he has to give up his redshirt and play this season.

Lee Suggs won't play this week after a knee scope procedure, but will be ready in about two weeks.

Tech's recruiting came up at several points in the show. While there were few details, it was clear both times that things are VERY upbeat on the recruiting front.

"Boy oh boy, things are going as well for you on the recruiting trail as they are on the field," Roth said.

Beamer said VT is talking seriously to a lot of kids that probably wouldn't have been talking to VT just a few years ago.

There was mention of an unnamed player that VT apparently covets in Florida, for example, whose finalists include Notre Dame, Michigan and VT. (I didn't hear all of this call, and I think these were the teams).

Beamer said recruiting is going "VERY well," and Roth noted that he could tell from Beamer's demeanor that the coach is upbeat.

Tech's offense behind QB Michael Vick continues its high efficiency. Vick has started 47 drives, of which 55.3 percent have led to scores. (Roth said anything over 30 percent is considered good.) The 47 drives have turned into 21 touchdowns and five field goals.

In the red zone, Tech has scored 21 touchdowns on 25 trips.

Bustle said that to this point, the Hokies have executed "so much better" on offense than a year ago. The people who are supposed to make the plays are doing the job.

Roth remarked about all the drops by receivers in the August practices, and how that has turned completely. Bustle credited receivers coach Tony Ball for getting them focused and executing not just in catching the ball, but with running their routes and blocking.

New things are added to the offense each week and they have been able to move the offense along since Vick returned from his injury, the offensive coordinator said.

VT's national ranks are first in scoring offense, ninth in rushing; first in total defense and scoring defense.

In fact, the Hokies scored more points in the first half of the Rutgers game than the Tech defense has given up all year.

Callers asked about running up the score and win margins as factors in the BCS rankings. Bustle said that is not discussed by the staff, and "it's not the way we do things." Beamer said "I'm just trying to win some games," and the margin is not a consideration.

Beamer made it pretty clear in response to a call about upgrading the schedule that Virginia Tech isn't going to agree to any 2 for 1 scheduling deals.

"Two for one is not upgrading. That's selling yourself short," he said.

Another caller said the third ranked team in the country doesn't need to settle for 2 for 1 deals.

They rehashed about future VT schedules that will feature Auburn and Wisconsin in home and home series, and Beamer said VT is talking with UNC right now -- no details.

Beamer repeated his stance that Tech needs to "schedule smart" and not get in the situation such as 3-4 years ago when Boston College played Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State and paid a price for it. He indicated there are some teams that just don't want to play the Hokies, and therefore you just can't up and schedule a team on a whim.

Roth predicted that little will be said of Tech's 2000 schedule: away games at East Carolina, Miami, Syracuse and BC, and Virginia at home.

• The West Virginia game is definite as a 3:30 p.m. regional telecast on CBS.

• ESPN2 got the Pitt game time changed twice. Roth said it originally was set at 6 p.m. as the front end of a doubleheader at 9 p.m., but ESPN2 wanted it changed to 7, which it was. He seemed to be implying ESPN2 bumped the other game off after getting VT in a prime time start.

• A caller wanted to know about the Warrick incident at FSU and how he would have fared under Tech's disciplinary policy. Roth said a very similar incident occurred with a Tech player three years ago (buying at a "discount" at the bookstore), and he was dismissed from the team for good.

• The Tech football program is working on a special spring weekend in 2000 in which all the players who went on to the pros will be invited back to campus. Beamer said assistant AD John Ballein has been working on it for a year and a half.

• And let us never forget: As of Monday, the Hokies were at Day 24 in possession of the Commonwealth Cup.