The radio show was a big improvement from the Dullsville show of last week and featured lot of interaction with callers and general observations about the Pittsburgh game and the football program in general.

Defensive coordinator Bud Foster gave some insight into the defense's struggles at Pittsburgh. He said it was one of those games where the other team was clicking and the Hokies had to play two backup cornerbacks at length.

Foster credited the defense for playing hard and staying after it for the duration, but said the D was not as sharp as it's capable of playing. Mainly, he was disappointed in several third down conversions made by Pitt.

The underneath pass coverage was "average at best" and there were situations when the linebackers didn't drop back into proper coverage. On one play the weak side safety was supposed to be sitting in the zone where a pass was completed, but he had moved up anticipating a run, resulting in busted coverage.

Bill Roth mentioned how the Tech program has raised the bar of expectations, considering how the Hokies gave up 17 points in the game, 10 in the second half, and "people thought they played terrible."

A caller said the TV sideline reporter said/implied that some of the Tech players were getting on each other on the sideline, and he wanted to know if there was any discontent. Foster said he saw no conflict, and said the defense is emotional. Peer pressure is encouraged and they want the leaders to emerge and speak up. "We want 11 leaders challenging each other."

A caller said the radio guys suggested that Foster called lots of zone to protect the inexperienced cornerbacks in the game. Foster said that was a good observation, that they wanted the young guys to get in the flow of the game.

Pittsburgh kept eight guys in to maximum protect the quarterback and sent out two receivers. Pitt did some things numbers-wise that kept VT from bringing pressure. At times a receiver was double teamed and still caught the ball.

But Foster said it was a great learning experience for backups Austin and Whitaker and to have to step up from playing 25 snaps a game to being in on 60.

Roth noted that some teams have tried to spread the field and use 4 wideouts, but the best scheme recently against the VT defense has been what Pitt (and some others) did.

A caller asked about trying more bump and run against opponents' receivers. Some of that is up to the defensive back and the comfort zone he has when playing "on an island," Beamer said.

The coach said the Tech defense is a proud group and that they coaches just need to emphasize technique. He said he suggested some changes in coverage since the game, "but Bud Foster said 'that's not that we need -- we need to play what we have better.'"

Beamer and Foster were asked about several officiating calls that went against Tech. Both coaches used the words "very questionable" to describe the late hit out of bounds call. The officials said it was on Engelberger, but Foster said Pitt actually hit Engelberger. The personal foul on Pugh was "foolish," Foster said; Beamer said that was probably a good call.

Beamer said the Hokies got a big break on a call after the blocked punt because Pitt recovered the ball behind the line of scrimmage and could have advanced it, but instead it was blown dead when a Pitt player picked it up.

Another caller asked about the delay when the officials went to the sideline phone to confer with the pressbox. Beamer said the refs lost track of the down and wanted to be sure of the situation. The caller noted that the game clock was not re-started until after the next snap (he is correct). Beamer said he didn't notice that, and said the clock should have started (with about 9 minutes remaining).

Roth made the point that VT needed the experience of some game situations like last Saturday, where Shayne Graham had to make a pressure field goal. Beamer said the offense has to help protect leads, unlike last year when several were blown. He credited Lehr and Kadela for good games on the OL, and DeMasi for doing "pretty good for a pressure situation against a defense that does a lot of things."

A caller campaigned for VT to use the halfback option pass by Kendrick more. Beamer quipped that he is "saving that for a special occasion." He praised Kendrick as a gifted runner who's not big or super fast, but just has good football sense, good feet and a sense for when to cut.

Other teams are throwing more at Vick to deal with at QB, but Beamer said Vick did a great job with the additional audible responsibilities put in for the Pitt game. Vick checked in to the play that was the first touchdown.

On the situation just before the half (first and goal at the 5 after an interference penalty), the coaches thought Vick appeared to have hurt his ankle somewhat and he got up slowly after being sacked on second down. There were no timeouts remaining and there was some uncertainty about his condition and therefore what play to run, so they elected to let the time run and kick the field goal on third down. Beamer thought they had two good spread plays called just prior to that, but Pitt "sniffed them out."

Beamer said one of the Pitt coaches told a VT coach after the game that they hadn't realized the tempo and how hard VT plays in all phases throughout the game.

Ike Charlton should be fine and Anthony Midget is considered day to day, but better than they thought, Foster said. Beamer's view was that Midget is still questionable with "a ways to go," but who felt better on Monday than expected.

Short will try to go in practice Tuesday and they'll see how he does. I believe Beamer said he thinks Short can play?? On Schnecker's return for this Saturday, Beamer said "we'd like to think so, we'll see."

VT will give 18 to 19 scholarships this year. A caller asked if it's OK to run out of scholarships early. Beamer said it's an "excellent problem" to run out early. "We're a hot team" from a recruiting standpoint right now.

The team had no physical practice on Monday. Beamer said the Hokies are good and mature and aren't adjusting to lots of new stuff, so he chose to let them rest body and mind.

The coach did gripe about kickoff return coverage from the past two weeks, when three longish returns were clipped off against the Hokies. The breakdowns are being looked at.

Roth mentioned Kibble's tendency to pull some kickoffs out of bounds and give opponents the ball on the 35. He joked how he likes to watch the reaction of Beamer and Kibble and how Beamer gets animated in those situations. They found humor in the matter (can you imagine George Welsh handling it that way?), and Beamer went on to talk emphatically about what an "absolute competitor" Kibble is -- a player who's harsh on himself and always comes right back with his performance after something like that happens.

It was noted that next season the Hokies have to replace their entire kicking team specialists -- both kickers, holders, and deep snappers.

Walk-on kicker Carter Warley is "fairly consistent" in practice and Beamer said he "has a chance to be a good field goal kicker." Two walk-on punters named Peasley and Davis have been inconsistent.

The radio guys joked about the "Hurd for Heisman" web site. The coach said that Caleb Hurd told him last week it was justified because he's had a hand in a lot of scoring. His supporters, said Beamer, call themselves "Caleb's Herd." (He also mentioned the overlooked fact that Hurd is the backup deep snapper for punts, behind Shayne Beamer.)

And then there was the caller named Paul who asked Beamer when he is going to open up the passing game because Vick "needs the stats."

"Paul, Paul, Paul," Roth responded, the Hokies in 1999 have the most wide open deep ball threats in the history of Tech football.

"Stats are not the issue with me or Michael Vick," said Beamer, who then got into the importance of a balanced offense and said most top teams have a balance.

Building depth at receiver was on the mind of another caller who asked about going to Emmett Johnson. Beamer gave what amounts to a very candid response for him: "I keep waiting for Emmett to show up, too," then added, "I want it to happen for him." Most of VT's passing routes are read routes and it's up to receivers to get open if they want Vick to see them and get the ball thrown to them.

West Virginia QB Matt Bulger is probably as healthy as he's been since an early injury and now has a game under his belt against Miami before facing the Hokies this week, Beamer said.

Foster described Bulger as mobile with a quick release, who may be the best quarterback in the Big East. (Presumably he meant the best QB on ANOTHER team.)

Beamer said VT will continue its recruiting focus in Virginia, Florida, the Baltimore area, Washington, and some areas of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. His philosophy is not to get too spread out. He said in an age of a declining number of scholarships available to give, it's important not to misjudge a recruit, because an under-performer can hurt the program. It's more important than ever to know more about the players and he said he prefers the credibility that comes from coaches that VT has established relationships/territories with.

The coach said there were media callers from Dallas, Chicago, Miami, etc. on the Big East coaches' hookup Monday and he seemed impressed that the national writers were calling out the names of Tech players and information about them. It's clear that people are following the VT football program closely, he said.

Roth said he liked a quote from Beamer from the Pitt pre-game show that gets back to keeping the team focused: "The bigger it gets, the smaller you think."

As of Monday, the Hokies were at Day 31 in possession of the Commonwealth Cup.