Offensive coordinator Ricky Bustle gave his account of what transpired with the offense in the moments after VT's fumble that led to West Virginia taking the lead with just over a minute to play.

Bustle said he purposely kept QB Michael Vick focused on talking about play scenarios and assuming the Hokies would get the ball back, rather than letting Vick get caught up in West Virginia's drive.

Bustle said he could hear a lot of yelling and screaming for the defense through the headphones, and didn't want Vick to get involved in watching that and becoming disappointed if WVU scored. So he "occupied" Vick, as he put it, by discussing the two-minute drill and what plays might work best.

He said he told Vick right away that "In your mind, they've scored. What are you going to do and how are you going to react." One of the last things he told Vick was "Don't forget, you can pull it down and run."

As for Vick's long keeper on the final winning drive, Bustle said "You can't coach that." What happened when Vick took off was that Ricky Hall was about to block a WVU defender in the back, realized it and stopped. The defender sensed it, looked away at Hall for just a split second and then Vick turned on his speed down the sideline and the defender stumbled.

The final pass play to Hall for 9 yards was another play they had talked about over the headset just minutes before.

Bustle said he knew that if the protection was good on the field goal attempt, VT had a great chance. He could tell right away from the ball's rotation that the kick looked good when Shayne Graham hit it.

The good news, Bill Roth said, is that Vick will have the confidence the next time he's in a situation with the game on the line. Bustle: "Our kids believe Michael Vick can do about anything."

The coordinator said they have the most comfort with play action and bootleg passes right now and aren't doing as much drop back passing as usual.

The third down possession play with Kendrick at tailback was intended as a halfback pass. The receiver was open for a moment, but there was pressure on Kendrick on the outside and the opening closed before he could pass.

A caller asked about management of the tailbacks. Bustle said he doesn't keep up with the number of carries, and that Coach Hite makes the decisions on rotating the backs.

The usual question came up about throwing to the tight ends. Bustle said they are trying to throw to them, that they are in the pass routes but not always as the first read. It was noted that the average number of yards per catch is way up for the tight ends, who've made some big catches this season.

Coach Beamer was critical in his own way of the punt return/block team, but expressed no disappointment in the defense.

He said one punt would have been blocked if they had continued the proper angles toward the punter. He said they let 14 points get away by not communicating up front on punts, but wasn't specific?? On the punt that Hall let roll for a gazillion yards, the coach said a good wall was set up that would have guaranteed great field position. "I don't think Ricky Hall will make the same mistake." He was critical of VT committing the penalty on the kickoff after the safety and giving up strong field position.

A questioner asked if the team was passive and playing not to lose. "I really don't think so. You have to give West Virginia credit," Beamer said. On defense, teams have gotten to a couple of our defenders while protecting the QB differently. The D has played hard. WVU had a very short field for its last two scores, which raised their odds because they didn't have to take as many snaps against the defense. Maybe some of the new guys (due to injuries) were tentative, he said. But it was a game in which a couple of twists (fumbled kick return, etc.) made it very different. Beamer said he didn't sense the team was tight and they talked at halftime about taking the game and winning it (as opposed to playing not to lose).

Someone else observed that the Tech defense didn't appear to be as quick at WVU. The flow of the game sometimes determines that, Beamer said, and some of VT's screw-ups put the defense on the field longer than it should have been. While VT is able to substitute a lot up front, it hasn't been able to at linebacker. He singled out Whitaker for playing better in the WVU game.

Beamer mentioned twice that the WVU defense took some slants against VT that weren't blocked well. Specifically, VT didn't block their safeties when they forced things. The OL didn't play as well as in the two previous games.

As for the bizarre kickoff return play by WVU, Beamer said the officials had it right in their ruling about an illegal forward pass. But Beamer said he thought the runner had his foot on the goal line and it was close as to when the ball left his hand and whether it should have been a safety. The coordinator of Big East officials wasn't even totally sure of the proper ruling after the game and was going to get an interpretation at a national level. All in all, it was a "real screwy play," Beamer said.

Coach Beamer called on VT fans to set a new crowd record when ESPN returns with College GameDay at Lane Stadium this Saturday. He noted that fans need to pace themselves even better this time around because kickoff is 90 minutes later than the Syracuse game.

Gates 1 and 3 will open at 9 a.m. Roth stressed that cars have to be moved from the close-in contributors' lots immediately after the show.

A big pep rally is planned Thursday night but the time and place were not mentioned.

The men's basketball team plays a Lithuanian team in an exhibition at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Galax radio station came back from a commercial late and so the injury report got stepped on briefly by an ad for Subway. It picked up with something about Andre Davis having an ankle bruise but they aren't sure how much it's bothering him because there was a death of someone close to his family and he's away from the team till Wednesday night.

Sorensen had an x-ray today for a neck problem but they think he'll be OK. Engelberger was bothered by a knee injury last week but is better this week. Midget was limping around, said Bustle, who did not elaborate. Nathaniel Williams probably will be cleared Tuesday to practice Wednesday for whatever ailment.

Was Beamer surprised that Tennessee passed Tech in the Nov. 8 BCS rankings? "I haven't honestly thought a lot about it," he said.

He repeated his contention that the two teams who play best all year will play for the national championship. "The computer will get it right, the rankings will get it right..." All VT can control is how well it plays against Miami, he said.

Bill Roth said the past four games with Miami all followed a similar pattern -- VT behind at the half, Tech scores late and then the defense comes up with the big stop at the end.

Beamer said it's the best Miami team in the past 5 years, and that the program is getting closer to where it wants to be.

Miami has momentum after very strong finishes to defeat BC, WVU and Pittsburgh. QB Kenny Kelly is getting better with every game.

Beamer recalled how those with the Miami program were talking about the VT game back at the pre-season media day at the Meadowlands. "This is the game they've been pointing to." Butch Davis repeated that theme Monday in the Big East media call-in.

A caller asked about containing WR Santana Moss. Beamer said they'd like to double up on him sometimes but alternate the coverage. It all goes back to forcing Kelly to make some bad throws before receivers get into their routes.

• The Marching Virginians will have a canned food drive for the needy at Saturday's game. The goal is 50,000 cans.

• Assistant coach Danny Pearman and his wife are new parents. Tanner Pearman is the new arrival.

• Vick was named the Big East's offensive player of the week; Shayne Graham was special teams player of the week. LB's Nate Webster and Keith Bullock of UM and SU, respectively, were co-defensive players.

• Stats from Roth: VT is 61-19 in its past 80 games, 23-7 on the road and a combined 11-3 against Miami, Syracuse and West Virginia during that time.

• The Tech women's basketball team hosts Liberty next Monday in the Pre-Season NIT. The winner meets Georgia in the second round at a site based on first round attendance. So Tech will be "taking on Liberty on the court and taking on Georgia at the turnstiles," he said.

• HokieCentral's frequent visitor Russian Hokie was in the crowd for the live radio show Monday and had some observations about Coach Beamer's headset. "Are you listening to Bill Roth [on the headset during the games]? Because when he goes nuts, so do you!"

• As of Monday, the Hokies were at Day 38 in possession of the Commonwealth Cup. Still as sweet as Day 1.