Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 30, 1994                   TAG: 9412300115
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA.                                  LENGTH: Medium

FORMER TECH AIDE KNOWS WHAT HE'S UP AGAINST

No one will be surprised if those calls are made from the Tennessee side of Florida FieldCQ, IT'S BEN HILL GRIFFIN STADIUM AND FLORIDA FIELD.

``I think the players play the game, but I do know Tech's system, and I obviously know some of their personnel,'' said Steve Marshall, the Volunteers' offensive line coach and former Tech assistant.

``And I know Frank's likes and dislikes. I know what he likes to call on fourth-and-one. He always told me what he wanted to do on fourth-and-one. At least, for six years he told me what he wanted to do.''

Marshall spent six seasons on Beamer's Tech staff, moving with his boss from Murray State in 1987. The following year, he was named Tech's offensive coordinator, a job he kept until leaving for Tennessee two years ago.

Since Marshall's departure, the Hokies have gone to bowls in back-to-back years for the first time in school history, but no one is suggesting his exit changed Tech's fortunes.

He left for higher pay in a superior program. Now, he'll be on an opposite Gator sideline from Beamer and some of his former coaching cronies.

``I saw Frank the other night,'' Marshall said before Tennessee's practice Wednesday. ``It's going to seem strange coaching against them, not so much Virginia Tech, but against those guys. We're still friends.''

Marshall left Tech after the Hokies' disastrous 2-8-1 season in 1992. Soon, several of his fellow assistants were fired by Beamer. Marshall's offensive play selection had come under fire from some Hokies, but no more so than might be expected in a skidding program.

``I don't think there was any question the program could succeed when we were there,'' said Marshall, 38. ``We had just gotten into the Big East Football Conference and that was important.

``The situation is different now. A couple of years we had teams that were good enough to go to bowls, but we weren't in a conference, and we ended up playing schedules that were too tough.

``You can't build any kind of momentum when you have to play Oklahoma and Florida State every other week. We know why we had to do it [money], but the Big East gives them something to play for.''

Marshall also pointed out that Big East membership allows the Hokies to play a Temple or Pitt among Miami and Boston College without criticism because those are league foes.

``I wasn't leaving Virginia Tech to leave,'' Marshall said. ``I was very happy there. Blacksburg is a nice place to live. I just thought the Tennessee situation was attractive and [Vols' coach] Phil Fulmer sold me on it.''

Marshall said the major differences he sees in the Tennessee and Tech programs are in image, tradition and geography.

``At Tennessee, it's the only game in town, and I just don't mean Knoxville,'' said Marshall, a Connecticut native and former Louisville offensive lineman. ``Vanderbilt has its fans in Nashville and other schools have their followings, but in Tennessee, the Vols are the state team.

``In Virginia, Tech shares time and interest with Virginia. One isn't dominant over the other, and Virginia has had the ACC. Getting in the Big East should give Tech an identity it needs.

``Already, I know kids can see Tech on TV more often. That has to help.''

At Tennessee, Marshall coaches the Vols' highly-regarded offensive line. Beamer has said throughout Gator Bowl week that all five starters on that Tennessee line will play in the NFL.

``I told Steve that, and he didn't deny it,'' Beamer said. ``Coaching those guys has to be fun.''