ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 1995 TAG: 9512170019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
Frank Beamer's candidacy for the football coaching vacancy at Georgia is a dead issue, at least for now.
Beamer, returning to the campus of his alma mater Friday to continue preparations for the Dec. 31 Sugar Bowl, said he intends to stay at Virginia Tech.
``Georgia has not offered me a job,'' Beamer said, sitting in his Jamerson Athletic Center office. ``I want to be at Virginia Tech. I plan to be at Virginia Tech, and that's the whole story right now.''
Well, not quite.
Beamer was absent as the Hokies began bowl practice with a noon workout at Rector Field House. He arrived on campus just after 3 p.m., after returning from Houston, where he was honored as one of six finalists for the Bear Bryant Award, which goes to the national coach of the year.
Beamer spoke with a reporter, then about one hour later he and Tech athletic director Dave Braine met for 15 minutes in the coach's office.
About 4:30 p.m., Tech President Paul Torgersen and Braine met behind closed doors in the athletic director's office. Torgersen was at Cassell Coliseum for the rehearsal for today's fall semester graduation ceremony.
Then, not long after the rehearsal, Torgersen arrived at Beamer's office for a private meeting with the coach. Torgersen said Beamer ``asked to speak to me.''
It was apparent that all of these discussions concerned what, if any, negotiations might be held on revising the coach's five-year contract that began this year with a base salary of $141,445.
Beamer would not comment on that subject or remark further on Georgia, and Torgersen said that any university negotiations with Beamer ``would be up to [Braine].''
``We did not finalize anything,'' Braine said after his meeting with Beamer. ``Frank didn't tell me he was leaving, nor did he tell me he was staying.
``He asked if he could talk with the president of the university and Minnis Ridenour [Tech's executive vice president and the university administrator who oversees athletics].''
Braine would not divulge what Tech may be offering Beamer to sweeten his deal, or if such an offer had been made, or whether any timetable has been established for any offer to be presented or accepted.
``Anything we do,'' Braine said, ``is a result of what this team and this coaching staff has accomplished this year, and that's our way of saying thanks.''
Beamer's deal, through the 1999 season, escalates 5 percent annually. His 1996 base salary is scheduled to be $148,500.
He also is paid $108,000 annually for TV and radio shows, and he received a $100,000 annuity last summer, when Tech began payments on a new annuity for the coach.
Beamer, 48, will finish his ninth season on the Hokies' sideline against Texas in Tech's first trip to a traditional New Year's bowl. He is due to receive a bowl bonus ``at least equal to one month's salary,'' according to language in his contract.
Another contract clause deals with ``recognition for exemplary performance.'' Braine may recommend to the university that Beamer be awarded ``appropriate recognition to Beamer. Such recognition may, but need not, take the form of a monetary reward,'' the contract states.
Beamer guided the 13th-ranked Hokies (9-2) to nine consecutive wins to finish the regular season, matching a school record set in 1905. He led Tech to its first Big East Football Conference championship and was the unanimous choice as Big East coach of the year.
In any negotiations, however, Beamer has little leverage for Tech to up the ante besides his job performance in a program that has three straight bowl years for the first time in history.
Although print and broadcast reports in Georgia and Virginia have speculated Beamer is a leading candidate for the Georgia job, there is no confirmation that the Southeastern Conference school has even contacted Beamer.
Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley is personally handling the search, and has said only that he wants to hire a coach by Jan.5. That has led to speculation that the man Dooley wants is coaching in a bowl game.
Braine said again Friday that Dooley has not contacted Tech about discussing the Bulldogs' vacancy with Beamer.
Northwestern coach Gary Barnett, who won the Bear Bryant Award, removed his name from consideration to replace the fired Ray Goff, who will exit after the Bulldogs' Dec. 30 Peach Bowl date against Virginia.
Beamer's agent, Craig Kelly of Columbia, S.C., has been quoted as saying that he was hopeful about Beamer's candidacy and waiting to hear from Georgia.
Asked whether he has had contact with Georgia, Beamer replied, ``I think I'd like to leave it at what I said. My plans are to stay at Virginia Tech.''
With Beamer finishing the first year of a contract, how willing will Tech be to renegotiate or add to his present terms?
And, in the midst of what has the potential to develop into contract haggling, the Hokies are entertaining about 20 recruiting prospects this weekend and trying to practice for the Sugar Bowl, too.
Beamer is likely to discuss his stated commitment to Tech with the Hokies before their workout today at 12:30 p.m. Assistant head coach Billy Hite ran Tech's first bowl practice Friday.
The team will conduct closed practices on campus through Thursday, then break for Christmas before flying to New Orleans on Dec. 26.
Hite talked to the team about Beamer's absence and the speculation surrounding the Hokies' coach before drills began.
``I told them if Frank didn't make it back by the end of practice, he'd talk to them [today],'' Hite said.
``I said that they shouldn't believe everything they read in the papers and hear and see on TV. I told them that Frank isn't going anywhere.''
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: MIKE HEFFNER/Staff. Frank Beamer insists he has not beenby CNBoffered the Georgia football job and says he plans to remain at
Virginia Tech. color.