THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504230193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
A protracted contract negotiation between Virginia Tech and coach Frank Beamer finally came to a close with the announcement Saturday of a new deal.
Beamer and his lawyer, Craig Kelly, first asked for a new contract in January 1994 after the Independence Bowl. Kelly expressed disappointment when Tech athletic director Dave Braine declined to deal immediately.
Before last season Beamer was given his contract extension, with the understanding the new figures were a minimum that would be renegotiated again at the end of the season. Kelly and Beamer said during Tech's successful season last fall Beamer may look elsewhere, which may have contributed to Tech's sub-par recruiting year; the Hokies class was rated the seventh-best in the eight-team Big East by at least two recruiting publications.
The original contract included a stipulation that Tech had to win six games for it to kick in - which Tech dropped the day after being harshly criticized by a commentator during a game against West Virginia on ESPN.
Braine said the original contract extension was agreed to Aug. 5.
``He was locked in,'' Braine said. ``We didn't have to do one thing for five years.''
Fifteen months after Beamer and Kelly first asked, the final deal is done. In essence the contract is much like the one agreed to in the fall, which extended Beamer's contract through 1999. He was given another raise on his base salary - to $141,445 for the first year, an increase over the $135,016 agreed to in the fall. Beamer also gets a minimum 5 percent pay raise each year, $108,000 annually for his radio and television shows and two $100,000 annuities - one that he will receive in July and another he will receive if he fulfills the contract.
``There were some things we asked for for myself and the coaches,'' Beamer said. ``Most of it was rejected. The contract for the most part is what it was after the West Virginia game.''
Asked why it took so long to finalize the contract that was agreed to in the fall, Braine said: ``There were more than 10 revisions. Most of the changes were things that were deleted out rather than added in. That's what happens when you have lawyers.''
SPRING GAME: Tech's predominately first-team Maroon squad drubbed the White, 47-14, in Saturday's spring game. The White team included all reserves other than the first-team secondary.
Tailback Dwayne Thomas was the offensive most valuable player with 99 yards rushing on nine carries. Ken Oxendine shared first-team tailback duties with Thomas and gained 108 yards and scored two touchdowns on nine carries.
Including the work of fullbacks Brian Edmonds and Marcus Parker, the Maroon team rushed for 284 yards on 33 carries (8.6 per carry) in the game that was shortened to 44 minutes.
``The first thing you noticed was the way our backs ran,'' Beamer said when asked what stood out.
Maroon quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, who emerged as the starter this spring, was 16-for-28 passing for 148 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also caught a pass from flanker Bryan Still and rambled 36 yards.
MORRISON UPDATE: Tony Morrison from Indian River, who played mostly outside linebacker as a freshman before moving inside, said he's increasingly comfortable at inside linebacker. The Hokies return 10 defensive starters, and Morrison is expected to fill the spot of the departed Ken Brown.
After Ken Brown, ``I got a whole lot of reps at the position this spring and now I know it,'' said Morrison, who came to Tech as a defensive back. ``I like this position best.''
Morrision reported that he had beefed up to 225 pounds. He was listed at 210 last year.
QUICK HITS: Tech defensive end Cornell Brown missed the spring game with a sore shoulder, which enabled him to be in New York with his brother Reuben, a Pittsburgh offensive tackle who was a first-round pick of Buffalo in Saturday's NFL draft. ... Linebacker Vernon Dozier from Virginia Beach, who was suspended last year for what sources said was a positive drug test, will not return to the football team for medical reasons, Beamer said. Beamer said Dozier will remain on scholarship. by CNB