Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer talks with reporters. The Hokies (1-1) play at Purdue (1-1) on Saturday.
Q. On the Military Appreciation Game vs. Furman:
COACH BEAMER: First thing I want to talk about is honoring the servicemen on Saturday. I think it’s a special time to honor them. I like the fact that we did. It’s just something small that we can do here at Virginia Tech where the military is a big influence here. It was just a special day. I appreciate everything that went on there.
Q. On this week’s contest at Purdue:
COACH BEAMER: Another Big Ten school. I think the coach is a proven winner, Coach (Darrell) Hazell. I think you see good things happening in this program, progress. They play hard. They have good players, getting better all the time. It’s one of those that’s going to be a real test for us. Going on the road is always a big deal. I think when you have a lot of young guys that haven’t been on the road, it gets bigger. Going into a new stadium, new surroundings, how do you treat that? Our big deal is you play the same way. I don’t care what stadium, what day, how many people in the stands. I’m not sure this football team is ready for that. I’ll know more after Saturday. It’s another big week, another week to see where we are with this football team.
Q. On Purdue offensive coordinator John Shoop (who spent past fives seasons at North Carolina):
COACH BEAMER: They’re not going to get far from their roots. We’ve always had great respect for him throughout his coaching. He’s doing a nice job. The first couple weeks, they’re over 500 yards, 217 rushing, 279 passing. They’re running backs run hard. That’s some North Carolina deal right there. They’ll do a lot of the same type of things. They’re solid, tough, sound football.
Q. On the wide receiver corps and the depth:
COACH BEAMER: I think it’s a work in progress right now. (Isaiah) Ford and (Cam) Phillips are really good. I think (Bucky) Hodges, (Ryan) Malleck, and (Kalvin) Cline give you a special deal as receivers. They’re good enough, athletic enough to be a receiver outside but tough enough to block inside. I think we’ll keep working. Asante has toughness. We just have to keep working.
Q. On whether he’s worried if Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips are playing too much:
COACH BEAMER: I think it gets back to the game plan. The hope is that a guy is going to come through. If they don’t, I think we have to start game planning to save those guys.
Q. On backup QB Dwayne Lawson:
COACH BEAMER: I think he has terrific talent. When you go to a game and say, “how can we win it?” This week is just trying to go out there and win a football game. How can he help you win it? It’s not like we’re trying to get reps. How is he going to help us win a game.
Q. On the strength of the VT running game:
COACH BEAMER: We have couple things going for us. We have an offensively that’s as athletic and tough as we had in some time. I think we’ll get better each and every week. Coach Stacey Searels does a great job. We have the right kind of kids there. Wyatt Teller plays the game you want to play it. He looks like an offensive lineman. He’s tough and aggressive like you want your offensive linemen. We have good backs. That goes without saying. I think Travon McMillian has brought something to the table along with the backs we already had. I think our receivers help us because those young guys, and (Bucky) Hodges and (Ryan) Malleck, it’s hard to leave them one–‐on–‐one. It all kind of fits together. You’re attacking people. The quarterback (Brenden Motley). That’s an element right now. How’s he going to be this week? I don’t think he flinched last week. I don’t think he’ll flinch this week in Indiana. We’ll see. I think that’s how’s he going to play.
Q. On QB Brenden Motley making his first road start:
COACH BEAMER: From the very beginning we always take our quarterbacks with us whether they’re a redshirt or not just for the experience signaling with the crowds, game procedures, so he’s been through a lot of that. He’s made out of the right stuff. He’s smart, in control, calm, not going to get all crazy on you. I think that the offensive team picks up on that. It’s not the guy’s up there out of control and we have to calm him down. It’s like I’m in control and let’s take the ball down the field. I like what he’s all about.
Q. On the possibility of Marshawn Williams redshirting:
COACH BEAMER: We have to figure out when he’ll be well. That has to be determined first. We’ll take step two after step one.
Q. On RB Shai McKenzie’s role going forward:
COACH BEAMER: I think we’ll practice. We’re fortunate to have good tailbacks. I think he’s a good one. Shia runs hard, he runs through people but I think it’s all in this week’s practice. We’ll see where we are at the end of the week, but I like the way he runs. I like the way a lot of those guys run. J.C. (Coleman) is a threat. Trey Edmunds did a terrific job the other night. He gives us another element. I feel good about that.
Q. On quality control coach Max Warner working with quarterbacks:
COACH BEAMER: He brings knowledge, eagerness. I think he has a good future. All those things. Eager to learn. I think he has a terrific future.
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