ACC notebook

Shane Mettlen / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: October 4, 2007

A lot of things about Virginia Tech's trip to Clemson this weekend are eerily similar to the Hokies' Sept. 8 visit to LSU. Tech coach Frank Beamer just hopes the final score doesn't turn out to be another one.

The Hokies traveled to Baton Rouge, La., in the second week of the season to take on the nationally ranked Tigers in front of more than 92,000 fans in a stadium known as Death Valley. Saturday Beamer's squad will head to Clemson, S.C., to take on another set of nationally ranked Tigers in front of 80,000-plus fans in a stadium called Death Valley.

"Last time we had a situation like this going to a stadium that was going to be full and people were excited we didn't do very well," Beamer said. "We didn't do very well down at LSU. I think this will give us an indication if we can handle things a little bit better."

Fortunately for the Hokies, Clemson isn't LSU. The Bayou Bengals were ranked No 2 in the nation when they slammed Tech 48-7. Since then they've risen to No. 1 in the AP poll. Clemson is coming off a tough loss to Georgia Tech, which left Tommy Bowden's team ranked No. 22. But Beamer knows this is going to be another tough road test.

"We're playing a really good team offensively with great speed," the Virginia Tech coach said. "Those two backs [James Davis and C.J. Spiller] are unbelievable. I think you put the quarterback [Cullen Harper] in there that's 14th nationally in passing efficiency. That gives them another dimension there. We got a tremendous challenge come Saturday."

A major development in Blacksburg since Sept. 8 has been the play of quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Taylor got a taste of big-time college football when he replaced incumbent starter Sean Glennon at LSU. Since then he's been the quarterback for three consecutive Hokie wins.

"Tyrod is learning," Beamer said. "He can really throw the football and is very, very athletic. The other parts of it - what's the defense doing and where should the ball go - it's a learning experience everyday. He's trying to speed up to catch up right now and I guess we'll see how it goes."

Conference calling card
The ACC picked up some impressive non-conference victories over the weekend, but the league's coaches aren't exactly sure where that means the ACC stacks up compared to other BCS conferences. Some don't even seem to care.

"That's really not my concern," said Virginia Al Groh, whose team took care of Big East foe Pittsburgh. "My concern is just trying every week to win the games we are playing in and we'll leave the evaluation of that to people that have more time for those things than we do."

Of course, the evaluation of the conference's strength could go a long way to determining where its teams end up during bowl season. Maryland's upset of Rutgers and Florida State's victory against Alabama couldn't have hurt the league's prestige, but Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said it takes a lot more than one Saturday to sort it all out.

"I think you take it over the long haul," Beamer said. "I don't think you take it over one weekend although for Maryland and Florida State it was great wins out of the conference. I don't think it's a week-to-week deal. I think it's a year-to-year, over-a-period-time thing. I think there's a lot of really, really good teams in the ACC."

Familiar faces
Florida State has struggled with this weekend's opponent, North Carolina State, the past couple of years with the Wolfpack taking two straight from the Seminoles. But FSU coach Bobby Bowden has something N.C. State had during those wins: Chuck Amato.

Amato was the head coach at N.C. State for seven years, but was fired last season after a 3-9 finish. But one of those victories was a come-from-behind win over the Seminoles. When Amato became available Bowden snatched up the man who served as his assistant for nearly two decades before heading to N.C. State. Bowden expects it will be an emotional game for Amato.

"You can imagine how it will be for him standing on the sideline looking at all those kids he recruited. It will be tough on him."

One of the players Amato signed has been especially tough on Florida State in the past. Running back Andre Brown carried the ball 26 times for 179 yards two years ago in Tallahassee. Last year he had 18 carries for 113 yards when the Noles visited Raleigh.

"Last time they played down here he just set the tone for the whole game," Bowden said of Brown. "I think he broke his first play for a touchdown and we were trying to fight our way back all day long. We have a lot of respect for him."

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or