Beamer tabs Schmitt
roanoke.com
By RANDY KING
THE ROANOKE TIMES
BLACKSBURG - If No.4 Virginia Tech's Big East opener at Boston College on Thursday night comes down to a kick, the Hokies will be relying on the foot of a true freshman.
That's fine with Nic Schmitt.
Schmitt, a powerful left-footed kicker who starred at Salem High School, was named by Tech coach Frank Beamer on Monday as the replacement for injured junior starter Carter Warley.
Schmitt beat out fellow true freshman Brandon Pace and senior Jon Mollerup in competition for the job, which opened Saturday when Warley began to experience additional pain in his long-troubled back. Warley will be sidelined indefinitely until his back heals properly.
"I'm excited about it," Schmitt said following Monday's practice. "I've wanted to kick for a while. I was planning on redshirting this season and trying again next year. But now that my chance has come, I plan on making the best of it. I think I'm ready for it."
Warley, who has been the Hokies' No.1 kicker the past two years, was 5-for-8 on field goals and had converted all 20 of his extra-point attempts this season. He didn't kick in the first half of Tech's last game - Sept.28 at Western Michigan - because of soreness but came on in the second half to boot a pair of extra points.
"It's a bummer, man," said Warley, who watched Monday's practice in street clothes.
Schmitt, a two-time All-Group AA selection at Salem, showed sympathy for Warley.
"During the middle of the season and getting taken out, that's the worst," Schmitt said. "I would rather beat him out."
Beamer said Schmitt was the "most consistent" of the trio that auditioned for Warley's job the past several days in practice.
"Nic has got a good, consistent ball flight and he's very steady," Beamer said. "If he misses, Nic doesn't miss by much. He's not a guy where you're going to get a crazy kick and you ask, 'Where did that come from?'
"Confidence is the only thing he needs to develop. I think he's got it now, but I think you've got to develop it in a game situation and you don't do it until you get in there. I think he'll do fine."
If Schmitt shows he can handle the job effectively, Beamer strongly hinted he will likely be the Hokies' No.1 guy the rest of the way.
"I tell you one thing, if we're going good, I'm not one to change," Beamer said. "We're making this change because we have to."
HAILING THE HOKIES: While there's no question that defending national champion and No.1 Miami remains king of the Big East, Boston College coach Tom O'Brien said the Hokies are closer to the 'Canes than some may think.
"I think so because they play such great team football," O'Brien said of the Hokies. "They are the best in the country at playing team football. Their offense, their defense, their special teams all mesh well.
"Miami has tremendous talent and they do a good job of coaching them and everything else, but I don't think anybody has done a better coaching job than Frank Beamer and his staff the last five, six, seven years in this country."
HOME SWEET HOME: BC is 3-0 at home this season and has won 17 of its past 20 games at Alumni Stadium. The only losses were to Miami (twice) and Tech. The Eagles (3-1, 0-1) are 12-1 at home since losing 48-34 to Michael Vick and Tech in 2000.
O'Brien hopes the home-field edge can help his touchdown-underdog Eagles pull the upset in the ESPN game. The kickoff time of 7:45 p.m. should help bolster the BC student cheering section, O'Brien noted.
"It's so much later and they can show up on time, hopefully," O'Brien said. "They have trouble with 12 noon games."
TECH TIDBITS: The Hokies will be attempting to open a season 6-0 for the fourth consecutive year. ... Tech has beaten BC six straight times, outscoring the Eagles by a combined 199-82. .. Tech has won 19 of its past 25 Big East road games and 34 of its past 43 road games overall. ... Scouts from three BCS bowls (Fiesta, Orange and Sugar) and the Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte are scheduled to be on hand Thursday. ... Tech announced its Oct.19 home game with Rutgers will kick off at 1 p.m. The game won't be televised. |
