Beamer clears air with Johnson

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer tried to set the record straight during his Tuesday news conference. Yes, he thought the referees failed to call some illegal cut blocks in the Hokies’ 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 17. No, he didn’t think the missed calls cost his team the game.

“It’s not about Georgia Tech. It’s about some things that happened within this game that I think are just wrong in general,” Beamer said. “I think they’re dangerous, and that’s the only thing I’m saying.

“I want to give Georgia Tech credit. I tell you, they played a great football game. They played hard. They played tough. They played well. They’re well coached. I don’t want anything to take away from their win, because they played well and they deserved to win.”

The Hokies, who have had more than a week off to prepare for Thursday’s home game against North Carolina, submitted a list of questionable plays from the Georgia Tech game to the ACC office, and Beamer said the league confirmed at least four calls were missed.

Because of its unique option offense, Georgia Tech often utilizes cut blocks — diving at ankles or feet — and the practice is legal as long as it’s done a certain way.

It becomes questionable when a player who is engaged with one blocker gets chopped below the waist by another. And it’s illegal when a blocker comes from an unseen angle, say from the side or behind.

“I experienced some times out there when they would chop me, but the refs didn’t call anything, so I took them as legal blocks,” Tech defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor said.

Hokies defensive tackle John Graves injured his ankle in the first quarter against the Yellow Jackets on a questionable block. He appeared to be tied up by one blocker while another came and took him out from a lower angle.

Graves sat out the final three quarters and is probable for Thursday night’s game against the Tar Heels.

“I think it’s dangerous. There was a rule there, engagement, if a guy was engaged. Well, they took that word out. And what I’m gonna do is put this out there, and if enough coaches agree with me, then I think we’ll get the thing changed. And if people don’t agree with me, we’ll keep playing the way we’re playing.

“But I think it’s a dangerous part of football. When this happens, this lead guy is trying to get up to the next level. But when you get braced in there, you get a shoulder in there, or you get this guy fighting that block, and then you get another guy coming (low), you put a guy in a dangerous situation.”

Beamer said Hokies free safety Kam Chancellor was a victim of an illegal block during a 31-yard run by Jackets’ quarterback Josh Nesbitt in the third quarter.

A blocker came from the side and hit Chancellor below the waist. The play led to a Georgia Tech touchdown a couple plays later.

“I’m all for chopping, cutting. I think that’s part of football,” Beamer said. “If I can see you and you’re cutting me, there’s no problem with that. I think the problem comes when I can’t see you and you’re cutting me. That’s where the problem is. When I’m looking in here and getting cut from the side, to me that’s a dangerous play. And you’re putting people’s … well, you’re putting them in danger.”

Naturally, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson wasn’t pleased by Virginia Tech’s allegations, responding by telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “They got out-schemed. So, it’s illegal to out-scheme them, I guess. We blocked them the same way we blocked them a year ago, and they weren’t complaining when they won.”

Beamer, who said something about the missed calls during his Monday teleconference, didn’t want his comments to come off as sour grapes, so he called Johnson on Tuesday to clear things up.

He said their conversation went well.

“That’s the only reason this is coming around, is I want to do what I think is right for the game. And this is what’s right for the game. It’s not sour grapes,” Beamer said. “It’s not that Georgia Tech beat us. It’s not that. It’s just some situations came up that I think put guys in dangerous situations.”