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FEDEX ORANGE BOWL: VIRGINIA TECH v CINCINNATI

December 29, 2008

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

JASON ALPERT: Coach, you've had a few days here in South Florida. Talk about your preparations as you get ready for the FedEx Orange Bowl.
BUD FOSTER: Great to be here. I want you guys to be nice. I brought some backup. I brought my daughter so you all would be nice to us today. I know who you are and where some of y'all live (laughter).
Anyway, it's a great privilege for us to be here, you know, for the second time, second year in a row. We're really proud to represent the ACC for a second time in a row. We know this is a tremendous opportunity. We're not taking it for granted. You know, we were here last year and lost a tough, hard football game against a great University of Kansas football team, and we're real excited about playing a great Cincinnati football team. You're talking about a team that's 11 and 2 and has won their league, the BCS league, and playing very, very well.
You know, I'm real pleased with our preparation. We really took time back in Blacksburg to put a little emphasis, more emphasis maybe on more practice time and more team time, and we've got after each other a little bit more than maybe in previous Bowl games. I kind of think that makes a statement about what our intentions are this year.
You know, I'm real pleased with how we've practiced up to date. I'm real proud of our football team. You know, we have a team that I know in the media you guys picked us to win our division. I was thinking that's probably out of respect to our program. But the fact of the matter was we lost 12 guys to the NFL, we lost seven starters on our side. We put two starters returning at new positions, and I'm really, really proud of how we came together as a football team.
You know, there was a time we were 5 and 1. I don't think we were a very good 5-and-1 football team, but right now you're 9 and 4, you're ACC champions, I know we're a much better football team now than we were when we were a 5-and-1 football team.
But I'm really, really proud of these guys. Macho is up here next to me but really proud of what these guys have done, proud of our seniors. They've come and had great senior leadership for us and really played down the stretch like I thought from a defensive standpoint as a football team but especially from a defensive standpoint how we expect to play around here. I thought that was a big impact in our success of our season.
Like I said, really proud of our kids, excited to represent Virginia Tech, excited to represent the ACC, and we're excited about the opportunity we have ahead of us right here.
JASON ALPERT: Macho, you're here for the second year in a row. How different are your preparations if at all from last year?
VICTOR HARRIS: I mean, we're approaching the situation more like a business mindset. Last year we were approaching it more from a business mindset but we had a little bit more time to have fun. But this year it's like the coaches, the players, we know we've come down here for only one reason and one reason only. The coaches changed the schedule drastically, and the players, we're just buying into it and doing what the coaches say to do. We're buying in, and we're just going to follow the footsteps of the coaches. We know they ain't going to lead us in the wrong way.

Q. Macho, when you were a freshman, you said that you wanted to be like Jimmy; you wanted to be as successful as he was. Now you have 15 career picks, third all-time in Hokie history. Do you feel like you've accomplished that goal, and how do you feel about that?
VICTOR HARRIS: Yeah, in some way. I feel like we did as a team. I feel like as a team our success kind of put me where I'm at right now. I know I couldn't do it without the coaches, nor the team. To be in this position right now, as a freshman watching Jimmy Williams do it, being in this position now, it feels like a blessing. I really thank God for this opportunity.

Q. For both Macho and Coach Foster, the long ACC losing streak in BCS games, how would you explain it, and in your mind has it hurt the perception of your conference?
BUD FOSTER: You know, we've only been in the ACC -- we've been in here, this is our fifth year, and obviously this is our third BCS game. We lost 16 to 13 to a great Auburn team and we had a good football team, and we lost 24 to 21 last year to a good Kansas team, when you put the wins and losses in, but they're good football games.
Prior to that, I don't know. I know we've got a great conference, and our record out of league this year kind of speaks for itself. You know, how the Bowls go into effect, I don't know. Some programs look at a Bowl as a reward. That's probably where Macho -- we probably -- looking at last year, we really fought our tail off to win the ACC, and I think now with a 12th game and a championship game, there's a lot more emphasis on that than probably going to the Bowl game initially.
So this year our mentality is a little bit different. Our mentality has been now, we've won the ACC Championship, we've been there before, now let's go do something we have not done before and that's win an Orange Bowl. We've won a Sugar Bowl at Virginia Tech in our time here, and we want to win an Orange Bowl. We'd like to be the first one in the new era of the ACC Championship game to go win an Orange Bowl for Virginia Tech but also for the ACC.
I can't speak for the past, but I do know, I think there's been an emphasis with the Conference Championship game, and I think you see that. You can ask an Oklahoma team how they've done or some different things. But when you play in a major conference and you play so hard and you play in a good league that top to bottom is probably the best league in the country top to bottom, I believe, and when you get to that championship game and you win it, I think there's a lot of relief right there.
But we're approaching it another way this year. We've accomplished a goal, and now let's go accomplish the big goal that we've set for ourselves. Hopefully we can change that direction a little bit.

Q. Macho, any views on that?
VICTOR HARRIS: Basically Coach summed it all up. There ain't really much for me to say to be honest with you.

Q. For both of you guys, I guess Macho first so you can have something to say this time, if you look at where Tech's program has been, you have ten wins, you have won a BCS game, but given the way you guys have struggled recently in Bowls, how much is this game kind of a landmark game in terms of the importance of winning and in terms of keeping you guys in that elite class?
VICTOR HARRIS: There's a lot on the line. You know, previous years unfortunately the outcome of the games, of the Bowl games, we didn't win basically. You know, like Coach said, we changed our whole approach to this Bowl game.
We had a lot of adversity during the season and stuff like that that would cause us to be stronger and build our chemistry to where it's at now. Everything happens for a reason, and everything that happened to us, it was for a reason. I mean, the guys, the younger guys, they're doing a great job of just following the lead, not folding under pressure, and basically we're here for a reason.
BUD FOSTER: Repeat that again.

Q. You guys have kind of been obviously at the elite level in college football, you won a BCS game, you've won ten games, but in terms of given how you guys have performed recently in Bowls, and you have nine wins now, you need this extra one, how important is this kind of a landmark win to keep you guys in that group?
BUD FOSTER: I think right now if we win our tenth game this year I think there's only two other teams besides Virginia Tech that's won ten or more games three or more seasons, and that would be Texas and Southern Cal, so that puts us at an elite status right there. That's something we want to continue on that track.
And then obviously to be the first Virginia Tech team to win an Orange Bowl, I think that would be something -- we've talked about that with our guys. Jim Weaver made a statement that 40 years ago he went to back-to-back Orange Bowls. It's 40 years, and now he's going to back-to-back Orange Bowls. I've really expressed to our kids, I told them that story, and you can't take these games for granted.
I mean, all of us have grown up. You guys would love to trade spots with us right now, I guarantee you, to be playing in an Orange Bowl or be involved in an Orange Bowl situation as an athlete or as a former athlete or as a coach. We've molded these guys and tried to get them to do what we want them to do and do it the right way.
We're very excited about being here and we want to take that next step for our program. We've been one of the premier programs in the country the last few years as far as being a top-ten caliber football team, and we want to continue on that path.
The fact of the matter is you're not always going to be that year in and year out. We're looking to be that kind of team that we can reload, and maybe this year is one of those years that I think makes a statement about what we've done with a young football team. As you guys know, 41 percent of our team were sophomores or younger that were on traveling squad that we started at the beginning of the year, and we're really proud of where we are right now. I think that as much as anything makes a statement about why we're here. We'd like to take that step and finish this thing.
There's a lot on the line. To win ten games and then to be the first team in Virginia Tech's history to go to back-to-back ACC Championships, we're very proud of that, but then let's take it another step and be Orange Bowl champions. I think that would make a tremendous statement about our program and where we are now as far as what we've done this year.
I'm really proud of this guy. Macho had a decision to make, and I remember last year talking to him and we sat down with him and his family, and he came back for all the right reasons, and I'm really proud of what he's done, the leader he's become on our football team, how he's grown as a person. Everybody knows Macho's personal situation, and I'm really, really proud of him. He's been an integral part of our success the last four years.
He's played on -- you've played on three ACC Championship teams.
But really proud of this guy and what he's done and the leadership that he's brought to the table. This guy has done it for the right reasons, and he's going to have a great future on or off the field because he's an outstanding young man.
VICTOR HARRIS: Thank you, Coach.

Q. Not to put you so much on the spot, and I apologize for that, but given all the youth that you just alluded to and you've alluded to throughout the season, when you left here a year ago, how realistic was it that it that, A, you'd be back, and B, that your defense would be able to not only maintain in a lot of areas but you actually improved in some areas after all you lost. How surprised were you to see that?
BUD FOSTER: You know, to be honest with you, I'm pleasantly surprised to tell you the truth. Obviously we have expectations at Virginia Tech, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You know, we really demand a lot out of these guys. There's a reward in it, though, I hope. I think ultimately our guys know that we care about them legitimately. It's not a thing that we demand they work hard and we demand this and we demand that, but ultimately they know we care about them, and I think that's what really makes our place special and why our kids continue to perform at a high level and perform for us coaches.
We have a lot of fun. We work hard. We have a lot of fun. We laugh. But through -- success is earned, and I think our guys understand that. We sell that, and they've bought into that.
But this year was very rewarding from the standpoint of taking really a whole new group, and to see them come together, I think even when we were 5 and 1 in that year, we went through a tough stretch there, we lost games to BC and Florida State, I don't think we really trusted each other still at that time.
Macho can vouch for that. I think you were still concerned about is this guy going to play his position and that type of thing. But once we bought into that, that everybody knows they can count on each other, you can count on your brother, that we really started to play down the stretch the type of defense that we're used to playing.
That's part of it. When you get young guys and guys that come from all over, they haven't been around each other -- we had a group that played together for several years together. They really knew each other. They could tell you each guy's mannerisms, and that was something we really had to grow -- that chemistry really had to grow and develop, and part of it is the seniors' trust in the younger kids and the younger kids' trust in the seniors, and then the younger kids' trust in us as coaches knowing that we're telling them the truth; we're not blowing smoke.
But it was gratifying to see that come together. I tell our guys, I'm not really a stats guy. The big stats I care about is the wins and losses. But at the same time, I do know this: You have to play great defense to be successful and consistent defense to be successful, and that's one thing I'm really, really proud of.
We got better as the season went along, and I fully expected that. I thought we'd be a better football team. I saw some talent there. I didn't know how good we'd perform, but at the same time I saw us continue to improve and perform better each and every week, and the end result is we're sitting here with you guys today.

Q. Bud, this defense has been lights-out I guess the last seven games and now you're going to the post without Brett Warren and Jason Worilds. One guy had 18 and a half tackles, the other was the second leading tackler. Just how difficult is that?
BUD FOSTER: You know, number one, those were tremendous impact players. They had great seasons. Jason Worilds just had a dynamic year. Brett Warren wasn't on any ACC teams as far as the recognition teams but I really think was a key part of our success. He started five games last year when Vince Hall was hurt. We wouldn't have won the ACC without him, and we wouldn't have won the ACC without him this year.
But at the same time, I will say this: The impact they've had on our program this year has been outstanding. I will say this: Nekos Brown is a guy that I have a lot of trust in that's been a part-time starter for us. We kind of consider him a starter anyway between him and Orion and Jason.
I have a lot of confidence in Barquell Rivers. Barquell has taken a lot of snaps in practice. I think he's had 28 snaps to be exact as far as defense. Now, he played in a lot of key roles in our special teams. But he's a guy I've got a lot of confidence in, and our players have a lot of confidence in him. He's going to do a great job.
But I think that also kind of will make a statement hopefully about where our program is right now if those guys can step up and play and perform, and I think you took that scenario last year when Vince went down. He was such a big part of our offense -- our defense rather, part of the glue of our defense everybody thought, but then Brett steps in and really we didn't miss a beat last year when he stepped in.
I really think for a one-game situation, unless we were to get some injuries again, if either one of those -- if Nekos or Barquell were to get hurt, now all of a sudden I'll be seeing if you still have any eligibility left, and that would be pretty scary (laughter).
No, I have a lot of confidence in those guys that are going to step into those positions. They won't have to win this themselves. They're going to have nine or ten guys around them that are good football players, that as long as we play our position, and again, like I said earlier, trust each other and know that guy is going to lay it on the line and play his best football, then we're going to be fine.

Q. Brian Kelly talked yesterday, he said he thinks the storyline of this game is their attacking offense against your attacking defense. Could you talk a little bit about what they do offensively and your philosophy on defense?
BUD FOSTER: Brian I'll tell you has done a great job, he really has. Obviously we played Cincinnati I think it was now two seasons ago, a different offense, totally different. Brian is spreading the offense, and they want to attack -- they want to run the football but they want to spread the field and attack you vertically and horizontally on every snap, and that's one thing that hopefully we do as a defense is we're going to attack you and we want to stop the run, number one, and make you one-dimensional. I know they like to throw the football, and sometimes a five-yard throw is just like a toss sweep or a power.
But I feel very good about our plan that we have against them, against what I've seen so far. Obviously we'll have to make some adjustments and things throughout the game.
We have a lot of respect for the Cincinnati football team. I think you hear about the quarterback, the Pike kid, you hear about the two tailbacks, you hear about the two receivers that I think are two of the better receivers in the game today.
But I think the unheralded group is the offensive line. You're not as successful as you are protecting the quarterback, running the football the way you are, running all those hidden screens and doing all those things without having a line that's physical, athletic and works cohesively together.
We've got to do a great job of defending the field against them, but at the same time, we're going to do what we do, and I like our match-ups. That's going to be kind of a key. I think our corners against their receivers is going to be a key, key match-up.
I think our defensive line against their offensive line is going to be a key, key match-up. I think those are the two key match-ups of the football game.
And then obviously we can't give up a big play. They've got to protect the quarterback and not turn it over. I know in their two losses this year and I know in their game against Hawaii that was their situation. They turned the ball over, and just like anybody else you've got a chance -- the ball can get in that other court real quickly and they have the momentum.
That's one thing that hopefully you need to create, and that's one thing that we've been able to do is put some pressure on the quarterback. But at the same time, they do a good job of getting rid of it quickly and knowing where their hot throws are and those type of things. It should be a great match-up I think against a very dynamic offensive football team that has a lot of weapons against I think a very dynamic defensive football team that has a lot of weapons. It should make for a great, great match-up.
I think this Bowl is not getting the hype of some of the other Bowls, but I think it's got to chance to be one of the best Bowls of the Bowl season this year.

Q. Macho, Coach alluded to your career a little bit. Could you sort of talk about the journey and the highs and lows, the peaks and valleys, just put your career in some kind of perspective from the way things started at Tech, the fire, losing your mom, to now the BCS games, 15 career picks, All-American honors and having a chance to play on Sundays next season?
VICTOR HARRIS: Well, I have a whole lot of faith. The man upstairs, I walk in his steps no matter what. Yeah, I've been through a lot in my lifetime, but I feel like it's just part of God's plan.
I don't get discouraged, I don't ask questions. I just believe and keep on having faith. That's probably half of the battle why I'm here where I'm at now.
A lot of stuff goes credit out to the coaches. You know, the coaches do a great job of putting us in great position to make plays, Coach Foster does anyway. That's all I'm doing, doing what I'm coached to do. 15 career picks, that's pretty decent, but all the thanks go to the coaches and the players.

Q. Bud, what has kept you at Virginia Tech as a defensive coordinator as opposed to maybe looking for a head coaching job somewhere else?
BUD FOSTER: I get that question a lot. I've actually looked at a lot of head coaching jobs. I was involved with the Clemson situation this year, I was involved with Virginia a couple years ago. You know, I don't need to be a head coach to be a head coach. There's a lot of dead-end jobs out there, believe it or not.
You know, I'm in a win-win situation the way I look at it. I work for, I think, the best head coach in college football. I've been with Frank for a long time. You know, I get paid well. I've got a great contract. I've probably got a head coach's contract as an assistant coach. That's part of it, too. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. I've had plenty of opportunities to go as a coordinator someplace else.
You know, to me family is important. We sell that at Virginia Tech, and I think it's real. Macho just alluded to that. But that's one thing I really believe in what we've done here. You don't always have to jump around to be successful. We've worked really hard at Virginia Tech to make it one of the top programs in the country, and as good as we've been, I think we can be consistently better, and that's exciting.
I don't think all programs can say that. That's part of it. You know, the head coaching situation, there's going to be the right one for me. It's not always the right one. And for me there's a family involved. I mean, I'm a family guy, and I want my family close to me from that standpoint.
Now, they're starting to move out, and so that's something that I will look at a little bit more. At the same time, that's what's led up to it so far.
You know, like I said, I've got a good job, great job, and I've looked at some jobs that I think would be right for me, for Bud Foster, and Bud Foster would be right for those programs. But at the same time, the right one hasn't worked out, but I don't lose any sleep over those things. I really don't. I don't cry at home, boy, I wish I got that job. I don't. I've got a great job. It's a win-win all the way around, so I'm fortunate that way. Not everybody has been as fortunate in this profession as I have been, and I'm blessed with that.
Like I said, if that opportunity comes, great. If not, we hope to see y'all here again next year and the year after that. We're going to be working hard for that.

Q. How big of a factor has Frank Beamer been in you staying?
BUD FOSTER: Tremendous factor, without a doubt. I played two years as a player for him. He was our defensive coordinator. I played at Murray State in Kentucky; Mike Godfrey was my head coach, Ron Zook was my position coach, so we had some good people go through that pipeline. Ralph Friedgen was our offensive coordinator; Mike O'Cain was our quarterback coach. I mean, we had a pipeline of some outstanding coaches in that era.
But Frank has meant a lot to me. As a player, he took me under his wing; as a young coach he invited me to come to Virginia Tech with him years ago.
He's to me so much. He's a mentor, he's a father figure, he's somebody that is a confidant, that if I ever had to ask a question -- Frank would do anything for me, and I would do anything possible for him. He means so much more to me than just -- he's still coach to me, but he means so much more than that. It's a special, special bond that I have for him. He's a very loyal guy, and in turn I've been very loyal to him. It's been a good ride together so far.

Q. Macho, it looks like Goodman is healthy if practice yesterday is any indication, so another dynamic pair of receivers you'll be facing. How do you view this last challenge before the next level, and how good are they?
VICTOR HARRIS: Like Coach said, they've got a pretty explosive offense. Those two receivers are doing a great job for them over there. Goodman, he's a heck of a player. He's big, physical, great hands. He does a great job of just getting separation and stuff like that. So I feel like this is a great, great match-up for me my last game going up against some great, pretty good receivers, and I'm excited. I can't wait. We're looking forward to it.
Like I said, unfortunately last year we left with a bad taste in our mouths, so just to come here and be given another opportunity, I mean, we're really excited for it.

Q. Bud, something you just said about the coaching situation, I have a question for you. Did you just make your peace a long time ago? When you look at guys like Randy Shannon who took forever to get a head coaching job; Charlie Strong hasn't gotten an opportunity yet; your opportunity hasn't come yet. Have you made your peace with the fact that for defensive coaches it's going to be X times tougher?
BUD FOSTER: Yeah, that's part of it. I don't know why that is. I don't know why there's an emphasis on hiring an offensive guy, if they think they're more organized or whatnot. We're pretty organized defensive guys. We run our own ship too, so to speak. I know defenses win championships. They always talk about offense puts fans in the stands and those type of things, but hey, we can hire good people, too, out there.
I know there's some great coaches. I look at it, if I had to put a guy I want to be like is Mickey Andrews. I know Mickey is a guy I have the utmost respect for, is one of the great all-time coaches of this game at the college level, at least in my lifetime. You know, I know he's had some opportunities that haven't worked out.
I'm reserved to that. I mean, I may not get my chance as a head coach, but I think you get guys -- you get to a certain point when you've achieved to a certain level, you've reached a certain level, you expect a certain level; I don't feel like I need to take a step back again to get back here, and it's kind of maybe in my mind I don't feel like I need to take a 1-AA job to show I can be a head football coach.
Frank Beamer gives me tremendous freedom to do what I do, and I think that's enough preparation to be a head coach at the highest level, and that's kind of how I feel about that.

Q. How much of a factor -- when you look back on it, how much of a factor in your decision to ultimately come back was the fact that this game probably left a pretty bad taste in your mouth last year? Was that a big factor for you?
VICTOR HARRIS: Yeah, it did play a role. A lot of stuff played a role, but definitely that bad taste in my mouth. I don't think nobody wants to leave with a bad taste out of their mouth. It played a role somewhat.
Hey, we're here again. We've got another opportunity.

Q. Macho, going through what you did, losing your mom, what have you learned about your dad in the last four years, I guess, keeping everybody together? And how much does your mom's memory drive you?
VICTOR HARRIS: I think about her every day. There's not one day that goes on that I don't think about her. I think about her every day. Probably about 75, 80 percent of the day I think about her.
My dad, what I learned from him, when he was raising us and stuff like that, he always preached about being strong and don't fold under pressure and stuff like that. So when all this stuff happened -- when hard times come like this, all you can look at is your parents. In a situation like this, all I can look at is my dad and see how he was carrying himself, and he was carrying himself like a strong, strong man.
I felt like it was kind of hard to be in his shoes because there's eight of us, and he had to hold his own water. So I've got a lot of love and respect for my dad. He really stepped up when he needed to.

Q. Coach, what are some of the biggest challenges of creating a competitive program year after year?
BUD FOSTER: You know, the consistent part of it, I think the consistency. That's the one thing, you get -- I think we've gone through different stages at Virginia Tech as we've built the program. You know, you were able to recruit a Victor Harris, and I know in all the times some of those guys were -- you get different guys athletically things come easy for them, but they didn't always have to earn their success.
That's probably been the biggest adjustment we've had to go through that even some of the premier athletes that you're going to recruit, they have to understand that at this level you've got to earn your success. In high school it might have come easy. You weren't competing against some of the better athletes week in and week out that you do at this level, and to be successful you've got to work at it. You've got to develop a sense of work ethic and attitude and consistency and discipline.
That's the one thing that's probably I'm most proud of. That's why we are where we are right now is we've been consistent in those aspects.
There's been some growing pains without a doubt, and there will continue to be so. But I hope what's going to continue our success is going to be the consistency of our program, what we demand, what the game demands as much as anything. I stress that with our kids. We can demand as coaches certain things, but the game demands a certain work ethic and attitude and discipline to be successful, and that's what our kids understand when they come to Virginia Tech. We demand what the game demands to be successful, and if you want to be successful, you'll do those things, and that's the consistent part of it, and we've been able to do that.
I think this, and I'm going to say it again: I'm a big Macho Harris fan. I think when you go through some adversity, I think it -- you define yourself as you battle those hard times, and Macho has defined himself as a young man with great character, obviously great faith, but he has tremendous discipline and desires. Macho, if his career were to end today, if he weren't even getting a chance to be drafted, he's going to be successful whatever he does just because of the person he is.
But you go through tough times and you define who you are. It's defined this guy as a winner on and off the field, and I think that's something that he should be very proud of, we're very proud of, I know his family is very proud of him, and like I said, I'm proud of what he's accomplished and the man that he's become.

Q. Victor, in what ways did Frank Beamer reach out to you and help you after you lost your mother?
VICTOR HARRIS: To be honest with you, after I lost my mother, the Virginia Tech coach, that was the only coach that called me after that situation. And I hadn't committed anywhere yet -- I believe I did commit here -- no, I take it back. I hadn't committed anywhere.
BUD FOSTER: You were on the verge (laughter).
VICTOR HARRIS: That meant a lot to me. Coach called me and he asked how I was doing, checked up on me. Ain't no coaches around the country did that. So that meant a lot to me, especially when I got burned by the house fire ten days before my mother passed away. Coach Beamer and Coach Cavanaugh came for a home visit and they were there, and that night in the hospital talking to Coach Beamer, it felt like a different type of bond because there was nobody in that room, not even my family, could feel the pain that I felt but Coach Beamer because he had been through the fire and stuff like that.
I just felt like it was just a great, great player and coach bond, and I just felt like it was home here at Tech.
JASON ALPERT: Thanks, everybody.

End of FastScripts

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