Frank Beamer is coach of No. 2 Virginia Tech. Son Shane is the team's deep snapper on punts.
"It's still kind of weird, knowing he's my dad," Shane said Sunday. "I mean when I'm at home at my apartment, it's dad. We hardly ever talk about football. But when we're on the field, it's coach."
The Beamers will be on the field for the last time Tuesday night when the Hokies take on No. 1 Florida State in a matchup of unbeaten teams at the Sugar Bowl. To the coach, it has already been a perfect season.
"Some things just turn out better than you could ever imagine," he said. "You try to draw it up and dadgum if it doesn't turn out better.
"For him to have a vital role on the team, I mean, he does what he does well, and then for him to be playing for the national championship in his final year, that's better than you can ever imagine."
Shane Beamer was a star wide receiver in high school, but decided to stay in Blacksburg, Va., even though he knew his opportunities to play football would be limited.
"It's been tough at times," the senior said. "I'd be lying if I said I liked playing only four or five plays a game. I work out in practice with the wide receivers, but snapping is my priority."
Keeping up a player-coach relationship with his dad, at least on the field, also is important.
"I think we go out of our way to downplay that we're father and son," he said.
Added the coach: "I try to treat him like everyone else and not any differently. I try to treat him like all the other players out here."
Wire-to-wire
With a victory in the Sugar Bowl, No. 1 Florida State would become the first team to go wire-to-wire in the AP poll since the preseason ratings began in 1950.
Two teams -- Nebraska in 1983 and Florida State in 1993 -- came close. The '83 Cornhuskers went 12-0 and were No. 1 until losing to Miami 31-30 in the Orange Bowl; the '93 Seminoles were No. 1 for most of the season, lost to Notre Dame but beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to claim the title.
Other near misses in the last half-century were Michigan State in 1952 (No. 2 in Oct. 6 poll); Nebraska in 1971 (No. 2 in preseason poll); and Southern California in 1972 (No. 8 in preseason poll).
Since 1950, eight teams were ranked No. 1 in the preseason and went on to win the national title: Tennessee (1951); Michigan State (1952); Oklahoma (1956, 1974, 1975, 1985); Alabama (1978); and Florida State (1993).
Prior to 1950 and preseason rankings, there were two wire-to-wire champions -- Notre Dame in 1943 and Army in 1945.
The pre-'50 near misses included Minnesota in 1941 (No. 2 in Nov. 3 poll) and Notre Dame in 1949 (No. 2 in Oct. 3 poll).
Alive and kicking
Shayne Graham watched the Orange Bowl on TV, and cringed at how it ended.
The Virginia Tech kicker saw Alabama's Ryan Pflugner miss an extra-point try on the last play of overtime, giving Michigan a 35-34 victory Saturday.
"I felt a little bit of pain for the kid when I saw him walking off the field," said Graham, 22. "You hate for all the blame to come down to one person. Because there were 60 other minutes of play when other players could have done something to win the game."
Graham made his biggest kick of the season, a 44-yarder as time expired to win at West Virginia 22-20 on Nov. 6 and preserve the Hokies' title hopes.
Pflugner's kick was wide right.
"I had a bad feeling when he ran onto the field, before he (attempted) the kick," Graham said. "I remembered Alabama won an overtime game this season against Florida when they missed an extra point, but got another chance because of a penalty.
"My heart kind of sank for the kid last night."
