Sports: Beamer rejects UNC's offer

Beamer rejects UNC's offer

By Compiled from Times wires

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Frank Beamer is staying at Virginia Tech.

Beamer said Monday that he will return for a 15th season as coach of the No. 6 Hokies, ending a frantic 1 1/2 days that included an interview at North Carolina and a reported job offer from the Tar Heels for as much as $1.4-million.

"When you get away a little bit, you realize how special this place is and the relationships that we have at this place," Beamer said. "I know the grass looks greener sometimes, but when you sit back and look, you see how green the grass is right here."

He will receive a salary increase of 25 percent to more than $1-million and bonuses when the Hokies reach a Bowl Championship Series game, athletic director Jim Weaver said.

Virginia Tech also added $100,000 to Beamer's budget for assistant coaches' salaries.

Beamer's success at Virginia Tech has made him a frequent target of other programs, with Clemson and Alabama among the schools that have courted him.

Beamer, nearly fired in 1992 after compiling a 24-39-2 record in his first six seasons at his alma mater, has guided the Hokies to a 74-21 record since.

USC DUMPS HACKETT: Paul Hackett was fired as Southern Cal's coach after three seasons of mediocrity at a school that has won eight national championships.

The dismissal was two days after the Trojans completed their first losing season since 1991 and their third in the past 39 years.

"Paul's a very nice human being, someone who I thought was a great leader for our kids," athletic director Mike Garrett said. "I'm sorry it didn't work out. It was not an easy decision."

USC had a 19-18 record under Hackett, 53, including 5-7 this season.

"For someone who's given three years of his life and for the last six months hasn't slept or eaten, I'm very disappointed," Hackett said. "I'm disappointed we don't get a chance to continue this and complete this, I felt things were headed in the right direction."

DAVIS CHATS WITH ALABAMA AD: Alabama athletic director Mal Moore spoke with Miami coach Butch Davis by telephone Sunday, and Moore said he hopes for a face-to-face meeting in the "early to middle" part of the week. He said no location or time had been set, and that he had not met with any candidates in person.

Moore also said he hoped to speak to another candidate by phone Monday, but would not disclose who that was.

Miami athletic director Paul Dee said Saturday that he has offered Davis, 49, an extension to his current contract, which pays him about $900,000 annually and has three years remaining.

UNC CONSIDERS BUCS ASSISTANT: Bucs quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen is reportedly a possible candidate for the vacant head coaching job at North Carolina.

Christensen, 42, a quarterback for the Tar Heels from 1977-78, said he has received no official contact from his alma mater. But reports from North Carolina speculated Christensen might be among candidates for the job after Beamer signed a new contract with the Hokies, guaranteeing his return.

"Obviously, I would be very interested," Christensen said.

Before coming to the Bucs in '96, Christensen's coaching career was spent at the college level with several stints in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He was offensive coordinator and coached quarterbacks at Clemson from 1994-95. He was the quarterbacks coach at Maryland from '92-93. Christensen also served as offensive coordinator at Holy Cross, East Carolina and East Tennessee State, and coached quarterbacks at Temple.

The Tar Heels are trying to replace Carl Torbush, who was fired Nov. 20 after three seasons.

WEINKE LEADS ALL-ACC: Chris Weinke, the first quarterback in the ACC to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season, was one of eight Florida State players named to the Associated Press All-ACC first team. He was joined by teammates Justin Amman, Tay Cody, Char-ron Dorsey, Derrick Gibson, Marvin Minnis, Tommy Polley and Jamal Reynolds. (Full list, 7C).

SUN BOWL: UCLA has accepted an invitation to play in the Sun Bowl against Wisconsin on Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas. The Bruins (6-5) and Badgers (8-4) last played two seasons ago in the Rose Bowl, and Wisconsin won 38-31. UCLA has won seven of the 10 games between the schools. UCLA last went to the Sun Bowl in 1991, beating Illinois 6-3.

CITRUS BOWL: Neither Florida nor Citrus Bowl officials want the Gators in Orlando for the third time in four years, meaning either Auburn or Tennessee will play Michigan on New Year's Day.

MISSOURI: Junior tight end Brandon Ford was arrested after about 50 pounds of marijuana was found at his home, police said. Ford was released Sunday pending further federal investigation.

KANSAS FIRES ASSISTANTS: Kansas coach Terry Allen, under increasing criticism after the team's disappointing 4-7 finish, fired defensive coordinator Ardell Wiegandt and offensive line coach Walt Klinker.

- Staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.