Collegiate Times

Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster speaks with Ohio Director of Strength and Conditioning Sonny Sano prior to a game in 2007. Foster is one of several candidates to take the head coaching position at Clemson.

Bud Foster interviewed with Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips on Friday. Virginia Tech's defensive coordinator is a leading candidate to become the Tiger's head football coach, and nobody can deny he has earned it.

Unlike Clemson's recently departed coach Tommy Bowden, Foster is known for exceeding expectations. Foster has served at Tech for 22 years, and in his current position for the past 13.

As his entire career exemplifies, Foster gets the most out of his players, famously instilling his "Lunch pail" mentality to encourage hard work.

Unlike every other candidate for Clemson's job, Foster does not spew public relations statements. He uses his own brand of public relations.

Foster tells it like it is.

When asked about the job, he said he would be stupid not to be interested, and that he would jump through hoops to get it.

On Thursday night he informed head coach and long-time companion Frank Beamer of his intention to interview for the job Friday, making sure the message was delivered to his players.

There was no sneaking away in the night, no deception. Much like his unstoppable third-down linebacker blitzes, Foster was up-front with his intentions and they simply must be respected.

His loyalty cannot be questioned, as he spurned two chances to join Steve Spurrier's staff as defensive coordinator. Spurrier pursued Foster's services for Florida after the 1998 season, and for South Carolina after last year.

However, his sanity is also firmly intact. Foster has made clear his desire to be a head college football coach and has identified Clemson as a school that suits him.

Now they are trying to determine if Foster suits them.

Why he wouldn't is anyone's guess, but Clemson is not known for brilliant coaching hires. That may be Tech's lone hope for retaining Foster.

His achievements speak for themselves. Under Foster's direction, Tech led the nation in total defense in 2005 and 2006 -- the first time a team had led the category in consecutive years since the dynastic 1980s defenses of Oklahoma.

Furthermore, in the past four complete seasons, Foster's defense has not finished lower than fourth in total defense.

He was the 2006 winner of the Broyles Award, honoring the nation's best assistant coach.

Several other former winners of the Broyles Award have gone on to successful head coaching careers. Kansas head coach Mark Mangino, whose team defeated Tech in the Orange Bowl last season, is just one example.

At 49 years old, Foster is primed for his head-coaching breakthrough.

To this point, Foster has stood by Beamer. Now, Beamer is standing by to watch Foster advance his career. The relationship that helped shape Tech football will certainly not go away.

They met when Foster played under Beamer at Murray State. Upon graduation, Foster joined Beamer's staff and has been a part of it ever since, both at Murray State and Tech.

For the past 13 years, he has been Beamer's most prolific assistant. While Tech's style of play may be known as Beamerball, the program's arrival onto the national stage was certainly driven by Foster as well.

Since his arrival, he has coached linebackers, the defense and even special teams.

Foster was the special teams coach when Tech began its consecutive bowl appearance streak in the 1993 Independence Bowl.

Foster's defense and Beamer's trademark special teams pushed a program past its perceived limits and into the upper echelon of college football.

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