Karl Falconer/SPPSTech 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.

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.

Foster's ascent to defensive coordinator coincided with Tech's arrival on the national scene.

Led by All-American Cornell Brown and current defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, Tech's 1995 defense -- the first with Foster as coordinator -- took down mighty Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

Foster's blitzes resulted in five sacks in the second half of that Sugar Bowl, building on a Brian Stills punt return that shifted momentum just before halftime. In the end, Tech walked away with a program-changing victory.

Continuing to coach little-known recruits such as Corey Moore, Ben Taylor and John Engelberger, Foster assembled a national-championship caliber defense in 1999.

Now, Foster churns out great defensive backs and linebackers for NFL teams to salivate over. The clipboard-smashing intensity he instills in his defenses keeps opposing coaches awake at night.

Frankly, Foster is an irreplaceable piece of Tech's football program. Not only his defensive scheming, but also the attitude he brings to the sideline, simply cannot be replaced.

Tech has tried to hold on to him, matching salary offers of other schools such as South Carolina. However, they will not be able to match a head-coaching offer in money or in importance -- yet.

While Tech may soon have to find some way to carry on without Foster, they "would be stupid" to not plan on bringing him back as the next head coach.

Only one man pulls more weight in Lane Stadium, and that is obviously Frank Beamer. With no end to the Beamer era in sight, Foster must go elsewhere to take the next step in his career.

Wherever that step takes him, he is the heir apparent to Frank Beamer. Even if Clemson is not the school that gives Foster the opportunity to run a program, it will be coming sooner rather than later.

He has earned it.

If and when Foster does take his class act elsewhere, Tech fans should thank him for what he leaves: a program in a different league than when he arrived and a legacy of integrity.

And when Beamer deems his time atop the program to be complete, Tech should jump through hoops to bring Foster back to Blacksburg. Foster should have the opportunity to lead the program that bears so much of his personality.

He has earned it.

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