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By JIM McCONNELL

BLACKSBURG--The harder Frank Beamer tries to stay focused on the present, the more he gets drawn into a discussion about the future.

Last week, when Virginia Tech's veteran football coach broke with custom and answered questions about the controversial Bowl Championship Series system, he insisted he wouldn't address the subject again.

Beamer doesn't like to talk about 'what-ifs' during the season, believing it distracts his team from the methodical, one-game-at-a-time approach that has led the third-ranked Hokies to 16 consecutive regular-season victories.

Yesterday, however, he was back in the eye of the storm, trying to clarify comments he made in support of modifying the BCS to include a four-team national championship playoff.

As Beamer explained it, he warmed to the idea of a mini-playoff after a phone conversation last week with ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

The Herbstreit-Beamer proposal would use two of the current BCS bowl games as national semifinals. The national championship game would be held two weeks later, negating any negative academic impact because schools will still be out for winter break.

"With as many undefeated teams as there are, [a playoff] would solve the problem," Beamer said. "You can keep the bowl games the way they are, but you don't get Southern Cal being left out or Auburn being left out or whoever may be left out this year."

At the moment, his Hokies are a distant third in the BCS standings behind USC and Texas; if neither of those teams loses, Virginia Tech can win its final four games and still become the third team in the last three years to be left out of the BCS title game with an unblemished record.

USC, Oklahoma and LSU all finished the regular-season undefeated in 2003, with the Trojans the odd team out. Last season, USC and Oklahoma played in the title game, while unbeaten Auburn settled for a Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

"I'm not talking about Virginia Tech. I'm talking about what's good for college football," Beamer said.

Unlike Beamer, Tech's players aren't getting sucked into the discussion. Yesterday, several Hokies insisted the potential for a BCS snub would not alter their preparation for Saturday's game against No. 5 Miami or the remainder of their 2005 schedule.

"Either the voters are going to like Virginia Tech or not," linebacker James Anderson said. "We have to stick with what got us here."

Added tight end Jeff King: "That's the system. We'll deal with it when it happens."

Imoh limping again

Virginia Tech's top two tailbacks have taken turns getting hurt over the past two seasons.

While Cedric Humes struggled for most of last season with the lingering effects of a broken ankle suffered during spring practice, Mike Imoh took advantage and set a school record with 206 rushing yards against North Carolina.

Imoh tweaked a hamstring in that game, however, and never got back to 100 percent. That opened the door for Humes, who carried the ball 27 times for 110 yards as the Hokies beat Miami for the ACC title.

It's been much the same story this season. Imoh suffered a sprained ankle in week 2 against Duke, then played hurt in the next three games before sitting out against Marshall to rest the injury.

Imoh returned to rush for 86 yards against Maryland -- just in time to fill in for Humes, who didn't play against the Terps after breaking a bone in his right arm during the Marshall game.

Humes made a miraculous recovery, playing against Boston College last Thursday just 19 days after having surgery on his arm.

Now it's Imoh's turn.

The senior from Fairfax tweaked his other ankle in the BC game, and likely won't be at 100 percent Saturday when Virginia Tech welcomes Miami to Lane Stadium.

Beamer said he's hopeful Imoh will be able to play, but that will depend on how he looks in practice the next few days.

"This is one game you'd better be at full speed," he added. "Ninety percent won't do it against this team."

Saturday's game will give Virginia Tech's fans a glimpse at what might have been.

Miami tailback Tyrone Moss, who's second in the ACC with 675 rushing yards through seven games, was high on Virginia Tech's 2002 recruiting wish list as a senior at Pompano Beach, Fla.'s Ely High School.

After the Hokies lost to Miami 56-45 at the Orange Bowl, Beamer stayed behind to visit with Moss and his family.

Moss eventually signed with the Hurricanes.

"I thought we had a chance [to sign Moss], but we didn't," Beamer said. "It's tough to get those South Florida guys away from Miami."

To reach JIM McCONNELL: 540/374-5444jmcconnell@freelancestar.com