Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer isn't about to sell out the star player who was primarily responsible for vaulting his football program into national prominence.

Not yet, anyway.

When asked Monday about Michael Vick's indictment on federal charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation, Beamer said he's not going to rush to judgment of the ex-Tech quarterback.

"My response is I know Michael Vick as a very caring, a very concerned, a very good person," Beamer said Monday at the 2007 ACC Football Kickoff in Pinehurst, N.C.

"And I'm going to wait until this is all said and done to change any of my thoughts or to make any other observations, really."

Beamer said he hasn't spoken to Vick since they attended the NFL draft in New York City two months ago. The NFL invited Beamer and Vick to New York after the April 16 shootings on the Tech campus.

"Right now, I'm just really hoping that all this works out OK for Michael," Beamer said.

As a redshirt freshman in 1999, Vick led Tech to its only national championship game appearance. The Hokies lost 46-29 to Florida State in the Sugar Bowl BCS title game. After leading the Hokies to back-to-back 11-1 seasons in 1999 and 2000, Vick left Tech early and was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000 draft.

Beamer also met new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft. He said he commended Goodell for taking a hard-line stance with NFL players who continue to find trouble off the field.

"I told him, and I think most college coaches agree, that we're proud that he's taken that stance because I do feel it helps us in college ... the fact that bad behavior is not tolerated," Beamer said. "I think when it happens at that level, it helps us at our level enforce some things, too."

Opener like no other

In the wake of the April 16 shootings, the Hokies' Sept. 1 home opener against East Carolina has become the most anticipated football game in Lane Stadium history.

The circumstances have turned what would have been just another season opener into a game in which the pressbox will be packed with national media and the atmosphere will be amped by the appearance of ESPN's "College GameDay" show.

"The first time 'GameDay' ever came to Blacksburg I think we set a record for attendance at that deal," noted Beamer, referring to the turnout of Tech fans for the two-hour show preceding the Hokies' 62-0 rout of Syracuse in 1999.

"We kind of set the tone -- I think [host] Chris Fowler has even made mention of this -- for what 'GameDay' has become. And the second time they came the same season [a 43-10 rout of Miami that November], I think we set the record again. And I fully expect us to set the record again."

But as emotionally charged as the Tech players and Lane Stadium faithful will be for the opener, Beamer said he expects to see a pumped-up ECU club. Skip Holtz's team was 2-0 against ACC foes in going 7-6 last season, beating Virginia 31-21 and North Carolina State 21-16.

"I think [the Pirates] probably look forward to coming into that setting and performing," Beamer said. "A lot of people around our place that I hear, they want to talk about LSU," which plays Sept. 8 in Baton Rouge.

"I'm not talking about LSU. I'll talk about East Carolina."

Not wearing red yet

Freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor's chances of seeing the field this fall aren't dead yet. Beamer said a final decision on redshirting the Parade All-American from Hampton won't be made until the season starts.

"I think it's tough for a freshman," Beamer said. "What you don't want to do is put him in a situation before he's ready to be in that situation."