The reams of paper devoted to the Virginia Tech-Miami football game this Saturday would do justice to a congressional sub-committee report, and perhaps the most important factor in determining the outcome of the game will be mentioned in none of them. Miami's long snapper is a junior named Chris Harvey, and if he has a perfect day the Hurricanes will win the game. Remember, you saw it here.

The Hokies' chances of winning are good if, and only if, they can block kicks. If Harvey snaps well, veteran 'Canes punter Freddie Capshaw will catch the snap and punt the ball in 1.9 seconds. If Harvey is perfect on field goal snaps, veteran kicker Todd Sievers will get the ball up in 1.3 seconds and whether he makes it or not, it will not be blocked. It is well-nigh impossible to block a punt or a kick if the snap is perfect.

Oversimplification? No, if you do not understand how Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has been winning. No, if you understand just how dominant this Miami team is.

Game Plan: No. 14 Virginia Tech

Offense: Bryan Randall, you have shown you can do it. Play error-free. Zero turnovers is a must. The Untouchables are healthy. Offensive line, create running room! Defense: Prepare well for balance. Mix zones to keep Dorsey off-balance. Missed tackles must not happen this week. Dorsey has been sacked just 11 times. The front four must get to him! Special Teams: Block three kicks today! Roscoe Parrish is like Santana Moss. Wrap him up. Miami will come after the punter. Perfect protection. Players: Conditioning, rest, and water are critical. Your confidence level is good. You must maintain during adversity. Vegas Robinson, be the leader. They look to you. Coaches: Intelligent risks will be required to win. Miami will attempt to turn the tables with punt block schemes. Run hard early in the week, rest the legs late!

"Beamerball" is a product of the fertile mind of Beamer. A genius is a person that can think about one thing for a long, long time, and Frank does that every week. He peers at tape after tape, studying such things as which foot the center moves as he snaps. He looks for the slightest physical or technique flaw and finds a way to exploit it.

Last week against archrival Virginia, Beamer found a way to free freshman Justin Hamilton in the gap between the left guard and tackle. He had noticed that the UVA snapper had a tendency to pull the punter to his left. When freshman punter Tom Hagan moved over to catch the football, he stepped directly into the path of Hamilton, whose block of the punt became a touchdown. In the next punt situation Hagan was preoccupied with the rush and dropped the snap. On the kick following that, the personal protector backed up (which he should never do), and caused a shank.

The result? One touchdown and about 100 yards of field position for Tech. Game, set, and match to the Hokies. Beamerball had struck again.

Beamer posits that a team can score points with defense and special teams. Offense is equally important, but this method assures that the head coach places his personal emphasis on the crucial areas that are so often only paid lip service.

There are those who think the Hokies did nothing prior to Michael Vick, but the record says otherwise. This is the 10th consecutive year in which they have won nine or more games. Since 1987, Beamerball has accounted for these stunning numbers: 76 touchdowns scored by the defense or special teams, 97 blocked punts or kicks in 186 games and a record of 40-5 when scoring via special teams or defense.

This year Virginia Tech has blocked seven kicks. Last year against Miami the tally was one blocked field goal and a blocked punt for a touchdown, which allowed Tech to close to within a missed two-point conversion of forcing overtime.

The psychological effects of Beamerball are almost as devastating as the points and field position. The Hokie team, which has wholeheartedly bought into what Beamer calls "Pride and Joy", is never out of a game. Regardless of the score, the opponent or the situation, the players know they can strike at any time from any point on the field. They call their coach "that special teams genius". They practice each kicking situation with a fervor I have never seen elsewhere in all my 48 years of football.

For the opponent, the dread begins when the tape study commences. Remarks emanate from the coaches' quarters like, "Can you believe that? Look at what they did this time! How the dickens can they keep doing this? How in the world are we going to hold up?"

The fear spreads to the team. The special teams coach gets mad. Don Soldinger, Miami's fine special teams coach, has become defensive because of last year's problems and a few more this season. So the focus changes from what it takes to win the national championship to just trying to get players to believe they can function on special teams.

Listen to this from Capshaw, the leading punter in Miami history, after three blocked punts this season: "According to some people, I need to burn some incense or get a seance or something because I've been terrible all year. It doesn't affect me at all because it's really not in my hands. When the punt gets blocked, 99 percent of the time it's not my fault. Usually, it has something to do with the guys up front. But I'll take the blame for it."

This is the punter's way of talking to his long snapper.

After those encouraging words for his unit, he adds, "If we're not ready for Virginia Tech, then we've got problems."

Precisely. I would hasten to add that you already have problems Freddie, because Beamerball has gotten inside your head. And if that's the case, you may rest assured it has gotten into everyone else's heads as well.

Game Plan: No. 1 Miami

Offense: Sustain drives. Keep the punter on the bench. Romberg, get your guys to dominate the young defensive line. The corners are vulnerable. If you see man coverage, put it up. Defense: Dominate third down. Get off the field. Never allow the running game to dent your front. Vilma and Williams, these are the best backs you have seen. Special Teams: Punt and field goal protection must be perfect. No breakdowns. Block one on Beamer. Demoralize them. Capshaw and Sievers, you are the vets. Put up numbers! Players: 86 yards per game in penalties is ridiculous. Poise! These guys whipped you in the fourth quarter last year. This is the game to get you to the big one. All leaders! Coaches: Conditioning. Conservative, get to the fourth quarter. Eliminate foolish penalties. You are 11-0 vs. ranked opponents. You know what to do!

Listen carefully to the hush over the Orange Bowl when Miami lines up to punt this Saturday. You may be able to hear the racing hearts of the Hurricanes. Watch the third and fourth-down play calling if the game stays close and the kicking is shaky. The entire tenor of the game will turn, and the Hokies will have gotten themselves right into the thick of things. The game will have funnelled into a long snapper's game and a potential long snapper's nightmare?Beamerball.

I was a long snapper for twenty years, and my son for ten years. My wife couldn't bear to watch either of us in that oh-so-awkward position. Mamas, don't let your sons do that. Coaches, if you want to sleep at night, you had better get you a good snapper`. As impressive as the coaching job has been by Beamer, the one by Larry Coker is equally so. "Cokerball" is at 23 straight wins and counting. Only Walter Camp at Yale began a career as powerfully as Coker. Camp won his first 28, and I daresay the competition was somewhat less ferocious over a century ago.

Coker combines his offensive wizardry with the calm of a Zen Master and simply finds a way to win, every single time. Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey and tailback Willis McGahee, are touting each other for the Heisman, and each is deserving. Dorsey has won 36 of 37 games as a starter, the best ever for a Miami passer, and has thrown 218 straight passes without an interception.

McGahee holds virtually all the rushing records at Miami, and this at a program that produced Chuck Foreman, Ottis Anderson, Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and many more. The team has candidates for virtually every individual award, and several future high draft choices.

Here is the scariest aspect of all: talent is not Miami's best asset. Miami out-conditions every opponent. The Hurricanes win in the fourth quarter and they play with resolve when it counts. When the opponent is gasping for breath Miami is upright, staring into the opposing huddle, waiting and ready. It is daunting, and UM strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey deserves the lion's share of the credit.

In the fourth quarter of games still on the line this year (Rutgers, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Florida State and Boston College), Miami outscored its opponents 80-14. In games that were essentially over, the subs accumulated a modest 49-28 margin.

The games-within-the-game this week will be twofold: can Beamerball prevail in the kicking game, and can Miami get it to the fourth quarter where their endurance dominates?

Both defenses have had long spells being ripped by the running game but each has the power to dominate in that area. If either or both defenses are pummeled there will be a track meet. While that should favor the 'Canes, Lee Suggs and Kevin Jones are the equal of the Miami backs and could put up a lot of points.

Miami is a far-superior passing offense and should use the short passing game to sustain drives, with the objective of keeping the punt team off the field. Tight end Kellen Winslow will be very important in this regard.

Turnover margin is another Virginia Tech advantage, with a plus-8 to Miami's plus-1.

Hidden yardage will almost certainly accrue to the Hokies. Whether kicks are blocked or not, the errors forced by the psychology of Beamer's reputation cause numerous errors. The result is field position for Tech. Miami has a distinct advantage in third-down proficiency on both sides of the ball, though, and that tendency bodes well for avoiding too many of those long-snapper moments.

ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry coached for 17 years in the college ranks. His Game Plans for marquee matchups appear each week during the college football season.