Spectators at Virginia Tech’s practice in Atlanta this morning included Ken Oxendine, whose trademark smile hasn’t dimmed over the years.

“It’s awesome,” Oxendine, 31, said of the Hokies’ continued success under coach Frank Beamer.

Oxendine, who after leaving Thomas Dale High had a stellar career at tailback for Tech, lives outside Atlanta.  He’ll be at the Georgia Dome on Saturday night to see the Hokies take on Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

A seventh-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1998, Oxendine had a brief NFL career before moving into coaching.  He spent two seasons at wide receivers coach at Georgia Southern and was an assistant this year for the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe.

“It’s a great experience,” Oxendine said of living overseas.  “The history is amazing.  You see places that are thousands of years old.”

Oxendine, one of the finest tailbacks in Central Region history, led the Hokies in rushing in 1996 and ‘97.  He now teaches P.E. and serves at community relations director at Notre Dame Academy in nearby Duluth, Ga.

He’d like to get back into college coaching one day, but Oxendine, as usual, was in high spirits today.

On a crisp winter morning at Georgia Tech’s outdoor practice facility, the Ox traded smiles and stories with former teammates Shane Beamer and Cullen Hawkins and visited with Beamer and assistant coaches Billy Hite and Bryan Stinespring.