Frankly, Every Game Matters

#Hokies Beamer:"They're exhibition games, they're preseason games. Now it's on to conference games. Now it's down to being really important"— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) September 27, 2015

I cringed on Saturday night after I read that quote from Frank Beamer. Knowing the context Sunday morning, it was a post-game message Beamer delivered to his squad immediately after Virginia Tech's 28-35 loss to East Carolina, made the statement only slightly less egregious.

As a fan of the Hokies, it made me mad. It probably incensed any member of Hokie Nation that's laid out thousands of dollars to travel to Blacksburg or afar to support the Hokies against regular season, non-conference opponents. Given Thursday is the deadline for Hokie Club members to plunk down a deposit on Battle at Bristol tickets, a non-conference matchup for which Virginia Tech is required to sell 40,000 tickets, the timing was less than optimal.

That game mattered to Beamer's counterpart, Ruffin McNeill, who was at the helm of the Pirates' fifth consecutive win over an ACC school. Tech had an opportunity against ECU to knockout a gritty, well-coached team that regularly punches above its weight class. A win would have marked progress, kept the ship moving in the right direction, and put the disappointments of 2012-2014 farther off in the distance.

Even exhibitions matter to anyone who likes to win. After I read Beamer's comment, I immediately remembered what Whit Babcock said before he embarked on his men's basketball coaching search, "As long as they're keeping score, we might as well win. That's more fun than losing." And as defensive tackle Luther Maddy succinctly and accurately put it after the game, "It sucks to lose."

Beamer's steady, mellow and placid demeanor has served him well during the highs and lows of his career. However, I can't help to think some fire from the head Hokie would resonate more positively with Hokie Nation. "Play pissed off, practice pissed off," that's how quarterback Brenden Motley said the team would respond. His statement was as comforting as the pint of cookies and cream I ate Saturday night.

Ultimately though, Frank is right. Virginia Tech can still win the ACC and play in a marquee bowl game. Prior to Saturday's loss against ECU, the Hokies had a 1.1% chance to finish the season 11-1; running the regular season table was a minimum prerequisite to any success beyond a conference championship.

Even though he is correct, Beamer needs to be held accountable for the sentiment and statement; it cannot merely be lip service to the program's stakeholders.

"I think we're really going to be a good football team next year, and that's kind of where we are," Beamer said after the Hokies were trampled by the Hurricanes 6-30 in October 2014.

Well, it's next year, and Virginia Tech is not a good football team. By the end of the season, the Hokies' record and accomplishments may reflect that of a good team. However, this team right now, despite an increase in talent across the board, more resembles the three before it that went, 7-6, 8-5, 7-6, than any that won the ACC Championship.

Beamer's past accomplishments at Tech bought him the patience of both the old (Weaver) and new (Babcock) administrations to turn around the program that he made relevant. He's had the freedom to turnover of his staff, the luxury of time to retool a roster that eroded on his watch due to below average recruiting, and he's benefitted from a drastic increase in football support staff.

Before the season began, Beamer was cognizant the stakes to win were high in 2015.

"I'm very aware of the situation with me, Virginia Tech, how long I've been there, how long I will be there," Beamer said. "I'm very aware of it, and I'm not going to be there longer than I feel like I'm a real plus for Virginia Tech. When I stop being a plus for Virginia Tech, you guys are going to have to come to Blacksburg to find me. At my house in Blacksburg, not the football office."

I wrote before the season a reasonable goal is for Virginia Tech to win the ACC Coastal division. Tech's cushy schedule avoids the league's top dogs (Florida State and Clemson), and its roster is the most talented since 2011.

By his own admission, Beamer knows how important these next 8 conference games are. It is time for the forbearance of the fans, and the administration's faith in Beamer to pay off and result in tangible success. If Beamer wants to demonstrate he is still a "real plus" on the sidelines, and unequivocally earn his tenure for his 30th season at Tech in 2016, he'll do what he does best. He'll figure out a way to dig the Hokies out of the slop they got caught up in at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday, and coach this team to Charlotte for a berth in the ACC Championship.