So a buddy and I had a heated conversation about who/where would we find a HC once Beamer retires/leaves. I think that we should look in the SEC. Whether its an OC or DC or even a HC looking to leave I don't see any reason as to why not look there.
Yes this is the ACC but I feel like VT needs a change of Pace, Demeanor, Attitude, Spunk,Swag or whatever you want to call it. Regardless we need to find someone that's going to pump the team up, not give them the same speech after every game, hold people accountable and let them know what up. When they're wrong tell em when they're right lift them up. I feel like Beamer is a great coach but he is not the guy that's going to be Chest bumping or chewing grass in the middle of the game.
Point of my post is what do you guys think? I think a younger more upbeat coach would be what we need. Keep everything else in tac and just add that 1 guy. Think if we had a HC that mirror'd Foster. It could be like the Bash Brothers!!!!!
Comments
Chad Morris maybe?
I think he'll probably take some head coaching job after this season.
If Morris isn't coaching for USC in 3.5 months, I'll be fairly shocked.
Dan Patrick reported their list is 1. Gruden 2. Sumlin. I think Sumlin takes the job, but you never know, Gruden could have that itch.
Having some issues embedding this, but here it is.
http://imgur.com/gallery/4fg74k1
What about Kevin Rogers? Currently the OC at William and Mary but, he was QB's coach from 02-06, and was OC at Notre Dame. Tell me this is exactly what we need:
"While offensive coordinator for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Rogers coached a Notre Dame offense that broke the school single-season record for total passing yards, completions and attempts. In 2000, Rogers' offense set a NCAA record for fewest turnovers in a season."
Source: Wikipedia, but hey- it is accurate.
Kevin Rogers is only 5 years younger than Beamer.
I think Beamer is perfect. Even keel, respectful and respectable demeanor.
I like having animated coordinators and position coaches, but a head coach needs one thing most:
Class.
Beamer's got it.
Exactly. There are 2 people in the stadium who are not allowed to lose their shit at any point in the game if you want to have a consistently successful program: the head coach and the quarterback.
*EDIT* Case in point: UVA, Clemson while pulling a Clemson. On the other hand, Stanford and Alabama.
The behavior of Les Miles has been completely disregarded, for obvious reasons.
I agree. I am also think discussing this is a bit disrespectful IMO as he is currently our head coach and will be for the foreseeable future.
How is this disrespectful.?? Notice my post said If/When not this next year.? We all know Beamer could say you know what I feel ready to step down, this program is headed in the right direction and I would love to stay involved but not at the HC level.
I don't think it's disrespectful to discuss Beamer's replacement before he retires. We're not calling for his head or insisting change is needed or anything, just discussing the inevitable reality that he's going to retire in the relatively near future. There's only so much you can talk about during any given football season.
Perhaps. But really, how do you replace someone like Frank? Answer, you don't because he is just irreplaceable.
As true and turkey-leg-worthy as this is, eventually we will need a new head coach to lead the program.
Alas you are correct and so the turkey leg is returned. However, I do find it a depressing subject. Sort of like, "When Grand Dad dies we will need to think about ..."
Turkey Leg for the quote. But its better to be prepared than 3 month down the line thinking "what could have been".
Yeah that is what the funeral plot salesman said
Considering that my parents have already reserved their funeral plots, I really can't blame the fan base for wanting to be prepared for when CFB retires. At least they'll still be around to witness the start of the new coach's regime.
Every new begining comes from some other begining's end
Shoutout to Semisonic
They always remind me of 1998
Viewed in isolation, this is a great comment.
So true....I wish we could keep him forever. We are so lucky to have him as HC.
This isn't about replacing, this is a topic about continuing to go in the right direction and not take a step back when Beamer goes. Yes Beamer has made a great VT program and it would be a shame to see us not follow it up with another great hire at HC
By definition he is replaceable. And it's extremely important to the program. Better to discuss it than not.
Put down the kool-aid for one second. It's an undeniable fact that Beamer is nearing the end of his career. It's a question that has to be asked at some point.
Its like preparring for when the Old Dog has lost a step. Just getting the kids prepared for the idea, not going into the garage to get the shovel.
I get your point but look at the past few teams that have won the NC. Saban,Miles, Meyer. Those guys all have class but its to a certain extent. I just feel like sometimes Beamer praises the other team too much at times instead of being cocky and saying "My Team" is great were going to play hard and fight. Give Credit where Credit is due but don't put them on a pedestool
I would rather never win a national championship than have my team be coached by Saban.... He's just a little demon.
Statistically, there's a very good chance that neither of those things ever happens.
1. It's very, very difficult to win a NC
2. Saban can only coach at one place at one time and VT will never have the resources to pull him away from Bama or potentially Texas.
I dont know about. Saban has a temper, but he has a work ethic and ability to lead like no other head coach in the country. He's a hard ass, but it works. As for him being a demon, I think that this reputation has been extremely exaggerated for a long time now. I would like to see such an attitude and expectation for players to execute that a coach similar to saban would bring to our team.
All those guys bolted jobs for better ones when given the chance. They are head-hunters and don't care about building a program in Southwest VA. I think we are better served with someone who wants to be at VT, not someone who considers it a stepping stone.
The important part is that we need someone to establish Virginia Tech as a power and destination spot and not a stepping stone. I'm sure many people would have thought that Chris Petersen would bolt Boise State for a better opportunity, but they've turned that into a destination for him. They've invested in their football program. Not to say we haven't, but we need to recognize when we have something good and be ready to pony up to keep it. I'm not saying that we view football the way that Texas does and willingly throw $5M to a coach, but we need to better assess the value of those that we have. Lately we've done a poor job of that with our Olympic sports and haven't had to face that problem with football. The only sign we've seen of that is the annuity that's planned for Bud.
Agree 100%.
***MIND BLOWN*** 2 Fosters on one team could be the only thing better than having 2 Fullers...
To a certain extent, I like the idea of VT getting a younger, upbeat, enthusiastic HC to replace Beamer when he retires. That said, i'm not sure that's what VT is. We're not the flashy, exciting program. We're the tough, blue-collar, consistent program that still wins 7 games in the worst season in 20 years. If there's ever a time to hire from within, this is the place I'd be most ok with. Whether that's actually the best decision for the program has yet to be seen, but still, I like the idea of having more continuity and consistency in a program known for those two traits.
Agree - look at some of the storied programs and their coaches. LSU: Miles; Bama: Saban; Texas: Brown - all very consistent coaches with similar style to the coaches of the past. But then, take a look at USCw, ND, Tennessee, Florida, UNC, Miami: Up and down years because of them choosing someone "flashy" (given 2 of the programs I named hired Kiffin)
IMO Tennessee and USCw were the only teams that went for 'flashy' hires. ND tried to hire an alum who understood the 'Notre Dame' way (stupid IMO, but the guy did have a superbowl ring, does that make him flashy?).
Miami hired Shannon from within instead of performing a real coaching search (and as much as I like Bud, he should not be the only candidate for the job when frank leaves). Florida found a good coach in Muschamp IMO. His first year was rebuilding year (FWIW they only lost to one unranked team that year - FSU), followed by an 11 win season, followed by a year full of injuries.
UNC chose a talented/intelligent coach, I think he would've performed well there had he not broken NCAA rules.
Also, how were Saban/Miles not flashy coaches? Because they don't run the spread O?
Most of those schools on your list have more problems than the "flashy" coach. Most schools are dealing with sanctions because the 'flashy' coach ran a dirty program.
A coach can be younger, upbeat, enthusiastic, but still even keel. Not every coach under the age of 50 has to go nuts like Dabo. Just because we're not a flashy, exciting program doesn't mean we can't/shouldn't become one. Clemson is flashy and exciting, but their explosive offense is based heavily on screens and wide receiver blocking. IMO, they have a very physical offense. I would welcome that in Blacksburg (FWIW, Foster has said if he were a head coach he would run a spread offense).
**previous paragraph was NOT meant to be a knock on the Loeffler hire, nor was it meant to be overly complimentary of Clemson.
I do think Bud deserves at shot at HC. He has adjusted, tweaked, and changed his defense over the years. He's creative, fluid, and seems more concerned with doing what needs to be done to win then sticking to a philosophy. He has studied and learned from other teams. IMO, the biggest problem with promotions from within is that the promoted person tries to mirror his predecessor. This fails 90% of the time. I believe that Bud could keep the blue collar feel that he and Frank have created, but still mold the program into his own.
Here is the list of candidates I would consider:
1. Bud Foster
BOOM. If this is your first post, then I say way to hit the road running Detroit. Turkey Leg good sir.
Poor guy, it's all downhill from here.
if its not bud we raise the militia.
If a good OC is in place, then yes I agree. Or, if he can lure a good OC. Perhaps, Loeffler will prove to be that guy.
If in 3 years, Beamer retires and Loeffler gets fired (not saying he will, but time will tell), would you want to hire one the hottest OCs running a power-style offense for HC or hire Bud and try and lure an unproven OC? Tough decision.
In this scenario would Bud stay on as a DC if the "good OC" became the new HC? Because I could definitely dig having an offensive mastermind at the helm AND having Bud still control the Hokie defense.
I would be shocked if we didn't hire in-house. Likely Bud or Shane, but depending on when Beamer hangs it up, it could be someone else.
Shane needs to work on the RB's before he can make a run at a HC job in 5-10 yrs. Everyone is blaming Loeffler, or Thomas, but Shane has had 2 years to work on the RB's and has shown little progress.
There's only so much blame you can put at the feet of the RB coach. There's a reason that's usually the "entry-level" position coaching job.
True, true.
To clarify, I'm in no way saying that Shane should be our next head coach. But I think it's possible.
Shane seems to be a version of Dabo. Might not be a great football coach, but might have the organizational skills to run a team/program.
As long as its not Lane Kiffin...
NEVER!
This is very complicated. I don't think what you propose is possible, that we hire from outside and keep our existing coaches (notably, Foster). If you want to keep Foster & Co, I think you either need to hire Foster or hire someone inside that Foster respects.
That said, I'm not sure you can hire Foster. He's been passed over almost 10x now for jobs he's really wanted. That's disconcerting. Maybe whatever it is that has kept him from being hired is something we can handle...say a scandal in his background....bad interview skills....11 toes....whatever it is. Of note, Foster is no spring chicken anymore (not matter what that gif eludes to). He turns 55 next summer. Jimbo Fisher is 48, Urban Meyer is 49, Mark Heflich is 40. 55 isn't too old, but it's 5 years away from "He's slipping because he's old" talk.
So, let's say your goals are: 1. keep foster, 2. don't hire Foster as HC. Where does that leave you? Loeffler? He's underperformed so far, and does Foster respect him enough to stay? Shane? Also underperfored as a position coach, but a good recruiter (an important factor for a HC). Shane is also pretty animated on the sideline and in interviews, making you question his readiness for the position. I'd like to see him leave for a lesser program as HC to build up that skillset. Gray? I don't see one of Foster's guys being hired ahead of him.
I'm a proponent of Jeff Grimes, in a few years. He's a tough SOB. I bet he has Foster's respect.
Also worth considering, if it happened right now, is Russ Grimm (father of two hokies). He was not retained when Bruce Arians (another Hokie) took over in Arizona and is currently considering retirement. At age 55, he's at the end. He was apparently told he was the next Steelers coach when Tomlin was hired.
But this is tricky stuff and probably why Beamer hasn't retired yet. I really thought he'd hang it up after Tyrod finished up, but I think he really thought a lot of LT. Now that the LT era doesn't seem to be ending on a "ride off into the sunset" manner and the HC succession is even more cloudy, I now expect Beamer to stick it out at least to the Bristol game, which I think is a hallmark moment for his program. If we win 10 games in one of the next few seasons, he may walk away though.
I chortled at 11 toes...
At this point, I wouldn't say no to hiring Foster as HC, promoting Gray to DC, hiring a Fuller as DB coach (either Vinnie or Kyle, if he's out of the league by that point).
Grimes is a guy I would love to see take over either the offense or the team as a whole at some point. Tough guy, good recruiter, demands respect. He's a guy I would like to see as the face of the program.
Yeah, I'm not as high on Loeffler as I am on Grimes. And I don't know why that is.
Probably the immediate impact he seems to have had. At least that's my reasoning. He's already pulling in solid o-line recruits -- A really nice change-up from trying to change TEs into linemen
I nominate Anthony Midget for DB Coach.
i really dont want a coach that eats grass.
either swallow or spit it out Lou...no one knows what your saying
He just spits. Everywhere I'm sure.
"This man belongs in a home."
That is the though I have every single time I see him on TV.
Nothing like seeing a meme that makes you start randomly cracking up in Randolph.
Laughter in Randolph... what a strange sight that must be
Turkey leg for you. Laughed till it hurt.
Wish I could take credit for its creation. Makes me laugh every time.
I was listening to music (headphones) at work when I saw that. Totally forgot where I was and busted out laughing in a quiet cube farm. Strange looks, but well worth it.
Lou holtz just called Virginia tech Texas am on espn ..
*sigh*
Sorry - iPhone downvoted. Someone please correct.
Gotchu.
Big Ups to LOU! he gave MAD PROPS to VT this weekend. LOU RULES!
I think it will be/should be Bud. He at least deserves a shot if he wants it. He's not exactly young so it's not a long term solution but I think after a legend like Beamer, Bud is a good in between. He'll keep the same culture and likely similar consistency, if not raise the bar slightly due to his fiery attitude and killer instincts. Then after Bud retires is when we go after someone younger, could be in house, could not be.
Long-term solutions pretty much don't exist in college football anymore. Either bigger programs or the NFL make it difficult to hold on to successful coaches for very long.
Good point, I guess the only way to get that is to hire from within "the family", Torrian or Shane could be ready at that point.
I would think that when CFB retires, Bud Foster would be a shoe in for head coach. He's been here just as long as Beamer and has remained loyal to the program. Would he not want the job? I thought he's been waiting for Beamer to retire knowing that he's next in line.
He does have a clause in his contract that if he's not head coach when Beamer retires, he get something like $100,000.
Pretty sure that's not complete and utter crap that I made up 6 months ago and have been carrying around in my head as fact.
When you mess with the Bull, you get the horns. And when you mess with the SEC, you often get the stink that comes with the scumbags that make "good" coaches. I'm as diehard as they come when it comes to wanting to win, but I'm also proud to say that VT has a coach who has some class. I'd take a class act like Beamer over Petrino (loved the motor cycle rides with his mistress and getting her a job at the University) or Miles (lets players back onto the team after assaults if they are in skill positions).
I know it took awhile, but they let Vick Jr. go after his antics. A lot of SEC schools and SEC coaches would have turned a blind eye rather than risk losing a dual threat QB during a year when they could have made a run.
I could see Foster stepping up, but when you get to be a head coach, you are the face of the franchise and I don't know if Foster can say "Duke, they'll get after ya"..he would probably say "Duke? My defense is going to tear them a new one" while holding a PBR.
As if Hokie fans could love Bud Foster any more...
More like double fisting PBR's
Wait what!? What did you mean by "double fisting"?
Is that a Red Bull on the left? That's winning.
I would say Chris Peterson from Boise State if Bud wasn't the HC or if they was looking somewhere else. I think he's a young Beamer in the making besides actually Shane since he's actually a Beamer....Anyways, I think he has what we would want in a HC and has had success at Boise with little to not much talent at all...Which reminds me of Va Tech.... I think he was quoted saying they didn't get the big recruits like the bigger programs and that they got the kids that no one wanted....But when they left Boise they were all 5 stars...Something to that effect...just my opinion.
I could see a Pac-12 school scoop him up first. There are always going to be openings and he knows how to recruit in that region, getting a lot of the CA kids who are a cut below the PAC-12 talent wise. I like where your head is at though; this is a good thought, and if he wanted to offer some opinions on how to create an offense, that wouldn't hurt.
Thanks, I thought that if he had a opportunity to go to a bigger school he could recruit better and has that young positive attitude that most SEC schools are looking for... Him with Bud's Defense could be amazing lol just figuratively speaking though.
We have no idea who the "hot" coaching prospects will be when Beamer retires.
All I know for sure is Frank Beamer has made VT into a relevant national program and that will help when the time comes to replace him.
I hope and pray that VT is considering the 'what if's' and has a master plan for transition to make the process smooth and give Beamer his due respect.
I would hate to see VT/Beamer/fans dragged through a FSU debacle, or what it appears to be brewing at UTexas.
That being said, I want the best guy for the job for the next 10 years. And to do that, IMHO, a search committee should be formed with some external blood and VT needs to look outside of the school as hard, if not harder than they would consider internal coaches.....and then let the best man win.
Short of Beamer, when has Tech gotten 'that guy?' (Maybe baseball, but we lost him.....)
I see 2016 being set up as 'the time'-play at Bristol, play ND, win the ACC, then announce it's Beamer's last year, BUT.....that he will continue in a role in the athletic dept and simultaneously announce our new head football coach.
We should run the table and win the NC in 2016, then Beamer can retire on top. It's a perfect plan, we should consider it.
We're 3 years away from Beamer possibly retires, so it's tough to speculate on actual names that could replace him. Something tells me Beamer will retire when he feels he can no longer do the job. I highly doubt he will become a Joe Paterno-esque figurehead who doesn't actually do the majority of the duties of a head coach.
But I do think that no matter what it will be important to retain Bud Foster whether its as a head coach or a DC. It will be a pretty big change transitioning away from a coach who has been coaching her 25+ years, and will be important to keep some semblance of continuity. If it is not Bud Foster I would like it to be a young coach with a dynamic personality who is able to attract some of the recruits out of our reach as of now. BUT that would probably be a secondary criteria to the characteristics that have made Beamer and our program so successful.
Also I assume most of the staff will be kept once Beamer retires, so I wonder how that will effect other coach's interest in the job.
Sad to say, but unless the hiring is internal, I see all other coaches gone. If you are hired as HC, you want your team in there, not someone else's. Most DC and OC already have guys they can rely on, Grimes is an example of that.
Plus, if the new guy fails first excuse would be Beamers coaches.
I don't think all would be out, but wouldn't be surprised with a clean sweep.
When/if Bud Foster takes over does he remain the D-coordinator? Or does he let someone else run his defense? I think its difficult to be a head coach and a coordinator. Too much to tackle. Now the obvious choices would be Charley Wiles or Torrian Gray. Do you think he'd look to hire someone from outside the staff? Or would he keep things internal?
Chip Kelly sorta did it at Oregon (HC + Offensive Playcaller).
I think if Bud were HC he would promote from within. And I'd be OK with that. Bud and his assistants seem to function as separate parts in one moving machine.
Excellent work.
Torrian Gray should be the head coach. Just like Beamer, he played DB at Tech. He has NFL playing and coaching experience. Players will want to play for him. There's a good chance the rest of the defense coaching staff will stay for Gray over an outside coach.
I've heard several people mention him before, but he's still not a well-known name for this discussion: Todd Grantham (link). He's from Pulaski and went here; he has coached here, in the NFL, and in the SEC. He seems to be a good football coach, with good experience, that has the same mindset as our program. Maybe not the overall best candidate, but I think that he should definitely good looked at when the time comes.
Grantham can get.....uh.....animated.
Bud is all about accountability. How many times have we seen players explode on the scene when others falter? You get no pass from Foster with poor performance. I think the team would be total Harbaugh-esque with him as coach. And the guy is in great shape and has the energy of a man 10 years younger. You can take the glitz of a Chad Morris and throw it down the crapper as far as I'm concerned. The game is still about D and running the ball and that's what we'd have with Bud.
Bud Foster to head coach and Torrian Gray to Defense Coordinator. Imagine the possibilities.
Imagine the National Championships! Imagine the playoff appearances! Imagine FINALLY filling that empty case!
Bud Foster definitely deserves a shot given how loyal and successful he's been. I don't think it should be Shane Beamer right away though it seems to be what Frank is pushing by naming Shane assistant head coach.
Does Bud want to be the "man the follows the man"? That is tough in itself.
I didn't realize he'd be following Sam Rogers.
In all seriousness, though, anyone who has been conscious for the last 20 years knows that Bud Foster is the reason, or at least a huge part of the reason, for our success. It isn't quite like other, "man that follows the man," scenarios
to me, bud foster is the only acceptable answer. he's paid his dues, passed opportunities, and is a dang good coach. if he doesnt get it, he should go to another acc school and beat our asses every year.
I'd say it would be very unfortunate if Frank Beamer isn't allowed to at least fulfill his current contract. I want him to leave his position under the best of conditions.
Here's an off-the-wall idea. Bryan Stinespring.
Hear me out before you threaten to lynch me with pitchforks and torches. He is a former OC who was out of his element, but heck of a recruiter, and a good position coach. He has the coach-speak down pat. Every time Stiney talks, it's like hearing an extension of Beamer, and would have no problem deflecting questions.
I hear that he is a super nice guy, bleeds orange and maroon, and players like him. He probably already knows how to schmooze the boosters (plenty of practice since he was a former OC) and speak with a silver tongue.
I thought for a decade Stiney would be the next HC. But after being demoted, it's probably not going to happen. Too bad, I agree with you that his skill set is very well suited for HC.
Hokie blasphemy! Repent and recant.
FUCK NO NEVER!!!!
Do you want SAM ROGERS and BUD FOSTER coming after your asses!? Go right ahead.
I AIN'T SCARED! I MET BUD FOSTER AND LIKED HIM!
yeah, but did he like you?
Yep. Shook my hands twice.
That night...I had a heartburn. A bad one. :D
You're forgetting about SAM ROGERS. And while we're at it, the entire Fuller Family. It's yo azz bro.
Good call, Trevor. Might be a Dabo Swinney/Mack Brown type. Although my immediate reaction to this way, 'bleh'.
Would you mind elaborating some more on this Dabo/Mack type of thing?
Oh, sure, it's been discussed a little in some other threads. Some coaches are better CEO-types than being in the nitty gritty of position coaching or coordinating. For example, Randy Shannon's defenses were always top notch, but he wasn't a great head coach. Some guys are just best coaching players over leading programs. Stiney/Dabo/Mack aren't the most valuable coaches/coordinators, but they're better of leading the program overall.
I would be OK with Shane or Stiney getting an HC spot some day, but I'd want them to (head)coach (successfully) elsewhere first.
It would be ok with Stiney getting a HC position with me too. Just f-cking NEVER at Tech! NEVER"
I get that you have said many times that you used to be an avid member of FBS, but keep it in check. It's really getting ridiculous now. The guy has done nothing recently to warrant criticism. If you're still stuck on any past transgressions of his, you should work those out instead of saying something hateful anytime someone mentions him in a positive way.
Sure. Just as soon as he's removed from the booth to the sidelines. And I think I've only mentioned it about twice. Thanks.
I'm with Hokie_x2_Hi on this one. We've got zero justification/reason for demanding he be put anywhere other than where he is right now. Loeffler is in charge. If he wants Stiney in the booth, he's in the booth. If he wants him on the sideline, he's on the sideline. If he wants him on his staff, you're darn right Stiney is gonna be on the VT coaching staff.
I agree. I was kinda hoping that Shane would have taken that Georgia Southern job that opened last year (I think).
The only way they can take that kind of job is go down a rung on the ladder before trying it out at the FBS level.
I like Bud as HC. If that happens I imagine Loeffler will get the boot and Foster will run a uptempo spread offense givin his obvious distaste for it.
I dunno about those flashy offenses; just look at what happened to Oregon last night (and the year before).
True, they lost last night, but we have ended up behind them the past 3 years (not including this one) and only one spot ahead of them 4 years ago.
If you're not first, you're last
Yeah, I'm not so sure Bud wasn't diggin the crap outta having his defense sit on the sideline and chat for 9 minutes in the 4th quarter last night.
I think it should go Frank-Bud-Shane
This is how I think it should go as well. Bud is very deserving and he has been waiting patiently.
Shane still has much to prove. But I would love to see Beamer Jr as HC someday.
I think Shane is still 10 years from being an effective HC. Lets not rush him into it.
I doubt Foster would be all for bringing in a new, younger HC to run the program he and Frank built.
It might be something he's up for, but I doubt it. I think he deserves right of first refusal for the HC position.
GO HOKIES!
That's always been my position. Bud deserves first right of refusal. Maybe he wants to stay as DC, and leave the politicking, fundraising, and managerial stuff to someone else. If that's the case, I'm perfectly happy as long as Bud stays in the role he wants.
Oh crap. I hadn't thought about that. If that happens, I will still eat my 2006 orange effect shirt, but it will be a bittersweet moment.
I cant tell whether Bud is trying to show off his agility or trying out for the cheer leading squad...
either way GREAT STUFF!