First, let me start off by clarifying that this is NOT a Beamer hate post nor is it intended. Nor do I believe that a blog titled Fire Frank Beamer or any variation of that should be created. If it is, I won't be joining it. What the purpose of this post is meant to do is to garner some thoughts and introspect to CFB's game.
We all are aware and appreciative of Beamer's invaluable strengths as a head coach. What I'd like to know is what do you all feel are some of his weaknesses. They could be things ranging from on the field to admin or even former weaknesses he's overcome to issues that still linger and ones he may still struggle with.
I'll start off. I would say that Beamer's most glaring in game weakness would be a lack of ability to adjust. While I know that Lefty is the OC, Beamer is still the head coach and makes the final call. Why didn't he tell Loeffler to make the adjustment to run Edmunds more? This is just one example but it sticks out in my brain as I know it does a number of other TKPers.
What are your thoughts?
Comments
I don't have any stats or specific examples that are popping into my head but I've always felt that HCFB struggles with end of half and end of game clock management. We always seem to have difficulty effectively using the clock and our timeouts to our best advantage. I'm sure French, Joe, or 3rd and 31 can give specific examples.
Frank Beamer's use of timeouts has driven me crazy SO MANY TIMES it's unbelievable. Nothing as bad as Mike London's infamous icing time out, but stuff like wasting a time out early in the fourth on a punt play... rather than just letting the play clock run down and take a five yard delay of game penalty. As if a five yard penalty on a play when you are already planning on giving the ball back to the opposition is going to make or break the game...
This has driven me crazy too. I don't get why 5 yards really matters that much, but Frank really emphasizes the whole field position thing. So maybe 5 yards is a big deal in his mind.
Like last week when we wasted a t.o after waiting nearly 3-4 minutes on that PI play. We should have had a play called in case the call got overturned.... But then again there was clearly no touching of the ball so the PI should have stood. #GOACC
The timeout was actually given back. The broadcasters made sure to emphasis that late in the game right before Logan fumbled.
Hiring offensive coordinators seems to be the most glaring.
I will say that I believe that Beamer is an ultra-delegator. I don't think he gets involved in offensive or defensive game planning and I doubt he often dictates which back should be running the ball. I think he trusts his coordinators to make decisions, thus, his biggest weakness has been in hiring OC's. Certainly with Stiney, but the OCainspring pairing didn't work. The Bustle hiring was interesting because he left for USC for a year (and Tranquill didn't fit at all), but then Bustle overstayed his welcome and Beamer didn't make a move. I'll leave the judgment on Loeffler for a few years down the road.
I think Beamer:
1. Hires his coordinators and trusts them to do their jobs,
2. Manages everything about every special teams,
3. Makes 4th down calls,
4. Calls timeouts,
5. Handles post-game handshakes,
6. Kisses babies.
And I don't have any problem with #'s 2-4. He's made some good calls, some bad calls. He's had some bad kickers but far more good kickers.
He totally missed his shot to hire Kevin Rogers into Offensive Coordinator, before Rogers left for the Vikings in '06. Currently, Rogers is the Offense Coordinator at William and Mary
He was also at bc under spazziani, but left due to health or something. Would've been an upgrade over stinespring and would've run the ball, but was by no means phenomenal as an oc anywhere he went
Not phenomenal, but he did turn Bryan Randall into an All-ACC player and while MV2 was here, he led the league in passing efficiency and scoring offense. He's about the same level as Loeffler - coached some greats in College (McNabb, Jarius Jackson at ND) and in the pros (Farve).
If health was an issue, not sure he'd have worked out anyway. Maybe the Tribe job is him chillin' out a bit.
There's good saltwater fishin' down that way.
Even though he's not the HC (yet) I feel that Bud Foster is actually better at in game adjustments than Beamer.
I like beamer, but he always seems too conservative and never allows his oc to finish teams off. Stanford under harbaugh was run first, ball control offense, but ask Pete carroll about being put away
"Oh, we're up by 27?
Let's score 30 more, you know...for security purposes."
- Pete Carroll
It is the wrong time to analyze Beamer's job performance. I have said repeatedly the following:
1) Beamer is someone who delegates authority. When things are going right, his only impact on the offense is deciding on if they will go for it on 4th down. Periodically in the past, the offense has been cute early in the season, and as the season progressed they changed styles, and perhaps that had some Beamer influence (most likely delivered through Billy Hite.) The classic examples were the early efforts to implement a zone blocking cut back oriented running scheme, and then November comes and we would see more power plays from the I formation circa 2004-2009.)
2) Loeffler and Grimes are OUTSIDERS, and I am sure that Beamer wants to allow them as much opportunity as possible before interceding. He is a smart enough football mind to understand that if he steps in now before Loeffler and Grimes are established, he undercuts their ability to build their system for two to three years down the road. We have to understand, even if they ran the table and went undefeated this year, the Loeffler/Grimes/Moorehead hires can not be measured until they at least have a majority of their own recruits contributing to the offense.
Listen, I don't like the running system, and I like it less when I see the offensive line being blamed for the running game struggles (see today's Andy Bitter live chat) when they have played pretty well. Nobody is more critical of poor line play than me, but that criticism in unfair. As we have pointed out, in the RARE instances that the Hokies have ran traditional running plays, they have executes well.
Thanks and a leg as it's always great for French to frequent a post. And I have stated that this is "not a Fire Frank Beamer thread." Nor is it a "analyze his job" thread either. It's simply a (very) laid back (or not) look at CFBs weaknesses. Let's face it, even among all the coaches that have won a MNC, there's zero such thing as the perfect coach. They've ALL got weaknesses. This does not exclude our beloved. Beamer Sr. I just wanna know what folks think and see. Thanks again for your post.
I agree, as to point 2 I seem to remember watching the ESPN video when they featured VT and he did talk to the receivers coach about having the receivers practice catching high throws. So he does get involved in the coaching of the coaches aspect when he feels he needs to.
Not much, except the reason I think we fail to win those "big games" including BCS games is because he doesn't fire up the players like other coaches can. Dabo, Les Miles, and Urban Meyer do that pretty well.
How do you feel about his in-game adjustments?
If we're losing, we're not a comeback team generally speaking. 2010 was different. Also Bud will always claim that he doesn't make halftime adjustments, execution is the only thing that ever needs to change.
Beamer doesn't have a weakness. At all.
Why?
Sam Rogers.
Turkey leg for you. That comment was so awesome, your goatee grew a bit IN YOUR AVI.
Always a leg for mentioning SAM ROGERS!
Frank Beamer has no weakness... He is God.
Ok ok... For those of you who believe he's human.... If you read his second autobiography, he suffered a torn bicep which he chose not to have surgery on in order to attend a golf trip. Since he never acted on it, he has a permanent partially detached bicep in one arm, which has diminished his strength in that arm by 20%... So I'll oblige the post and say that his weakness is that arm with the torn bicep. There.
Thanks. Leg for the signature.
Beamer for president...Virginia Tech football is nothing and would have been nothing with out Frank Beamer. Period.
Go Hokies.
Beamer has a weakness... for trendy dance memes
I will never get tired of this, just as I'll never get tired of the misfortunes of LOLUVA.
His loyalty has been a double-edged sword for him, IMHO.
I love that FB is the face of the Hokie football program and he has earned every accolade.
He is a class act, and treats people with great respect and humility.
I again hope that the VT community allows him a gracious retirement when he choses.
That being said, the outsider's take is that he held onto coaches, players too much, when others would have been quicker to pull the trigger.
But when you look at what he has accomplished, and how he has changed the game, and the players that he has mentored, the Hokies are really blessed to have him as a coach.
I honestly would not trade him for any number of national championships.
Good and interesting comments. What about (as a number of folks put) his lack of a killer instinct?