one of the best ever. i have compared his record to saban, mack brown, and even bear bryant (the years aren't correct for his "w"s). i have also compared VT to Auburn and Alabama during the same timeframe to show that:
1. Frank has produced as much as anyone with significantly less (see class rankings)
2. Every program and every coach will have its ups and downs
3. We should all feel damn lucky to have had Coach Beamer drag VT into relevance
Auburn and Alabama have been in their conference since 1932 - helluva long time to create traditions and life-long fans that send their kids to school there. VT spent 16 years in independence limbo and just joined the ACC in 2004.
did you realize that the bear had a string of 8 consecutive years of not winning a bowl game? he also had two back-to-back seasons in the middle of his run at Alabama where he only won 6 games?
while i am not a huge proponent of recruiting class rankings, one can only say that an average rank of 8th over 10 years is going to produce appreciably more talented teams than an average rank of 29th over the same time period.
ups and downs are going to happen. keep cheering for your team and kids that are busting their butts everyday for your entertainment and be VERY thankful that Frank Beamer was chosen as the head coach for Virginia Tech.
Go Hokies!
color coding red=7 wins or less; yellow=8 or 9 wins; green=10+ wins
Note that I just threw Bear Bryant in there to show the fact that all coaches have "bad" year(s). Ignore the years on the "Bear" column.
Comments
Thank you for adding a dose of reality/sanity to this topic - I swear, some people are absolutely insane. Beamer is going to retire someday, and we'd better cross our fingers that we get someone even remotely as good of a coach. We could easily be in UVA's shoes if we choose wrong.
Right On and without NCAA troubles!
This is a fantastic post, the best I have read in a while. Thank you.
I think you meant that it's a Franktastic post. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
While I agree with the sentiment, I must point out that we joined the ACC in 2004 not 2003. Also, the number of bowl teams in Bear's day was significantly less than during CFB's streak. To me, Frank's streak is still nothing short of amazing and I am forever grateful that he's done what he has for us.
thanks for the correction - i've edited the post
People are greatly overreacting right now. It always happens after losses. This team should still end the year 9-4 (but maybe we'll get extremely lucky, beat FSU and go 10-4). Is 9 wins really enough to panic about? Is this team incredible? No. But we're only two years removed from going 8 straight seasons with 10 or more wins.
And life after Frank isn't so great either. We have no clue how good of a head coach Bud would be, but we do know that he's a great DC. If Frank goes then Bud would be next man up, but he's a wild card. Or maybe we go outside the program and get someone else, in that case Bud isn't gonna hang around anymore. Then we lose Frank and arguably the best assistant coach in the country.
its ridiculous this even had to be posted. excellent work.
Agreed with every bit of this. One thing that seems to be lost on all of us nowadays is a bit of perspective... I'd say you're a top tier school if your bad year of the decade is a 7-6 record and you're churning out 10-11 wins on a regular basis. Heck, 7-4 4-3 is a pretty good record in itself. And to think where we'll be in a couple of years with Loeffler and his supporting cast, along with revived recruiting... ugh, chills. But until then, let's stop calling for the head of a college football legend and let's pick up our guys after tough losses and let's go Hokies!
HATERS GONNA HATE
Beams gives such diplomatic promos. But wouldn't you love it if just once, instead of talking up the next team, he came out like this?
Good stuff, but I'm a little confused on your table. How do the bear years line up with the year?
thanks - the bear's number don't line up with the years - I just threw that in there to show even he had "bad" years.
There have been countless times I have seen articles about how Frank Beamer is still one of the few coaches to get up to the top 25 ranked team area consistently and done it the right way. You are going to find faults in any person and no one is perfect. If CFB can get these new coaches going and build up our program (he has done it before)again it will really show how great of a coach he still is.
I only can hope he is the person who realizes his faults and surrounds himself with new assistants who,although similar in the football team they want, help him with these faults.
I share your hope. the only possible fault I can see from my VERY distant view is his loyalty. Loyal to a fault? Do you think his "tenacity" with keeping the previous offensive organization would have been replicated by the likes of Saban and Brown?
Imo our new hires are young which still gives them the capacity to learn and adapt. Whether they choose to do so is something we will have to wait and see. One has to keep in mind the Lefty is still learning how to be an OC and Moorehead a WR coach. I am on my phone currently so its annoying to do researcg but I believe Grimes is really the only proven hire at his position. I may be incorrect though.
No I dont think Saban or Mack would have done what Beamer has done. Is it right or wrong I certainly can not tell you but it is a good quality to have imo. You know the guy isnt going to throw you under the bus and will do his best to respect your job and livelihood.
Excellent post. It helps to put things in perspective after a perplexing loss.
Excellent post. Confused about Bryant though. Did you just use his years at Bama? The historian in me needs to know.
No, he did not. The years are obviously off for Bear. Ignore the years for him.
The data for Bear appear to come from only his Bama years, from 1959-1982.
Yep. He misses the '58 year where Bear went 5-4-1. Surprised Bama fans haven't erased this year from the record books and claimed a MNC from it.
that's right - I just threw in his years at Bama just to show that every coach/program has ups and downs.
This post made me
