Another Old School Coach says “No Mas”. VaTech’s Frank Beamer is “calling it quits” at the end of this season. Several weeks ago equally aged Steve Spurrier hung up his whistle. BobLee predicted the virtual certainty of both back in early September..
Unlike Ol’ Roy who purports to “liking Drake” (??), both Spurrier and Beamer were of the “old school” genre of Head Football Coaches. Coaches who thought…
it was “about Xs and Os and “because I said so, that’s why”…. rather than tweeting their semi-literate young bosses about dreadlocks and favorite rappers.
With UVa’s Mike London hanging on by the slenderest of threads…. this could mean a total UnDo / ReDo for Big Time Football in The Old Dominion.
Am I the only one who when hearing “Frank Beamer says he is leaving VaTech” stops a moment to think about Dickie Baddour. Didn’t Frank tell Dickie that about 20 years ago?? OUCH!
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Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer to retire at end of season
Frank Beamer, the winningest active major college football coach, will step down as Virginia Tech’s coach after this season, the university announced in a statement Sunday afternoon.
This move is not surprising with Virginia Tech at 4-5 and struggling for bowl eligibility. The Hokies have backslid since losing the ACC Championship Game in 2011, going 26-22 over the last four years.
“I have always said that ‘I want what is best for Virginia Tech,’” Beamer said in a statement. “Because of my love and passion for this great university, this program and our tremendous fans, I have decided after 29 years that it’s time. Today, I informed (university President) Dr. Timothy Sands and (athletics director) Whit Babcock of my decision to retire at the conclusion of the 2015 season.
“I was going to wait until the end of the season to make this announcement, but I’ve always believed in being open and honest with my players and coaches. I know Hokie Nation will continue to give our players and our coaches their full support in these last three games, and hopefully through a bowl game. I will be forever grateful to everyone who made these past three decades the best years of my life. It’s an emotional day for me and my family. I am so honored and humbled to have served as your head coach.”
Beamer, 69, is a legend and transformative figure at the school with seven conference titles and a national championship game appearance in 1999. Beamer is 235-120-2 (.661) in 29 years at Virginia Tech and 277-143-4 (.656) in 35 season overall.
Before Beamer Ball took over in Blacksburg, the Hokies had played in six bowl games in their history and never had a 10-win season.
Under Beamer, the Hokies have had 22 consecutive winning seasons, including 13 with double-digit wins. That success helped Virginia Tech get into the Atlantic Coast Conference, where from 2004-11 the Hokies won at least 10 games every season and four ACC titles.
“Coach Beamer contacted me earlier today with his decision to retire following this season,” Babcock said in a statement. “Coach will always remain one of the most beloved figures in college football history. He’s a future Hall-of-Famer, an educator and a role model. His contributions to Virginia Tech and the game of football — both on and off of the field — are unquestionable and beyond measure.”
Beamer is walking away from a contract that was extended by two years — through Dec. 31, 2018 — under an amendment that was signed in August 2014.
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