The 2007 Football Staff — (front, l to r) Bryan Stinespring, Billy Hite, Frank Beamer, Bud Foster, Jim Cavanaugh; (second row) Curt Newsome, Torrian Gray, James Miller, Charley Wiles, Mike O’Cain, Kevin Sherman; (back row) Lester Karlin, Mike Gentry, Bruce Garnes, John Ballein and Mike Goforth. 2007 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 31 Head Coach Frank Beamer Coach Enters his 21st Season at the Helm of the Hokies Frank Beamer is entering his has become one of the most 21st year as the head football respected and successful coaches coach at Virginia Tech, and with on the college football scene. a solid foundation in place, he Beamer, who was the continues to take the Hokies to consensus national coach of higher levels. the year in 1999, is ranked After being named the Atlantic third among active Division Coast Conference Coach of the I-A coaches in victories with Year in each of Tech’s first two 198 over 26 seasons as a head seasons in the league, Beamer coach. His Tech teams have quietly took on one of his biggest posted a 142-42 record over the challenges in 2006 and helped past 14 seasons and appeared turn it into another success story. in bowl games each year during The Tech head man and his that span, a feat equaled staff started the season with a by just three other schools. young team that had an offensive Prior to winning the 2004 line depleted by graduation, a ACC championship, he guided new quarterback, new tight ends the Hokies to three BIG EAST and a lack of proven depth on Conference championships and both sides of the ball. He helped in 1999 helped direct Tech to mold that young group into a the national championship game. cohesive unit which finished the Beamer’s Hokies have earned regular season with six-straight the highest national rankings in wins, a Chick-fil-A Bowl berth and the program’s history, spending 10 victories. Tech is now one of 78 weeks in the Top 10 of The just three Division I-A teams that Associated Press poll over the have posted 10 or more wins in past eight seasons. During one each of the last three seasons. stretch that ended in 2003, Tech There’s no doubt, Virginia Tech was ranked in 84 consecutive AP couldn’t have asked for anyone polls. better than Frank Beamer to Winning has been just part guide its football program into of Frank Beamer’s success story. the Atlantic Coast Conference. In He and his staff have earned a 2005, he led the Hokies to an 11- reputation for getting the most 2 record, the ACC Coastal Division out of their players. title, a spot in the inaugural In 2000, Beamer and his staff league championship game and directed Tech to an 11-1 record a bowl game. In 2004, Beamer after opening the season with guided another young Tech team eight new starters on defense — picked to finish sixth in the and an all-new lineup in the ACC — to a league title and a kicking game. During the 2001 BCS Bowl. That team also won the season, the Hokies posted an 8-4 league’s 2004 Fall Sportsmanship record and appeared in the Top Award for football, yet another 20 every week despite having tribute to the program Beamer to fill four offensive line spots, and his staff have built. the quarterback job vacated When Beamer accepted the by sensational underclassman job as head football coach at Michael Vick and the tailback his alma mater in 1987, his goal spot left open when All-America was for the Virginia Tech football running back Lee Suggs was lost program to reach a consistent for the season with an injury. level of excellence. The Hokies In 2002, the Hokies were 10-4 have come a long way since that despite attacking one of their day, and along the way, Beamer toughest schedules ever with 32 2007 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL the COACHING staff a young team that featured all- coaches conducted by new starters at the defensive Bloomberg News in the tackle, inside linebacker and fall of 2000, Beamer rover positions, as well as major was named the best questions at quarterback and wide coach a school could receiver. hire to run its football A spot in the Nokia Sugar Bowl program. When BIG to play No. 1 Florida State for the EAST Conference national championship focused football celebrated widespread attention on Virginia its first 10 years of Tech and its football program existence in 2000, following the 1999 season. And Beamer was voted the although the Hokies fell short in Coach of the Decade their bid for the national title, by the league’s media. they proved that they belong In January 2001, among the top teams in the the Pigskin Club of college ranks. Washington, D.C., For his part in the Hokies’ honored Beamer as magical 1999 season, Beamer the NCAA Coach of earned eight national coach of the Year. In May of the year awards. He was named that year, an on-line the Bobby Dodd Coach of the newspaper named Year, the GTE Coach of the Year, him the best coach the Eddie Robinson Coach of the currently in the Year, the Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Coach college football ranks of the Year, The Associated Press because of his ability Tech players celebrate a Gator Bowl victory by dousing Coach Frank Beamer. Coach of the Year, the Walter to place Tech among Camp Football Foundation/Street the nation’s elite year in and year In 1999, The Sporting News The rise of the Tech football & Smith’s Coach of the Year, the out. ranked the nation’s top coaches program has made Beamer a man Maxwell Football Club Coach of Following consecutive 10-2 in terms of their ability to get in demand. It has opened doors to the Year and the Woody Hayes seasons in 1995 and 1996, Beamer the most out of their players. places he may never have dreamed Coach of the Year. He also was was voted BIG EAST Conference Beamer was picked No. 9 in of as a youngster growing up in named the BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year by the league Division I-A. Four of Tech’s Southwest Virginia. Coach of the Year for the third coaches. He was one of five finalists last six years in the league, In September 2000, Beamer was time. in the voting for the 1995 National TSN rated the Tech coach tops invited to the White House where There have been plenty of Coach of the Year. In 1996, The among BIG EAST head coaches. he joined a select group that other accolades for the Hokies’ Sporting News queried writers from The publication also ranked the stood in the Rose Garden behind coach. Prior to the 2005 season, around the country and asked them Hokies’ football coaching staff then-President Bill Clinton as he a Seattle Times Poll of more to rate the coaches in various as the best in the conference made remarks on the Conservation than 40 coaches voted Frank conferences. In the BIG EAST, those four times during that span. and Reinvestment Act. Beamer Beamer as the current I-A head writers rated Frank Beamer the Street & Smith’s College Football was one of the keynote speakers coach for whom they had the best coach on game day, the best 2002 rated Beamer as the top at the American Football Coaches most respect. Beamer was also in game preparation, the best as recruiter in the BIG EAST. In Association Convention in 2000, selected the fifth-best strategist a motivator, the best as a teacher, 2004, SI.com selected him and in April, 2001, he joined among current I-A coaches. In the best in big games and the best coach of the year in the Division former Prime Minister of Great a survey of Division I-A football overall. I-A ranks. Britain, Lady Margaret Thatcher, as one of the featured speakers at SUCCESS 2001, one of the nation’s Stability at the Top Equals Success most popular business seminars. In April 2004, Beamer was One of the keys to the continuing success of Virginia Tech football has been the stability of the program. presented a Humanitarian Award That stability begins at the top with head coach Frank Beamer, whose 20 years at the Hokie helm have helped by the National Conference the program develop a sense of the stability and consistency currently enjoyed by just a handful of other for Community and Justice for Division I-A schools. Only two of the 119 Division I-A head football coaches have been at their current school his contributions to fostering longer than Beamer – Penn State’s Joe Paterno and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden. The Hokies’ head man, justice, equity and community his associate head coach and his three coordinators have a combined total of 85 years of full-time coaching in the Roanoke Valley. An avid experience at Virginia Tech alone. NASCAR fan, Beamer has been the official starter for races at Bristol Coaching Excellence Motor Speedway and Richmond Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster won the prestigious Broyles Award as the nation’s top International Raceway. assistant coach following the 2006 season. Foster was a finalist for the award in 1999, 2001 and 2005. He was Beamer’s success has also also named the No.1 defensive coordinator in Division I-A by rivals.com prior to the 2005 season.