Coach Frank Beamer
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Frank Beamer has won back-to-back ACC Coach of the Year honors, and was tabbed the consensus 1999 National Coach of the Year The 2006 Virginia Tech Football Staff: (front, l to r) Jim Cavanaugh, Bryan Stinespring, Frank Beamer, Bud Foster, Billy Hite; (middle row) Kevin Sherman, Curt Newsome, Mike O’Cain, James Miller, Charley Wiles, Torrian Gray, Kevin Hicks, Mike Gentry; (back row) Lester Karlin, John Ballein, Chad Hyatt, Bruce Garnes, Mike Goforth and Tom Booth. Coach Frank Beamer Two-Time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year Enters His 20th Year at the Helm of the Hokies Virginia Tech couldn’t have asked for anyone better than Frank Beamer to guide its football programprogram intointo thethe AtlanticAtlantic Coast Conference. In each of the Hokies’ fi rst two seasons in their new league, Beamer has been named coach of the year. Last season, he guided Virginia Tech to an 11-2 record, the ACC Coastal Division title, a spot in the inaugural league championship game and the Hokies’ 13th-straight bowl game. Beamer, who was the consensus national coach of the year in 1999, may have done his best coaching job in 2004, guiding a young Tech team that was picked to fi nish sixth in the ACC to a league title and a BCS Bowl. The team also won the league’s 2004 Fall Sportsmanship Award for football, yet another tribute to the program Beamer and his staff have built. When Beamer accepted the job as head football coach at his alma mater in 1987, his goal was for the Virginia Tech football program to reach a consistent level of excellence. The Hokies have come a long way since that day, and along the way, Beamer has become one of the most respected and successful coaches Coach Frank Beamer talks with long-time associate Billy Hite prior to the Hokies’ game at Maryland last season. on the college football scene. Beamer is heading into his stretch that ended in 2003, Tech season with an injury. In 2002, in the college ranks. 20th season at Virginia Tech was ranked in 84 consecutive AP the Hokies were 10-4 despite For his part in the Hokies’ and his 26th year as a collegiate polls. attacking one of their toughest magical 1999 season, Beamer head coach. He is ranked third Winning has been just part schedules ever with a young team earned eight national coach of among active Division I-A coaches of Frank Beamer’s success story. that featured all-new starters the year awards. He was named in victories with 188. His Tech He and his staff have earned a at the defensive tackle, inside the Bobby Dodd Coach of the teams have posted a 132-39 reputation for getting the most linebacker and rover positions, Year, the GTE Coach of the Year, record over the past 13 seasons out of their players. as well as major questions at the Eddie Robinson Coach of the and appeared in bowl games In 2000, Beamer and his staff quarterback and wide receiver. In Year, the Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Coach each year during that span, a directed Tech to an 11-1 record 2004, the Hokies earned 10 wins, of the Year, The Associated Press feat equaled by just three other after opening the season with an ACC title, a Top 10 ranking and Coach of the Year, the Walter schools. Prior to winning the 2004 eight new starters on defense a Sugar Bowl bid despite having Camp Football Foundation/Street ACC championship, he guided and an all-new lineup in the to replace 14 starters. & Smith’s Coach of the Year, the the Hokies to three BIG EAST kicking game. During the 2001 A spot in the Nokia Sugar Maxwell Football Club Coach of Conference championships and season, the Hokies posted an 8-4 Bowl to play No. 1 Florida State the Year and the Woody Hayes in 1999 helped direct Tech to record and appeared in the Top for the national championship Coach of the Year. He also was the national championship game. 20 every week despite having focused widespread attention named the BIG EAST Conference Beamer’s Hokies have earned to fi ll four offensive line spots, on Virginia Tech and its football Coach of the Year for the third the highest national rankings in the quarterback job vacated by program following the 1999 time. the program’s history, spending sensational underclassman Michael season. And although the Hokies There have been plenty of 77 weeks in the Top 10 of The Vick and the tailback spot left fell short in their bid for the other accolades for the Hokies’ Associated Press poll over the open when All-America running national title, they proved that coach. Prior to the 2005 season, past seven seasons. During one back Lee Suggs was lost for the they belong among the top teams a Seattle Times Poll of more 28 • 2006 Virginia Tech Football Coach FrankFrank Beamer gets a GatoradeGatorade showershower followingfollowing the Hokies’ GatorGator BowlBowl victoryvictory overover Louisville last season, and continues toto be showeredshowered with attention forfor the tremendoustremendous success he has helped bring toto VirginiaVirginia TechTech football.football. than 40 coaches voted Frank In 1999, The Sporting News have dreamed of as a youngster his contributions to fostering Beamer as the current I-A head ranked the nation’s top coaches growing up in Southwest Virginia. justice, equity and community coach for whom they had the in terms of their ability to get In September 2000, Beamer in the Roanoke Valley. An avid most respect. Beamer was also the most out of their players. was invited to the White House NASCAR fan, Beamer has been the selected the fi fth-best strategist Beamer was picked No. 9 in where he joined a select group offi cial starter for races at Bristol among current I-A coaches. In Division I-A. Four of Tech’s that stood in the Rose Garden Motor Speedway and Richmond a survey of Division I-A football last six years in the league, behind then-President Bill Clinton International Raceway. coaches conducted by Bloomberg TSN ratedrated thethe TechTech coach tops as he made remarks on the Beamer’s success has also News in the fall of 2000, Beamer among BIG EAST head coaches. Conservation and Reinvestment made him a much sought-after was named the best coach a The publication also ranked the Act. Beamer was one of the coach. In recent years, he has school could hire to run its Hokies’ football coaching staff keynote speakers at the American been pursued by numerous other football program. When BIG EAST as the best in the conference Football Coaches Association schools and has drawn interest Conference football celebrated four times during that span. Convention in 2000, and in April, from professional football teams. its fi rst 10 years of existence Street & Smith’s College Football 2001, he joined former Prime But in the end, his loyalty has in 2000, Beamer was voted the 2002 rated Beamer as the top Minister of Great Britain, Lady remained with the Hokies. Coach of the Decade by the recruiter in the BIG EAST. In Margaret Thatcher, as one of the Beamer has always put league’s media. 2004, SI.com selected him featured speakers at SUCCESS Virginia Tech fi rst — ever since In January 2001, the Pigskin coach of the year in the Division 2001, one of the nation’s most he starred as a defensive back for Club of Washington, D.C., I-A ranks. popular business seminars. the Hokies in his undergraduate honored Beamer as the NCAA The rise of the Tech football In April 2004, Beamer was days in the late 1960s, and surely Coach of the Year. In May of program has made Beamer a presented a Humanitarian Award throughout his 19 years as head that year, an on-line newspaper man in demand. It has opened by the National Conference coach of the Hokies. He has given named him the best coach doors to places he may never for Community and Justice for continued on next page currently in the college football ranks because of his ability to place Tech among the nation’s Stability at the Top Equals Success elite year in and year out. One of the keys to the continuing success of Virginia Tech football has been the stability of the program. Following consecutive 10-2 That stability begins at the top with head coach Frank Beamer, whose 19 years at the Hokie helm have helped seasons in 1995 and 1996, the program develop a sense of the stability and consistency currently enjoyed by just a handful of other Beamer was voted BIG EAST Division I-A schools. Only three of the 119 Division I-A head football coaches have been at their current school Conference Coach of the Year by longer than Beamer – Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Florida State’s Bobby Bowden and Air Force’s Fisher DeBarry. the league coaches. He was one The Hokies’ head man, his associate head coach and his three coordinators have a combined total of 80 years of fi ve fi nalists in the voting of full-time coaching experience at Virginia Tech alone. for the 1995 National Coach of the Year. In 1996, The Sporting News queried writers from around Coaching Excellence the country and asked them Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster was named the No.1 defensive coordinator in Division I-A by to rate the coaches in various rivals.com prior to the 2005 season.