The Northern Virginia Daily
VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2013
67
Beamer reflective as 27th season at VT approaches HANK KURZ Jr. AP Sports Writer BLACKSBURG — Frank Beamer is in full grind mode, preparing for the season. He’s got practices to plan, coaches meetings, and lots of film to watch. The Hokies open the season against two-time defending national champion Alabama on Aug. 31, and time is precious.
acknowledging that when it’s time to close up the lake house in Georgia, stow the golf clubs and come back to get ready for the season, he always finds himself thinking, “Ten more days here would be about right.” Beamer’s wife of 41 years, Cheryl, says success hasn’t changed him at all.
“I know people don’t believe me,” she said one day after stopping at his office, “but he’s exactly the same way he was the day I met him on a blind The 66-year-old Beamer is entering date. He has no ego. He does not his 27th season as coach at his alma AP file bring it home with him. He keeps a mater, and his 33rd as a head coach lot inside. Sometimes I wish he overall. The Hokies are coming off a Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer, front center, sits with some of would let it out, keep him from his players as a team picture is organized during the team’s media day 7-6 season, their worst in 20 years, Aug. 10 at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. maybe getting an ulcer one day, but but with a career record of 258-127he doesn’t get too high or too low. It’s 4, Beamer is the winningest active and running backs coach. His daugh- the truth.” hit it off, and if it had been anyone coach in the Bowl Subdivision, and ter, Casey, and her husband also live else other than Dutch Baughman, he’s not slowing down at all. Beamer, who has an eight-year deal in Blacksburg. I’m not sure I’d have been hired as with Virginia Tech that will pay him Looking out the windows of his the coach here.” Beamer has a lot to be excited about $250,000 annually for fundraising expansive corner office at Lane Baughman, like Beamer a graduate these days. A new season is close. He and alumni relations once he stops Stadium, which the Hokies and their of Virginia Tech, recalls the meeting has a book coming out, “Let me be coaching, isn’t planning to step away fans have turned into one of the best fondly. Frank: My Life at Virginia Tech,” and from the sidelines anytime soon. His game-day environments in the the literary foundation he named for “It became almost like an instant contract to coach expires after the nation, the coach is humbled, and his mother, Hermas’s Readers, is friendship. We felt like we had a lot 2016 season. reflective. thriving in its fifth year. in common,” he said. “It was very “I think about it a lot,” he said. “I “Things have always worked out for clear that he was interested in our Last season, was not so fun. generally say as long as I’ve got a me,” he said as his gestures show off football head coaching position not The Hokies opened with eyes on good quarterback and I’ve got a good the diamond-crusted 2009 Sugar because it was open, but because it contending for the national champiBowl ring on his hand. “I could go kicker, and my health’s good, I’m was Virginia Tech.” onship, with a highly touted defense good to go.” through different stories like when I Six years later, Beamer’s record was and quarterback (Logan Thomas). was an assistant coach and hoped to That view of Lane Stadium surely Two victories, though, were followed just 24-40-2, including a 2-8-1 mark get a head coaching job and someone helps, and was one of the things that in the sixth year. Many in Hokies fan by six losses in eight games. else got it and I was hurting like kept him at Virginia Tech in 2000, base were ready to make a change. “You know, I went on my diet and heck, and when I look back, it was even after he agreed to leave to got down to about 180, which is Dave Braine, who had replaced the best thing that ever happened. become the head coach at North about where I wanted to be,” Beamer Baughman as athletic director, was My whole life has kind of been that Carolina. Like one of the coaches he said, “and then about halfway not among them. way.” pursued when he made changes to through the season I was down to In 1986, after Beamer’s sixth season “If it had been anyone else other his offensive staff last season, at Murray State, the Bill Dooley era than Dave Braine, I probably would- about 166, which is where I didn’t Beamer couldn’t get on the plane. want to be.” at Virginia Tech ended amid a scan- n’t be here, so there’s been a lot of “It’s just a fact that when it got It was the kind of season that can luck involved, but I know how fortudal that would lead to NCAA sancdown to leaving Virginia Tech, I cause a coach to stop eating and to nate I am,” Beamer said. “I’ve been tions. Dutch Baughman was the couldn’t do it.” ponder the future, especially after Hokies’ athletic director, a stint that able to hang around, and hang Now as Beamer hopes to lead the around in one place, and a place that revered coaching friends Bobby lasted just six months, but long Hokies back into the national elite, Bowden and the late Joe Paterno means so much to you, and to have enough for him to make the hire. he views “The House that Frank stepped down unceremoniously. your family all back here, it’s spe“We didn’t know each other,” Built” with humble pride. cial.” “I think it makes you say, ‘Hey, Beamer said in a recent interview “I don’t know about that,” he says of Beamer’s son, Shane, joined his staff know when the right time to get out with The Associated Press, “but I the moniker, “but I’m proud of it.” is, and when is that?’” he said, last season as associate head coach think when we met, we just kind of