RETIRED NUMBERS & JERSEYS
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CARROLL DALE
A native of Wise, Va., Carroll Dale entered Virginia Tech in 1956 as an offensive and defensive end. After seeing varsity action as a reserve in the first game of the ’56 season, Dale went on to start the remaining 39 games of his college career and became Tech’s first bona fide All-American. As a junior in 1958, he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. In 1959, Dale was captain of the Tech team and earned first-team A-A honors. Dale led the Hokies in pass receiving each of his four seasons and finished his Tech career with 67 catches for 1,195 yards and 15 touchdowns. He went on to a pro football career that lasted more than a decade and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987. His Tech jersey was the first to be retired.
BRUCE SMITH
Known as “The Sack Man” of Virginia Tech football, Bruce Smith capped his sensational college career in 1984. As a Tech player, Smith had a career total of 71 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for losses totaling 504 yards. Smith had 46 career quarterback sacks, including 22 during his junior season in 1983 when he was named first-team All-America. In 1984, the Norfolk, Va., native won the Outland Trophy as America’s top lineman and was a consensus All-American. Smith was the No. 1 player picked in the 1985 National Football League draft. During his pro career, he established himself as one of the greatest defensive players ever to play the game. He ended his career in 2003 as the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200.
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FRANK LORIA
Despite his 5-9, 175-pound frame, Frank Loria was one of the most tenacious football players ever to play for Virginia Tech. Loria, who started every game at safety from 1965-67, rapidly established himself as one of Tech’s all-time greats. During his junior year, he earned first-team All-American honors. As a senior in 1967, Loria became Tech’s first consensus All-American, making seven firstteam All-American squads. He finished his Tech career with seven interceptions and a number of punt return records. He went on to coach at Marshall. In 1970, at age 23, he died in an airplane tragedy that claimed the lives of the Marshall football team and staff. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. His number was retired prior to the 1971 season.
JIM PYNE
Center Jim Pyne became Virginia Tech’s first unanimous All-American when he made all five major teams that were selected in 1993. In addition to All-America honors, Pyne was named winner of the Dudley Award as Virginia’s Player of the Year. During his four seasons at Tech, he established himself as one of the Hokies’ top linemen of all time, leading the charge for the 1993 team that rewrote the school record books for scoring and total offense. Pyne started 35 consecutive games and 41 of the 42 Tech games in which he played. He allowed just one quarterback sack by the man he was assigned to block during more than 2,700 career snaps. Pyne spent nine seasons as an NFL lineman before becoming an assistant coach in the pro ranks.
HISTORY
BEAMER AMONG FIVE WHO HAVE HAD JERSEYS RETIRED In 2002, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department developed a new policy on retiring football jerseys. This special honor is bestowed to acknowledge an individual who has won an established national award in their sport, while allowing the number to continue to be worn by others. Tech no longer retires numbers. That year, three jerseys were retired in ceremonies. The jerseys of Frank Beamer, Cornell Brown and Michael Vick were the first to be honored. In 2006, Jake Grove had the same honor bestowed upon him. Corey Moore’s jersey has been retired since 2009.
Michael Vick Sept. 1, 2002 Won 2000 ESPY as College Football’s Performer of the Year.
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Cornell Brown Nov. 20, 2002 Named 1995 National Defensive Player of the Year by Football News in 1995.
Jake Grove Sept. 23, 2006 Winner of the 2003 Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top collegiate center.
Frank Beamer Sept. 12, 2002 Winner of eight national coach of the year awards following Tech’s 1999 season.
Corey Moore Oct. 23, 2010 Winner of the 1999 Lombardi and Bronko Nagurski Awards
2015 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL