(11-16-2021 12:15 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  I think Tech needs a guy who has an entrepreneurial spirit that has had many P5 stops, likes small college towns, can recruit like hell and knows a thing or two about destroying in-state recruiting relationships, and can coach a sound defense.

It’s quite obvious they need Everett Withers who can rally the Beta Turkeys to bring VT football back to the heights of Beamer.

Clearly Withers would be a home run hire for them.

(11-16-2021 12:55 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 12:15 PM)MarginalDuke Wrote:  I think Tech needs a guy who has an entrepreneurial spirit that has had many P5 stops, likes small college towns, can recruit like hell and knows a thing or two about destroying in-state recruiting relationships, and can coach a sound defense.

It’s quite obvious they need Everett Withers who can rally the Beta Turkeys to bring VT football back to the heights of Beamer.

Clearly Withers would be a home run hire for them.

I might have to donate to VT if they got him lol.
VT needs the juice.

(11-16-2021 12:34 PM)Harrisonburger Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 10:23 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  I once sent him an email since we're cousins in name only but got no response, that jerk.

He lived across the street from me and seemed like a good guy. When I saw him. That man was never home.

He might deny it now, but probably the last time I talked to him, when he was already at Marshall but coming back while the family was transitioning, he seemed pretty clear that while Marshall might have been a step up in terms of college football pecking order at the time, it wasn't in terms of facilities. :-)

My wife and JC's wife, and our daughters, were good friends when he was with JMU so we'd see them all the time. She's been texting my wife about the news, said he was basically fired and 10 minutes later was the HC.

Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order, but reasonably expect to be competing for the Coastal division title annually. I think it's also a realistic expectation to recruit at a top-25 level since that's generally where we were every year before recent classes under Fuente tanked.

VT is still an attractive job to coaches, and you're deluding yourself if you think it's not. The Coastal division has been one of the worst divisions in P5 football for almost two decades, so the path to the ACC Championship is pretty easy if you're able to recruit. It's getting harder as UNC has gotten their house in order, and UVA made a smart hire in Mendenhall (though they're only going to be as good as the QB under center, as we've seen in recent years).

VT also has the best football facilities in the state (until UVA decides they want to spend more of their money on football). The recent upgrades to the weight room, new nutrition center, and brand new athletics dorms put VT on a more even playing field with the top tier of the ACC. We got behind a little on the arms race, but Fuente's dalliance with Baylor opened up some eyes inside the AD and that's been addressed.

Most folks I know would be thrilled with Billy Napier, but he's a hot name right now so we'll see where things end up.

(11-16-2021 02:50 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order, but reasonably expect to be competing for the Coastal division title annually. I think it's also a realistic expectation to recruit at a top-25 level since that's generally where we were every year before recent classes under Fuente tanked.

VT is still an attractive job to coaches, and you're deluding yourself if you think it's not. The Coastal division has been one of the worst divisions in P5 football for almost two decades, so the path to the ACC Championship is pretty easy if you're able to recruit. It's getting harder as UNC has gotten their house in order, and UVA made a smart hire in Mendenhall (though they're only going to be as good as the QB under center, as we've seen in recent years).

VT also has the best football facilities in the state (until UVA decides they want to spend more of their money on football). The recent upgrades to the weight room, new nutrition center, and brand new athletics dorms put VT on a more even playing field with the top tier of the ACC. We got behind a little on the arms race, but Fuente's dalliance with Baylor opened up some eyes inside the AD and that's been addressed.

Most folks I know would be thrilled with Billy Napier, but he's a hot name right now so we'll see where things end up.

I never said it was a bad job. I just think they are a bit unrealistic in their expectations and where they are in the pecking order.
I work in Blacksburg and there are definitely some that have been humbled by the results the last few years.
I do think their high level donors may make the same mistakes made by Tennessee, and that will get them in major trouble.
They need an up and coming guy that has shown success over a period of time. Based on Fuentes results, I don't think they are going to be happy unless its a big name.

(11-16-2021 11:07 AM)Bill Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 10:58 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  But here's the thing: who are they going to get?

Mike Houston!

Only if Mike Houston were still sitting in Harrisonburg vs. Greenville.

(11-16-2021 11:46 AM)CarRamrod Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 11:39 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 11:24 AM)CarRamrod Wrote:  Surprised to see Cignetti being passed around, I will put the odds of VT even entertaining hiring an FCS HC at 0%.

There is no consensus amongst VT donors as to where they should go next but if they aren't careful they could enter a UT-type coaching turnstile over the next 15 years.

https://footballscoop.com/news/virginia-...y-chadwell

Absolutely agree. They were the team to come to mind when I saw Fuentes fired. Their donors are going to get in the way and will lead to some poor hiring decisions based purely on name and not results.
I would love nothing more than to pass them. If they continue to make Fuentes-type hires, we will.

VT donors are going to have to step up and/or Babcock needs to allocate more money to the program. If you go look at the assistant coach salary pool they gave Fue, its not real hard to see why there were some struggles. For those not aware, the OC + DC salaries are a COMBINED less than $1 million. For a team that wants to be competitive for P5 championships that is insanely low. If they want to lure a big name this year, that number has to at least double.

For comparison, UGA pays their OL coach $1 million. The leap from the middle-of-the-pack P5 to the top tier P5 budgets is huge.

Fuente let his desire not to make staff changes hinder him as much as the available salary pool to fill positions. Understand him plucking Ryan Smith off of Cignetti's staff due to his Virginia connections to make him the recruiting coordinator. When didn't let his OC Cornelson go when the offensive gameplan wasn't producing success on the field was the beginning of the end for him.

(11-16-2021 03:28 PM)JMU1987UVA1998 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 11:07 AM)Bill Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 10:58 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  But here's the thing: who are they going to get?

Mike Houston!

Only if Mike Houston were still sitting in Harrisonburg vs. Greenville.

He would have had a very good chance, but he ruined it going to ECU.
Does Houston still want to stay in NC? I believe UNC is his dream job.

(11-16-2021 03:34 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 03:28 PM)JMU1987UVA1998 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 11:07 AM)Bill Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 10:58 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  But here's the thing: who are they going to get?

Mike Houston!

Only if Mike Houston were still sitting in Harrisonburg vs. Greenville.

He would have had a very good chance, but he ruined it going to ECU.
Does Houston still want to stay in NC? I believe UNC is his dream job.

You would think he does since it's probably the flagship HC job in the state of NC. Who knows how long Mack Brown lasts in Chapel Hill. He's looked like an "out of touch old man" at times on the sidelines this season from time to time.

(11-16-2021 02:50 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order, but reasonably expect to be competing for the Coastal division title annually. I think it's also a realistic expectation to recruit at a top-25 level since that's generally where we were every year before recent classes under Fuente tanked.

VT is still an attractive job to coaches, and you're deluding yourself if you think it's not. The Coastal division has been one of the worst divisions in P5 football for almost two decades, so the path to the ACC Championship is pretty easy if you're able to recruit. It's getting harder as UNC has gotten their house in order, and UVA made a smart hire in Mendenhall (though they're only going to be as good as the QB under center, as we've seen in recent years).

VT also has the best football facilities in the state (until UVA decides they want to spend more of their money on football). The recent upgrades to the weight room, new nutrition center, and brand new athletics dorms put VT on a more even playing field with the top tier of the ACC. We got behind a little on the arms race, but Fuente's dalliance with Baylor opened up some eyes inside the AD and that's been addressed.

Most folks I know would be thrilled with Billy Napier, but he's a hot name right now so we'll see where things end up.

Whit seemed a little too scripted in his press conference earlier this morning but he did point out that staff salaries was an area that would need to be addressed once the new HC is hired.

This is one of the most attractive jobs in the country. Great facilities, large and passionate fan base, good academics, good conference. ESPN loves them. I don't think the fans have delusional expectations. They want 9 and 10 win seasons, Coastal titles and a good bowl. Tech has never been elite, but they have been very, very good at times in the last 20 years. In '99, Vick had them leading FSU in the third quarter in the national championship game. The best years under Beamer, on average, they won about 10 or 11 games and were ranked top 15. You go two dozen other schools in the country, and it's national championship or bust. Not at Tech.

Part of the problem is that Tech has really only had success under one, very long-tenured coach. They won some under Bill Dooley, but Frank was the guy that set the bar. (And Bud.) They've only had three head coaches in 43 years. So it's not a program that's used to replacing coaches, and it's not a fan base who's used to dealing with that. And being only the third head coach since the '70s puts a lot of pressure on a guy like Fuente. I think he tried but he just wasn't cut out for it.

EDIT: Also, Shane Beamer is not coming back. Babcock would never do that. I suspect they'll get another up-and-comer. Look at their basketball hires--Kenny and what, the guy from Wofford?

(11-16-2021 03:10 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 02:50 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order, but reasonably expect to be competing for the Coastal division title annually. I think it's also a realistic expectation to recruit at a top-25 level since that's generally where we were every year before recent classes under Fuente tanked.

VT is still an attractive job to coaches, and you're deluding yourself if you think it's not. The Coastal division has been one of the worst divisions in P5 football for almost two decades, so the path to the ACC Championship is pretty easy if you're able to recruit. It's getting harder as UNC has gotten their house in order, and UVA made a smart hire in Mendenhall (though they're only going to be as good as the QB under center, as we've seen in recent years).

VT also has the best football facilities in the state (until UVA decides they want to spend more of their money on football). The recent upgrades to the weight room, new nutrition center, and brand new athletics dorms put VT on a more even playing field with the top tier of the ACC. We got behind a little on the arms race, but Fuente's dalliance with Baylor opened up some eyes inside the AD and that's been addressed.

Most folks I know would be thrilled with Billy Napier, but he's a hot name right now so we'll see where things end up.

I never said it was a bad job. I just think they are a bit unrealistic in their expectations and where they are in the pecking order.
I work in Blacksburg and there are definitely some that have been humbled by the results the last few years.
I do think their high level donors may make the same mistakes made by Tennessee, and that will get them in major trouble.
They need an up and coming guy that has shown success over a period of time. Based on Fuentes results, I don't think they are going to be happy unless its a big name.

It’s a good job like South Carolina is a good job.

Great support, facilities, location, school.

Will have many good seasons, a few great ones, and a few poor ones.
But will never be able to win the big one and be at the very very top.

(11-16-2021 03:40 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  This is one of the most attractive jobs in the country. Great facilities, large and passionate fan base, good academics, good conference. ESPN loves them. I don't think the fans have delusional expectations. They want 9 and 10 win seasons, Coastal titles and a good bowl. Tech has never been elite, but they have been very, very good at times in the last 20 years. In '99, Vick had them leading FSU in the third quarter in the national championship game. The best years under Beamer, on average, they won about 10 or 11 games and were ranked top 15. You go two dozen other schools in the country, and it's national championship or bust. Not at Tech.

Part of the problem is that Tech has really only had success under one, very long-tenured coach. They won some under Bill Dooley, but Frank was the guy that set the bar. (And Bud.) They've only had three head coaches in 43 years. So it's not a program that's used to replacing coaches, and it's not a fan base who's used to dealing with that. And being only the third head coach since the '70s puts a lot of pressure on a guy like Fuente. I think he tried but he just wasn't cut out for it.

EDIT: Also, Shane Beamer is not coming back. Babcock would never do that. I suspect they'll get another up-and-comer. Look at their basketball hires--Kenny and what, the guy from Wofford?

They do support their basketball team, but football is #1 for them no question.
I don't believe their donors will be happy with an up and coming guy. They want a name and I'm sure the donors will do what it takes to get that guy.
I just feel like they are going to go after a name far more than the best coach.
I wonder if Stinespring will apply.
I honestly am not worried that VT would steal Cignetti because they view us as inferior and I doubt the donors would give him a chance. Honestly, CC would be a good hire for them, but I just don't see them taking a coach from little 'ole Div II JMU.

I think VT might be one of the more attractive/easier coaching gigs in P5. It's the perfect mix of generally low expectations (play in conference championship, beat UVA, play in a good bowl game), but lots of resources (at least I thought that before seeing the posts regarding low assistant coach pay).

I mean heck Fuente got an extension after back to back 4 loss seasons and a loss in a pre new years bowl.

I'm sure there are plenty of coaches out there that would love Tech's facilities, football first attitude, fan base, high school recruiting brand, etc. with the only expectation being 9 and 10 win seasons while playing the likes of GT, Duke, UNC every year and then a mix of a G5, FCS, Cuse, BC.

(11-16-2021 04:15 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  I think VT might be one of the more attractive/easier coaching gigs in P5. It's the perfect mix of generally low expectations (play in conference championship, beat UVA, play in a good bowl game), but lots of resources (at least I thought that before seeing the posts regarding low assistant coach pay).

I mean heck Fuente got an extension after back to back 4 loss seasons and a loss in a pre new years bowl.

I'm sure there are plenty of coaches out there that would love Tech's facilities, football first attitude, fan base, high school recruiting brand, etc. with the only expectation being 9 and 10 win seasons while playing the likes of GT, Duke, UNC every year and then a mix of a G5, FCS, Cuse, BC.

There's no question. However, as big as the candidate pool will be, how many of them will be high profile? I'm not sure.
The fact that Fuentes didn't give them the results they wanted, I feel like they won't be happy unless it's a big name guy.

(11-16-2021 02:50 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order

I've hardly known a VT fan that wasn't extremely delusional, at least when Beamer was coach.

(11-16-2021 12:01 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  They need a proven winner from the FBS level to fix MULTIPLE areas in that program. #1 has to be repairing the damage done to in state recruiting.

My guess is Clawson, Napier, and Chadwell....in that order.

Kind of ridiculous if those guys are all interested. Doesn't seem like you can go wrong with any of them. Clawson is about as proven as you can get, Napier excelled at a tough job, and Chadwell may be considered the best out of them. Maybe they'll mess it up and go with someone else.

(11-16-2021 04:19 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 04:15 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  I think VT might be one of the more attractive/easier coaching gigs in P5. It's the perfect mix of generally low expectations (play in conference championship, beat UVA, play in a good bowl game), but lots of resources (at least I thought that before seeing the posts regarding low assistant coach pay).

I mean heck Fuente got an extension after back to back 4 loss seasons and a loss in a pre new years bowl.

I'm sure there are plenty of coaches out there that would love Tech's facilities, football first attitude, fan base, high school recruiting brand, etc. with the only expectation being 9 and 10 win seasons while playing the likes of GT, Duke, UNC every year and then a mix of a G5, FCS, Cuse, BC.

There's no question. However, as big as the candidate pool will be, how many of them will be high profile? I'm not sure.
The fact that Fuentes didn't give them the results they wanted, I feel like they won't be happy unless it's a big name guy.

I don't think the fanbase is expecting a big name hire like you keep saying. The name I've seen at the top of most folks wishlist is Billy Napier, and he's definitely not a big name. We may get big-dogged by someone else if that's the target, but I think the biggest thing folks want to see is someone who has head coach experience and has worked for P5 programs.

The high level donors (who you mentioned previously) were supposedly some of the ones who pushed to keep Fuente a couple years ago to see if he could right the ship.

(11-16-2021 04:25 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 02:50 PM)H.U.S.T.L.E. Wrote:  Not sure what VT fans you guys are running into... Most of the folks I know aren't delusional about VT's place in the pecking order

I've hardly known a VT fan that wasn't extremely delusional, at least when Beamer was coach.

I think there was a moment following the '99 team where VT had a real chance to elevate into the upper echelon of college football, but we didn't keep pace. At one point in the early 2000s Beamer and his staff were one of the highest paid in the sport. So I can see why VT fans were like that in the early to mid 2000s.

But Jim Weaver (RIP) didn't capitalize and see which way the wind was about to start blowing in the world of college athletics, and we lagged behind again. By the time I graduated in 2011, it was pretty clear that we had missed the window to be an elite program.

(11-16-2021 03:28 PM)JMU1987UVA1998 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 11:07 AM)Bill Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 10:58 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  But here's the thing: who are they going to get?

Mike Houston!

Only if Mike Houston were still sitting in Harrisonburg vs. Greenville.

He was mentioned as a candidate on a dc radio station this morning. I find that hard to believe after the mediocre results of ECU the last three years.