Frank Beamer

College coach infobox
Name = Frank Beamer

---

DateOfBirth = Birth date and age|1946|10|18|mf=y
Birthplace = Mount Airy, North Carolina
DateOfDeath =
Sport = Football
College = Virginia Tech
Title = Head coach
CurrentRecord = 164-85-2
OverallRecord = 212-108-4
BowlRecord = 6-9
Awards = 9 Coach of the Year Awards (See Awards)
2004 Humanitarian Award
Championships = 3 Big East Conference
"(1995, 1996, 1999)"
2 Atlantic Coast Conference
"(2004, 2007)"
CFbDWID = 130
Player = Y
Years = 1966-69
Team = Virginia Tech
Position = Cornerback
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1972 (GA)
1973-76 (DL)
1977-78 (DC)
1979-80 (DC)
1981-86
1987-present
CoachTeams = Maryland
The Citadel
The Citadel
Murray State
Murray State
Virginia Tech
FootballHOF =

Frank Beamer (b. October 18, 1946 in Mount Airy, North Carolina) is the current head coach of the Virginia Tech college football program.

Beamer grew up in Hillsville, Virginia where he earned 11 varsity letters in high school as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. He then attended Virginia Tech and was a starting cornerback for three years on the football team, playing in the 1966 and 1968 Liberty Bowls. He graduated in 1969 and then attended Radford University for graduate school while serving as an assistant football coach at Radford High School.

Coaching

Beamer's college coaching experience began in 1972, when he became a graduate assistant for the University of Maryland, College Park. After one season, he became an assistant coach at The Citadel under Bobby Ross. He spent seven seasons at The Citadel, with the last two as the defensive coordinator. He moved on to become the defensive coordinator at Murray State University in 1979 under Mike Gottfried. After two seasons, he was promoted to Head Coach and spent six seasons as the Head Coach at Murray State, compiling a record of 42-23-2. On December 22, 1986, Beamer was hired as the head coach of Virginia Tech. Beamer was to replace Bill Dooley, whose nine-year tenure was the most successful—in terms of total wins and winning percentage—in school history. Beamer signed a four-year contract worth $80,000 annually, and at the time, new Tech athletic director Dale Baughman—hired to replace Dooley, who also served as both Tech's athletic director and head football coach—received some criticism for hiring Beamer. "Some people have questioned this decision because he is not a big name," Baughman said at the time. "But it's a sound decision, and I'm standing by it." [Smith, Tim. "Beamer realizes dream to coach Virginia Tech," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 24, 1986. Page D3.]

Beamer took over a Virginia Tech football program that was largely unsuccessful in its first century, reaching only six bowl games in that time span. Beamer has since built the Hokies into a perennially ranked team. In 19 years at the helm of VT, his overall record is 156-82-2. His teams have made 15 consecutive bowl appearances but Beamer has gone 6-9 in those 15 bowls. He also has a record of 1-4 in BCS Bowls. Besides his less than stellar record in bowl games, he's also struggled against top ten teams; going 6-27 against top ten schools since he took over the Tech job in 1987.

During his tenure as coach, the program has evolved from independent status to a member of the Big East Conference to a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. His teams have won three Big East Championships and two ACC Championships.

He won Big East Coach of the Year awards in 1995, 1996, and 1999. In 1999, he won consensus National Coach of the Year honors when he led Virginia Tech to an undefeated regular season and appearance in the National Championship game against Florida State. Beamer was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2004, his first year competing in the league. He repeated as ACC Coach of the Year in 2005 while leading his team to the ACC Coastal Division title and an appearance in the inaugural ACC Championship game.

CFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1981
name = Murray State
overall = 8-3-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1982
name = Murray State
overall = 4-7-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1983
name = Murray State
overall = 7-4-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1984
name = Murray State
overall = 9-2-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1985
name = Murray State
overall = 7-3-1
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1986
name = Murray State
overall = 7-4-1
conference =
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = no
championship = conference

CFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1987
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 2-9-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1988
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 3-8-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1989
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 6-4-1
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1990
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 6-5-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1991
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 5-6-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1992
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 2-8-1
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1993
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 9-3-0
conference = 4-3
confstanding = 4th
bowlname = Independence
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 20
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1994
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 8-4-0
conference = 5-2
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname = Gator
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = 24
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1995
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 10-2-0
conference = 6-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 9
ranking2 = no
championship = conferenceCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1996
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 10-2-0
conference = 6-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Orange
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 12
ranking2 = no
championship = conferenceCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1997
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 7-5-0
conference = 5-2
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname = Gator
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1998
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 9-3-0
conference = 5-2
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname = Music City
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 19
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 1999
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 11-1-0
conference = 7-0
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 3
ranking2 = no
championship = conferenceCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2000
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 11-1-0
conference = 6-1
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname = Gator
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 6
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2001
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 8-4-0
conference = 4-3
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname = Gator
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = 18
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2002
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 10-4-0
conference = 6-1
confstanding = 4th
bowlname = San Francisco
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 14
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2003
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 8-5-0
conference = 4-3
confstanding = 4th
bowlname = Insight
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = no

CFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2004
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 10-3-0
conference = 7-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 10
ranking2 = no
championship = conferenceCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2005
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 11-2-0
conference = 7-2
confstanding = 1st - Coastal
bowlname = Gator
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 7
ranking2 = no
championship = divisionCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2006
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 10-3-0
conference = 6-2
confstanding = 2nd - Coastal
bowlname = Chick-Fil-A
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = 18
ranking2 = noCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2007
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 11-3-0
conference = 8-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Orange
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl = yes
ranking = 9
ranking2 = no
championship = conferenceCFB Yearly Record Entry
year = 2008
name = Virginia Tech
overall = 5-1-0
conference = 2-0
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking = 18
ranking2 = no
championship =

Beamerball

During the 'Beamer Era' at Virginia Tech, putting points on the scoreboard has become a full team effort - offensive, defensive and special teams. Often when the team scores one or more non-offensive touchdowns, the style of play is described as Beamerball. Since Beamer's first season in 1987, a player at every position on the defensive unit has scored at least one touchdown. And at least 25 different players have scored touchdowns while on VT's special teams.Fact|date=August 2007

Personal life

Beamer is married and has two children, Shane and Casey. Shane played football at Virginia Tech and was a member of the 1999 team that advanced to the National Championship. As of February 2007, Shane is the new special teams coach at the University of South Carolina.

Awards

*1999 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year
*1999 GTE Coach of the Year
*1999 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
*1999 Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
*1999 Associated Press Coach of the Year
*1999 Walter Camp Football Foundation/Street & Smith Coach of the Year
*1999 Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year
*1999 Woody Hayes Coach of the Year
*1995, 1996, 1999 Big East Coach of the Year
*2004, 2005 ACC Coach of the Year

Quotes

*"There's a certain culture they have up there, they are all grounded kids and we want to have that same kind of culture here"--Then-Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora on Beamer's program.

Trivia

*Beamer was featured on one of the EA Sports announcements on NCAA Football 07.

External links

* [http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.html Official Biography]
* [http://www.hokiesports.com/halloffame Virginia Tech Hall of Fame]