The Virginia Tech Hokies have had one of the worst starts to the season—if not the worst. After going toe-to-toe with the South Carolina Gamecocks early on, the past two weeks have been nothing short of brutal.
“If UCLA is the king of disappointment, Virginia Tech is one of the next in line for the throne. Things have gotten unfortunate in Blacksburg, as Old Dominion walloped the Hokies 45-26. It's the second consecutive week Virginia Tech was blown out at Lane Stadium, turning what is one of the best environments in the sport to a place of sadness,” USA Today’s Jordan Mendoza wrote.
On Sunday afternoon, the Hokies made a major change, parting ways with head coach Brent Pry—after achieving something not done since 1987, and in the worst possible way.
“Virginia Tech plans to fire coach Brent Pry today. He’s gone 16-24 through four seasons and started this year 0-3. He’s set to be owed more than $6 million in buyout,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote.
The search for the next head coach will be an interesting one for Virginia Tech, with several directions the program could explore. But one name seems to be surfacing more than the rest—a move that would not only revive the program but potentially continue a family legacy.
“Why would Beamer leave an SEC job to coach in his father's shadow? It's a tough sell. But it's conceivable that, if things go poorly at South Carolina this season, he'd be interested in a fresh start at a place of deep personal significance. Beamer spent his formative years in Blacksburg and played for his father. Also, winning in the ACC should be easier than winning in a 16-team SEC that is about to start playing nine league games,” CBS Sports’ David Cobb wrote.
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Shane Beamer has built a respectable program at South Carolina, but it's becoming increasingly clear that the results aren't aligning with expectations. The Gamecocks have looked shaky at times, and a blowout loss at home hasn't helped their case. While returning to Virginia Tech would mean following in his father’s footsteps, it could also be the opportunity for Beamer to build a legacy of his own.