A win over Wofford does not mean anything in the bigger scheme of things for the Virginia Tech Hokies.
There is so much to fix, so much to change and so much to hope for.
Hokie fans have been here before. This threshold is something everyone hoped had been fixed with the hiring of a young Memphis head coach. Nope, it didn’t work then. The hiring of Brent Pry did not either. He created a better environment in Blacksburg, but he didn’t have any experience in those early years of coaching staff to pull from. He and they were learning on the go.
This time around, university officials must find someone with experience, and that might mean spending more money.
If Virginia Tech hopes to get back to the top of the ACC, they have to ignore everything being spouted by fans. This will be the toughest decision ever made at the school, and everyone needs to be patient.
The move must not be done quickly.
The opening has a lot to attract individuals.
Help Wanted ad:
Looking to hire someone with Division I head coaching experience, at least four years or more.
Must be able to lead a large group of men in an athletic business setting.
Travel is a big part of the job, especially in the state of Virginia.
Candidate must be a good communicator and recruiter.
Provide guidance and mentorship to players to develop their skills and character.
Communicate regularly with parents, school administrators, and the media about team performance and activities.
Able to adjust to the changing environment of college athletics and deal with it as a business versus a free ride for education. (This no longer exists. It all comes down to the almighty dollar.)
Must be able to sit in recruits living room and convince their family Blacksburg is the place for their son.
Must be a good delegator that can manage within the team-concept, thus having supervisors (assistant coaches) that pick up the ball and run with it.
At the end of the day, Brent Pry checked many of the above boxes. He was great for the relationship with fans and alumni, and in so many ways, he reminded us of a young Frank Beamer. He was also good on the recruiting side of the aisle.
But it was the changing environment that also took a toll on Pry and his young staff. Production on the field simply was not going to come within the current situation.
Will more money fix it?
Maybe not, but it will not hurt. Things will simply not change overnight, and it could take a very strong-willed person to come in to lead the Hokie program. There have to be changes, and the concern is whether a change in head coach at this junction will set it back another 5-10 years.
We will not know until the dust clears at the end of this season. Now, we all wait.
