From the sidelines
By Marty Gordon
Virginia Tech’s search for a new football coach has kept sports reporters jumping this past week, and the question is what Athletic Director Whit Babcock is looking for in that future leader.
The list should include the following:
An offensive mind that finally can do something on the field. Offense must be at the top of the list to excite the Hokie fan base which thought the previous regime was heading that way but did not.
A known recruiter in the Southeast, especially in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Hokies have been failing in keeping the top athletes home.
A coach must have a sense that the crazy Hokie fan base is demanding a new high, one that Frank Beamer set the foundation for.
There also must be some experience in a head coaching position. Yes, Virginia Tech could serve as a stepping stone, but if the new coach hopes to move on, he will learn to win in maroon and burnt orange.
The new coach must be a better “people person” in order to again excite the fanbase.
This does not mean a young coach is out of the conversation, but it might help if an older one comes into the fold.
The wish list should also include a coach who understands the media are an important part of his job.
Money should not be a problem if the university hopes to produce a marketing gem on the field. A nationally know football team will increase that attention. In addition, the football team can serve as a financial cow for many other things and athletic programs.
Frank Beamer parked the car in the parking lot outside Lane Stadium with the keys running, but somewhere along the way, it experienced some major mechanical problems. Babcock must find the right mechanic to fix at least some of the issues so the Hokies can get the car started once again.
The bigger hope is that a coach can be found who can pull the car out of the parking lot and down the road.
In the midst of this, those fixes will not come overnight. They might not even come over a few seasons. The university is starting from scratch in so many ways, and change means taking a step back. Fans just need to be a little patient, and that will be hard to do especially when they hope that old car in the parking lot can be traded in for something a little shinier. Right now, the prices of new cars are through the roof and who knows what we might get.