This past week’s loss to Old Dominion locked in any decision Virginia Tech had to make in the college football world. Was it the right time? Maybe not, but everything pointed to Brent Pry joining the unemployed.
The former Tech graduate assistant came here with a connection, which everyone hoped would rally the troops. He had a great personality and was good in public, and you hate to see anyone lose their job.
But again, the writing was on the wall. There had to be a change. Pry did manage to delay the decision with a new offensive and defensive coordinator. This is where it gets iffy.
Were they given an opportunity to change the two schemes for the team? Again, it might have been too soon. We still do not know what the coordinators bring to the program.
Backing up to Pry’s personality, it could also have been that fire the team missed on the sidelines.
The team needs to have a “player-only” meeting to see if they change their own path. Even if they want to leave, they need to be building up their own stock.
The key here is that the university has to put together an “eight-point” plan.
- The university has to place more money into the football budget. No matter who might be the new coach, they cannot come into a situation where their hands are tied like it has been for the past four years. If Tech wants to be back just near the top of the ACC, more funding has to help with recruiting to attract and keep more players. The roster needs to stay together for longer than two years.
- In this process, the coaching staff has to do a better job of recruiting its own roster. Players must be sold on the program and its future.
- The coaching staff cannot take a step back in what has been established during the Brent Pry era. In-state recruiting has to continue to be a priority, and the Commonwealth’s best must stay here and not keep going to Penn State, Tennessee and Maryland.
- The schedule must be the first to establish a new “nine conference game” model where each school in the ACC plays more ACC schools.
- The roster must take a complete overall. A change in coach might do this without any effort as there will be plenty of players who leave or recruits who change their minds about coming here.
- The administration must announce a plan which points to the future with optimism. Right now, fans do not have that and have lost confidence in the Hokies.
- The new head coach must come with experience. The administration can no longer grab the up-and-coming. A person with head coaching experience must be found and brought to Blacksburg.
- And finally, the Hokie fan base must be patient. This cannot happen overnight. Yes, it might change quicker than it has in the past eight years. But it will take time, and Hokies need to realize that.
Of course, who could Tech attract to come to Blacksburg?
All the talk about Shane Beamer, he should stay where he has had success. Do not come to Blacksburg and start over.
There are several former head coaches trying to make it back to the bigger stage including former Florida head man Dan Mullen.
Others to consider: Jimbo Fisher, the former Texas A&M head coach; Pat Fitzgerald, former Northwestern head coach; Bob Chesney, James Madison head coach; Alex Golesh, USF head coach; and Charles Huff, Southern Miss head coach.
The key is not to make the same mistake Tech has twice since Frank Beamer.
