Frank Beamer#Beamerball

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1946)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Frank Beamer

| image = Frank Beamer September 2016.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Beamer in 2016

| current_title = Special Assistant to AD

| current_team = Virginia Tech

| current_conference =

| current_record =

| contract =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|10|18|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Mount Airy, North Carolina, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1966–1968

| player_team1 = Virginia Tech

| player_positions = Cornerback

| coach_years1 = 1972

| coach_team1 = Maryland (GA)

| coach_years2 = 1973–1976

| coach_team2 = The Citadel (DL)

| coach_years3 = 1977–1978

| coach_team3 = The Citadel (DC)

| coach_years4 = 1979–1980

| coach_team4 = Murray State (DC)

| coach_years5 = 1981–1986

| coach_team5 = Murray State

| coach_years6 = 1987–2015

| coach_team6 = Virginia Tech

| admin_years1 = 2016–present

| admin_team1 = Virginia Tech (special assistant to the AD){{Cite web |last=Berkowitz |first=Steve |date=2015-11-01 |title=Under contract, Frank Beamer can have role at Va. Tech, at $250K a year |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/acc/2015/11/01/frank-beamer-contract-virgiinia-tech/75004418/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=USA TODAY}}

| overall_record = 280–144–4

| bowl_record = 11–12

| tournament_record = 0–1 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)

| championships = 1 OVC (1986)
3 Big East (1995, 1996, 1999)
4 ACC (2004, 2007, 2008, 2010)
5 ACC Coastal Division (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)

| awards = AFCA Coach of the Year (1999)
Associated Press Coach of the Year (1999)
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award (1999)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1999)
George Munger Award (1999)
Woody Hayes Trophy Coach of the Year (1999)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (1999)
Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1999)
Joseph V. Paterno Coach of the Year Award (2010){{Cite news |last=Gianotto |first=Mark |date=December 20, 2010 |title=Coach Frank Beamer reflects on his place amongst all-time greats |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/hokies-journal/2010/11/coach_frank_beamer_reflects_on.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720042309/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/hokies-journal/2010/11/coach_frank_beamer_reflects_on.html |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |work=Washington Post}}
3× Big East Coach of the Year (1995, 1996, 1999)
2× ACC Coach of the Year (2004, 2005)
Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)
College Football 150's Top 25 Coaches in Bowl History (2019)
Virginia Tech Hokies No. 25 retired

| CFBHOF_year = 2018

}}

Franklin Mitchell Beamer (born October 18, 1946) is an American former college football player and coach, most notably for the Virginia Tech Hokies.{{cite web|title=Frank Beamer: Head Football Coach|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.html|work=Hokie Sports|publisher=Virginia Tech|access-date=June 30, 2015|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522021354/http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.html|url-status=dead}}

Beamer was a defensive cornerback for Virginia Tech from 1966 to 1968. He began coaching as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland in 1972, and was the head football coach at Murray State University from 1981 to 1986. He became the head football coach at Virginia Tech in 1987, where he stayed for the remainder of his coaching career until 2015,. He was one of the longest tenured active coaches in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and was the winningest active coach at that level at the time of his retirement. Upon retiring, Beamer accepted a position as special assistant to the Virginia Tech athletic director, where he focuses on athletic development and advancement. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.{{cite web|url=http://sports.newsday.com/long-island/data/college/college-football/coaches-salaries/frank-beamer/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006151919/http://sports.newsday.com/long-island/data/college/college-football/coaches-salaries/frank-beamer/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014|title=College football coaches salaries in NCAA FBS – Frank Beamer|publisher=sports.newsday.com|access-date=February 6, 2016}}

Early life and playing career

File:Fancygap.jpg |160x160px]]

Beamer was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina,{{cite web|title=Frank Beamer: Head Football Coach|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.html|work=Hokie Sports|publisher=Virginia Tech|access-date=September 3, 2012|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522021354/http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.html|url-status=dead}} and grew up on a farm in Fancy Gap, Virginia.

Beamer is a direct descendant of the notorious Allen clan of Carroll County, Virginia. In 1912, during a court trial, his great-uncle, Floyd Allen, fired rounds in a spasm of violence. The courtroom shooting left five people dead, including the judge, a prosecutor, and the county sheriff.{{cite web |url=http://theroanoker.com/articles/frank-beamer/index.html |title=Tempered Steel: How Frank Beamer Got That Way – TheRoanoker.com |date=December 15, 2010 |publisher=theroanoker.com|access-date=February 6, 2016}}

In 1953, at the age of seven, Beamer suffered a life-altering accident. After using a push broom to keep a pile of burning trash in place, he returned the broom to its place in the garage, unaware that it was smoldering. A spark ignited a nearby can of gasoline, which exploded in front of him. His 11-year-old brother Barnett saved him by rolling him around on the ground. He was left with burns on his shoulders, chest, and the right side of his neck. Over the next several years, Beamer underwent dozens of skin graft procedures, leaving him with permanent scarring.{{cite web |url=http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colleges/va_tech/frank_beamer/the-building-of-the-coach/article_04192f56-2759-5a65-a4bc-a378ae479e01.html|title=The building of the Coach – Roanoke Times: Frank Beamer|date=December 13, 2015 |publisher=roanoke.com|access-date=February 6, 2016}}

Beamer attended high school in Hillsville, Virginia, and earned 11 varsity letters in three different sports: football, basketball, and baseball. In 1966, he attended Virginia Tech and played football. He was a starting cornerback for 3 years, playing in the 1966 and 1968 Liberty Bowls. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1969 with Omicron Delta Kappa distinction. After graduating, Beamer was an assistant football coach at Radford High School, while attending Radford University for graduate school.

Coaching career

=Early coaching positions=

Beamer began as an assistant at Radford High School from 1969 through 1971. His college coaching experience started 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, the last two as the defensive coordinator.

=Murray State=

Beamer was hired as the defensive coordinator at Murray State University in 1979 under head coach, Mike Gottfried. In 1981, after two seasons as defensive coordinator, he was promoted to head coach. In his six years as head coach, Beamer compiled a record of 42–23–2 (.642). He hired former Murray State defensive back Bud Foster as a graduate assistant in 1981. Foster later joined Beamer's coaching staff at Virginia Tech in 1987.

=Virginia Tech =

==Early years (1987–1992)==

File:Frank Beamer 1987.jpg

On December 22, 1986, Beamer was hired as the head coach at Virginia Tech, replacing Bill Dooley, the winningest coach in school history to date.{{cite web| title=Frank Beamer’s career, as told by the Daily Press | website=Daily Press | date=2015-11-29 | url=https://www.dailypress.com/2015/11/29/frank-beamers-career-as-told-by-the-daily-press/ | access-date=2024-10-21}} However, Dooley had been forced to resign due to numerous NCAA violations. Beamer signed a four-year contract worth $80,000 annually, hired by Virginia Tech's new athletic director, Dale Baughman, also replacing Dooley in that capacity. Beamer took over a Virginia Tech football program that had reached six bowl games to that point (three under Dooley).

As a result of the violations uncovered under Dooley's watch, the Hokies were limited to 85 total scholarships in 1988 and 1989, and 17 initial scholarships in 1989. The sanctions hampered the Hokies, and Beamer went a combined 5–17 in 1987 and 1988.{{Cite web |title=1987 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/1987-schedule.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=1988 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/1988-schedule.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} Beamer's record in his first six seasons was 24-40-2, a win percentage of .385. After the team went 2–8–1 in 1992, athletic director Dave Braine believed in Beamer and thought he deserved more time. It proved to be a wise decision; the Hokies would not suffer another losing season under Beamer's watch.{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Mark |date=November 2, 2015 |title=Frank Beamer, Dave Braine recall early struggles |url=http://www.godanriver.com/sports/virginia_tech/frank-beamer-dave-braine-recall-early-struggles/article_68b02de4-bf9e-5781-98b4-a99a0fbc5db5.html |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=Danville Register & Bee}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14030242/virginia-tech-coach-frank-beamer-career-reminder-different-era-college-football|title=Maisel: Frank Beamer had the benefit of time at Virginia Tech|date=November 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.roanoke.com/z-no-digital/frank-beamer-recalls-the-good-fortune-that-led-to-his/article_990afbab-66bc-5fbe-bb6d-2c8e3811c02f.html|title = Frank Beamer recalls the good fortune that led to his induction in the College Football Hall of Fame| date=December 4, 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19921126-1992-11-26-9211260137-story.html |title = Tech Alters Football Staff|work=Daily Press| date=November 26, 1992 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/684143/2018/11/29/virginia-tech-last-bowl-less-team-1992/|title=Virginia Tech's last bowl-less team, in 1992, finished 2-8-1 — 'and, quite frankly, that record could have been reversed'}} At his hall of fame induction, Beamer said he would have been unlikely to survive his early years had he been coaching in the 2010s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roanoke.com/hokies/hall-of-fame-honor-a-snug-fit-for-former-virginia/article_3e9c9e9a-f7eb-11e8-be1c-23a0ed634905.html|title = Hall of Fame honor a snug fit for former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer| date=December 4, 2018 }}

==Big East (1993–2003)==

In 1993, the Hokies would go 9-3 and won the Independence Bowl; at the time, it was only the fourth time in school history that the Hokies had won as many as nine games in a season.{{Cite web |title=1993 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/1993-schedule.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} The Hokies would go on to a combined record of 75–21 from 1993 to 2000. This included the Hokies' first major-bowl appearances in school history, after the 1995, 1996 and 1999 seasons.{{Cite web |title=Virginia Tech Hokies Bowls |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/bowls.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} The peak year in this stretch was 1999, when the Hokies went 11–0 in the regular season earning a spot to the 2000 Sugar Bowl to play Florida State for the BCS National Championship.{{Cite web |title=1999 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/1999-schedule.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} Behind the play of quarterback Michael Vick, Virginia Tech led Florida State 29–28 early in the fourth quarter, but lost 46–29.{{cite web | last=Plaschke | first=Bill | title=Florida State Holds Off Vick and Virginia Tech, 46-29, for National Title | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2000-01-05 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-05-sp-51083-story.html | access-date=2024-10-21}} The Hokies finished second in the AP Poll and third in the Coaches' Poll–the highest final rankings in school history, and the highest for a Division I team from Virginia.{{Cite web |title=Virginia Tech Hokies Poll History |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/polls.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}

In 2000, Virginia Tech had its second straight 11-win season, only losing to Miami when Heisman candidate Michael Vick was suffering a severe ankle sprain and did not start.{{Cite web |title=2000 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/2000-schedule.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} Using a simple mathematical formula used by College Football Reference to rate every season for every major college football team, it was Tech's best year in history, and remains the best in 2023.{{efn|Based on a statistical technique used by College Football Reference that uses unweighted victory margin and strength of schedule, this was the number one ranked team in school history dating back to games played in 1902. It was 19.42 points better than the average Division I team in 2000. Using this computational method, it was 4th best overall college football team in 2000.{{Cite web |title=Virginia Tech Hokies College Football History, Stats, Records |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia-tech/index.html |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}}} As Tech was in a bye week preparing for its annual game with UVA, Beamer says he was contacted by the University of North Carolina and offered the job to replace soon-to-be fired coach Carl Torbush. Beamer reports in his book, Let me be Frank: My Life at Virginia Tech, that he told UNC that he would accept the job on the off-Saturday the week before the UVA game. "It would be one of the biggest mistakes of my life," he says in the book.{{Cite book |last=Beamer |first=Frank |title=Let me be Frank: My life at Virginia Tech |last2=Snook |first2=Jeff |publisher=Triump Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-60078-846-8 |location=?Chicago |pages=125–131}} He visited Chapel Hill on the Sunday following the UVA win to, as he says in the book, "work out the details." "I never signed a contract, and they wanted me to stay that Sunday night and have the introductory press conference on Monday morning....I know they were thinking if we got on that airplane to come home, I would change my mind. And that's exactly what I did." On the eve of the UVA game, Tech had made a very public announcement (including a press release with a statement from Tech president Charles Steger) that Beamer had been offered a $1 million salary if he stayed.{{Cite news |date=November 25, 2000 |title=Tech offers Beamer more than $1 million per year. |pages=19 |work=The Daily Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-progress-tech-offers-beamer-mo/136750598/ |access-date=December 13, 2023}} What Beamer says made the difference was a $100,000 bump in his assistant coaches' salaries that made them one of the top three paid coaching staffs in the nation, and a commitment to continue expanding the football facilities at his alma mater. He woke up Monday morning in Blacksburg, and wrote in his book that he said to himself "(t)his is my alma mater. This is where I want to be. And this is where we will be as long as I am coaching."

==ACC (2004–2015)==

File:Frank Beamer takes the field.jpg]]

Virginia Tech continued its bowl eligibility streak into the new millennium and won the 2004 ACC Championship in its first season in the league. Over the course of the next seven seasons, from 2005 to 2011, Virginia Tech won at least 10 games every season. The Hokies were the only team in the country to do so. Beamer's record from 1993 to 2011 was 185–58 for a winning percentage of .761. This was the 4th highest win percentage in the country over this period.{{cite web|url=http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/calc-wp.pl?start=2012&end=2015&rpct=30&min=5&se=on&by=Win+Pct|title=I-A Winning Percentage 2012–2015|website=football.stassen.com|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510051029/http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/calc-wp.pl?start=2012&end=2015&rpct=30&min=5&se=on&by=Win%20Pct|url-status=dead}} Although Virginia Tech went just 28–23 from 2012 to 2015, the Hokies still finished each season with a winning record and a bowl bid.

On November 1, 2015, Beamer announced his retirement from coaching, effective at the end of the 2015 season. He was carried off the field after beating Virginia in the final regular season game to become bowl eligible.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rwy57PUWT0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/1Rwy57PUWT0 |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer Carried Off After Final Home Game|date=November 21, 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Beamer's last game was a 55–52 win over Tulsa in the Independence Bowl on December 26.{{cite web | title=Beamer goes out a winner as Virginia Tech beats Tulsa 55-52 | website=AP News | date=2015-12-27 | url=https://apnews.com/article/6e2e0f4e80ce45ba963e94688df6a817 | access-date=2024-10-21}} Memphis' Justin Fuente replaced Beamer as the head football coach at Virginia Tech at the end of the 2015 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20151129aaa.html|title=Virginia Tech officially names Justin Fuente head football coach|publisher=hokiesports.com|access-date=February 6, 2016|archive-date=December 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201041504/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20151129aaa.html|url-status=dead}}

File:2015 Independence Bowl.jpg in Shreveport, Louisiana, on December 26, 2015.]]

== Coaching records and awards ==

Beamer amassed an overall record of 238–121–2 (.663) in his 29 years at the school. His teams went to postseason play after every season from 1993 until his retirement in 2015. The Hokies' consecutive bowl appearances streak—the longest in the nation at the time—continued under his successor, Justin Fuente,{{Cite web |title=Current Consecutive Bowl Appearances |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/bowls/current_consecutive.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303173549/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/bowls/current_consecutive.php |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=December 23, 2015 |website=College Football Data Warehouse}} until the 2020 season. At the time of his retirement, Beamer owned all of the Hokies' 11-win seasons in school history, as well as all of the seasons in which the Hokies won 10 games on the field. Bill Dooley's last team, in 1986, finished with nine wins on the field, but was awarded a tenth win by forfeit.{{Cite web |date=1988-07-26 |title=COLLEGES TEMPLE TO FORFEIT 6 GAMES IN ’86 BECAUSE OF PALMER |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1988/07/26/colleges-temple-to-forfeit-6-games-in-86-because-of-palmer/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Sun Sentinel}}

Beamer's teams won three Big East championships and four ACC titles. Beamer won many awards over his career. He was named the Big East Coach of the Year three times, in 1995, 1996, and 1999. He also was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

==Bowl games==

Beamer led the Virginia Tech Hokies to 23 consecutive bowl games beginning in his seventh season in 1993 until he retired in 2015. It was the second-longest active consecutive bowl streak in the country at the time of his retirement.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Matt |date=November 1, 2015 |title=Frank Beamer will retire, ending a legendary career. |url=http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/156171572/frank-beamer-virginia-tech-will-retire |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128012711/http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/156171572/frank-beamer-virginia-tech-will-retire |archive-date=January 28, 2018 |access-date=April 14, 2020 |work=Sports on Earth |language=en}}

class="wikitable"

|+Bowl Games as Head Coach of Virginia Tech: 1993–2015

!Season

!Bowl Game

!Stadium

!Location

!Opponent

!Result

!Record

|1993

|Independence Bowl

|Independence Stadium

|Shreveport, LA

|Indiana Hoosiers

|Win 45–20

|1–0

|1994

|Gator Bowl

|Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

|Gainesville, FL

|Tennessee Volunteers

|Loss 45–23

|1–1

|1995

|Win 28–10

|2–1

|1996

|Orange Bowl

|Pro Player Stadium

|Miami Gardens, FL

|Nebraska Cornhuskers

|Loss 41–21

|2–2

|1997

|Gator Bowl

|Alltel Stadium

|Jacksonville, FL

|North Carolina Tar Heels

|Loss 42–3

|2–3

|1998

|Music City Bowl

|Vanderbilt Stadium

|Nashville, TN

|Alabama Crimson Tide

|Win 38–7

|3–3

|1999

|Sugar Bowl

|Louisiana Superdome

|New Orleans, LA

|Florida State Seminoles

|Loss 46–29

|3–4

|2000

|Gator Bowl

|Alltel Stadium

|Jacksonville, FL

|Clemson Tigers

|Win 41–20

|4–4

|2001

|Gator Bowl

|Alltel Stadium

|Jacksonville, FL

|Florida State Seminoles

|Loss 30–17

|4–5

|2002

|Win 20–13

|5–5

|2003

|Insight Bowl

|Bank One Ballpark

|Phoenix, AZ

|California Golden Bears

|Loss 52–49

|5–6

|2004

|Sugar Bowl

|Louisiana Superdome

|New Orleans, LA

|Auburn Tigers

|Loss 16–13

|5–7

|2005

|Gator Bowl

|Alltel Stadium

|Jacksonville, FL

|Louisville Cardinals

|Win 35–24

|6–7

|2006

|Loss 31–24

|6–8

|2007

|Orange Bowl

|Pro Player Stadium

|Miami Gardens, FL

|Kansas Jayhawks

|Loss 24–21

|6–9

|2008

|Orange Bowl

|Pro Player Stadium

|Miami Gardens, FL

|Cincinnati Bearcats

|Win 20–7

|7–9

|2009

|Chick-fil-A Bowl

|Georgia Dome

|Atlanta, GA

|Tennessee Volunteers

|Win 37–14

|8–9

|2010

|Orange Bowl

|Pro Player Stadium

|Miami Gardens, FL

|Stanford Cardinal

|Loss 40–12

|8–10

|2011

|Sugar Bowl

|Mercedes-Benz Superdome

|New Orleans, LA

|Michigan Wolverines

|Loss 23–20

|8–11

|2012

|Russell Athletic Bowl

|Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium

|Orlando, FL

|Rutgers Scarlet Knights

|Win 13–10

|9–11

|2013

|Loss 42–12

|9–12

|2014

|Military Bowl *

|Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

|Annapolis, MD

|Cincinnati Bearcats

|Win 33–17

|10–12

|2015

|Independence Bowl

|Independence Stadium

|Shreveport, LA

|Tulsa Golden Hurricane

|Win 55–52

|11–12

* Assistant Head Coach, Shane Beamer was the acting Head Coach for the 2014 Military Bowl.

Retirement and post-coaching career

On November 1, 2015, after 29 seasons as head coach of Virginia Tech, Beamer announced his retirement from coaching, effective at the end of the 2015 season. During his tenure, he coached the Hokies to 23 consecutive bowl games, including a national championship appearance, along with seven conference championship titles.{{Cite web |last=Maisel |first=Ivan |last2=Schlabach |first2=Mark |date=November 1, 2015 |title=Hokies coach Beamer to retire at end of season |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14027097 |access-date=December 8, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} At the time of his retirement, he was the winningest active coach in Division I FBS with 280 career victories.{{Cite web |last=Teel |first=David |date=December 25, 2015 |title=Beamer's poignant, dramatic farewell tour with Hokies ends Saturday |url=http://www.dailypress.com/sports/virginia-tech/dp-spt-teel-column-vt-tulsa-advance-20151225-column.html |access-date=January 1, 2016 |publisher=dailypress.com}} and is the sixth winningest coach in history at the Division I FBS level.{{Cite web |last=Mahoney |first=Joe |date=December 31, 2015 |title=Top 10 RTD Sports Stories of 2015 |url=http://www.richmond.com/z-no-digital/article_a967fd58-e7ba-5069-b240-ac709cd5c0b1.html |access-date=January 1, 2016 |publisher=www.richmond.com}}

=Special assistant to the Virginia Tech athletic director=

In late 2015, shortly after announcing his retirement at the end of the season, Beamer signed an eight-year contract with Virginia Tech, serving as a special assistant to Whit Babcock, director of athletics at Virginia Tech, focusing on athletic development and advancement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/acc/2015/11/01/frank-beamer-contract-virgiinia-tech/75004418/|title=Under contract, Frank Beamer can have role at Va. Tech, at $250K a year|last=Berkowitz|first=Steve|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=December 8, 2018}}

=College Football Playoff Committee=

On January 17, 2017, Beamer was appointed to the College Football Playoff Committee. Beamer joined the 13-member panel, which was formed when the College Football Playoff was implemented in 2013. It is a 3-year appointment and he was the 14th person to be named to the committee. The members meet each of the final six weeks of the regular season to create a weekly poll of the top 25 teams in the country. The panel determines the top four college football teams for the playoff games to decide the national champion.{{Cite web|url=http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/node/1595|title=Beamer, Howard And Smith Named To College Football Playoff Selection Committee|date=January 17, 2017|website=www.collegefootballplayoff.com|access-date=January 17, 2017|archive-date=January 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118213102/http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/node/1595|url-status=dead}}

Legacy

File:Frank Beamer.jpg

=Hall of Fame Inductions=

class="wikitable"

!Hall of Fame

!Year

Virginia Tech Hall of Fame{{Cite web|url=http://monogram.hokiesports.com/recognitions/hall_of_fame.html|title=Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame|date=January 8, 2018|website=www.hokiesports.com|access-date=January 9, 2018}}

|1997

Murray State Hall of Fame{{Cite web|url=https://goracers.com/hof.aspx?hof=101|title=Murray State Hall of Fame – Frank Beamer|date=October 10, 2018|website=www.goracers.com|access-date=October 10, 2018}}

|2004

Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame{{Cite web|url=https://goracers.com/news/2016/6/3/football-beamer-inducted-into-ovc-hall-of-fame.aspx?path=football|title=Beamer Inducted Into OVC Hall of Fame|date=June 3, 2016|website=www.goracers.com|access-date=October 10, 2018}}

|2016

Virginia Sports Hall of Fame{{Cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20180108aaa.html|title=Frank Beamer selected to College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018|date=January 8, 2016|website=www.hokiesports.com|access-date=January 9, 2018|archive-date=January 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174405/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20180108aaa.html|url-status=dead}}

|2017

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Hall of Fame

|2017

Sun Bowl Legend

|2017

College Football Hall of Fame

|2018

Orange Bowl Hall of Fame{{Cite web|url=http://hokiesports.com/news/2018/12/5/football-beamer-to-be-inducted-into-orange-bowl-hall-of-fame.aspx|title=Beamer to be inducted into Orange Bowl Hall of Fame|website=Virginia Tech Athletics|language=en|access-date=December 7, 2018}}

|2018

The Virginia High School Hall of Fame{{Cite web |last=Release |first=Staff/Virginia High School Hall of Fame |date=February 12, 2020 |title=Former Tech coach Beamer among High School Hall of Fame inductees |url=https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Former-Tech-coach-Beamer-among-High-School-Hall-of-Fame-inductees-567808521.html |access-date=November 16, 2023 |website=www.wdbj7.com |language=en}}

|2020

=Honors and tributes=

"Beamerball"

During Beamer's tenure at Virginia Tech, putting points on the scoreboard has become a full team effort with the offensive, defensive and special teams units. 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 35 different players have scored touchdowns on Virginia Tech's special teams.http://www.hokiesports.com/football/notes/20111022.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525172458/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/notes/20111022.pdf |date=May 25, 2012 }} "2011 VT Football Game Notes"

Beamer Way

On August 6, 2015, Virginia Tech renamed Spring Road to 'Beamer Way' in honor of Beamer. Located on the west side of Lane Stadium, it is the primary access route to the campus sports facilities. The Virginia Tech Athletics Department also changed its mailing address to '25 Beamer Way' to commemorate his jersey number as a player at the school.{{Cite web |url=https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2015/08/080615-bov-beamerway.html|title=Spring Road renamed 'Beamer Way'|last=Hincker|first=Larry|date=August 6, 2015 |website=www.vtnews.vt.edu|publisher=Virginia Tech|access-date=October 25, 2016}}

#25 Beamer Jersey

Before the beginning of the 2016 football season, new coach Justin Fuente and his staff collaborated on ideas of how to honor Beamer during the season. On August 29, 2016, the team announced that as an homage to Beamer's transcendent contributions and dedication to special teams, one deserving special teams player would be chosen to wear the number 25 jersey for each game of the 2016 season, earning the title "Special Teams Player of the Week". Beamer wore the number 25 when he played at Virginia Tech as a cornerback from 1966 to 1968. The honorary jersey became so popular with the players, fans, and coaches that the team continued the tradition beyond the 2016 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/news/virginia-tech-frank-beamer-special-teams-no-25-jersey/4cv25oo8yhis1md8fh3e6okmj|title=Virginia Tech to honor Frank Beamer with No. 25 jersey|date=August 29, 2016|website=www.sportingnews.com|access-date=November 17, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20160829aaa.html|title=Special Teams Player of Week to Wear Beamer's No. 25 Jersey for Hokies|date=August 29, 2016|website=www.hokiesports.com|publisher=Virginia Tech|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026080349/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20160829aaa.html|url-status=dead}}

Frank Beamer Day

February 4, 2016, was declared "Frank Beamer Day" in the Commonwealth of Virginia by Governor Terry McAuliffe. In a ceremony on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol in front of a crowd of Virginia Tech students, faculty, and alumni— including his wife, Cheryl Beamer, government affairs directors, Paul Rice and Harvey Creasey III, and university president, Timothy Sands— Governor McAuliffe presented Beamer with a framed certificate to honor his achievements as the head coach of the Virginia Tech football program.{{cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-02-04/virginia-tech-football-thursday-frank-beamer-day-virginia|title=Virginia Tech football: Thursday is 'Frank Beamer Day' in Virginia | NCAA.com|publisher=ncaa.com|access-date=February 6, 2016}}

Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility

On October 6, 2018, Virginia Tech renamed its indoor practice facility to the "Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility". The building, constructed in 2016 was renamed for Beamer and the family of John Lawson, a former rector of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and longtime donor

Frank Beamer Statue

On October 6, 2018, a permanent bronze statue, honoring Beamer's legendary coaching career at Virginia Tech, was unveiled on Moody Plaza outside the Southwest entrance to Lane Stadium, on Virginia Tech's Campus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmond.com/sports/college/schools/virginia-tech/bronze-statue-of-frank-beamer-unveiled-outside-lane-stadium/article_3c0b8269-22b3-52f8-b1bc-30466b5d5274.html|title=Bronze statue of Frank Beamer unveiled outside Lane Stadium|first=Mike|last=Barber|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=October 6, 2018 |language=en|access-date=December 15, 2019}}

Ut Prosim Medal

On May 11, 2023, and Virginia Tech's spring commencement ceremony, Beamer received the Ut Prosim Medal, the university's highest honor, which recognizes those who embody service, sacrifice, generosity, and esteemed accomplishment that reflect honor on both the individual and the university.{{Cite web |last=Montesinos |first=Patsy |date=May 12, 2023 |title=Former coach Beamer receives medal and standing ovation at Virginia Tech's commencement |url=https://www.wdbj7.com/2023/05/12/frank-beamer-receives-medal-standing-ovation-virginia-techs-commencement/ |access-date=August 12, 2023 |website=www.wdbj7.com |language=en}}

Other honors

On July 29, 2016, Beamer was initiated into Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity at the organization's 54th Grand Chapter in Norfolk, Virginia.{{Cite journal|year=2016|title=Alpha Sigma Pi Grand Chapter Workbook – July, 2016|url=http://alphasigmaphi.org/Websites/alphasigmaphihq/images/Grand%20Chapter%20Workbook%20-%207-15-16.pdf|journal=Alpha Sigma Phi's 54th Grand Chapter|volume=54|pages=7 of 76|access-date=December 28, 2016|archive-date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229100712/http://alphasigmaphi.org/Websites/alphasigmaphihq/images/Grand%20Chapter%20Workbook%20-%207-15-16.pdf|url-status=dead}}
On February 1, 2017, Beamer accepted an invitation from Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Coach, Buzz Williams to be an honorary assistant basketball coach and travel with the team for a game at the University of Virginia.[https://web.archive.org/web/20231116035119/https://roanoke.com/etimes/mapping/beamer-out-of-his-element/article_74644fd0-d441-544b-81f1-c79e4a03a093.html Beamer Out of His Element], accessed February 3, 2017
On September 3, 2017, Beamer served as an honorary captain for the Virginia Tech football team for the season opener against West Virginia played at FedEx Field in Landover, MD.{{Cite web|url=https://accsports.com/acc-news/football/beamer-honorary-captains-virginia-tech-west-virginia/|title=Beamer to serve as honorary captain for VT-WVU game|date=August 22, 2017|website=ACCSports.com|language=en-US|access-date=December 8, 2018}}
On January 25, 2018, the Virginia House of Delegates issued a joint resolution (2018- No.158) commending Hall of Fame Coach Frank Beamer on his many lifelong accomplishments.{{Cite web|url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?181+ful+HJ158|title=House Joint Resolution No. 158|date=January 25, 2018|website=www.virginia.gov|access-date=February 2, 2018}}
On January 9, 2019, Beamer was awarded the Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony in Houston, TX. Beamer became the award's 23rd recipient.{{Cite web|url=https://hokiesports.com/news/2018/9/20/football-beamer-to-receive-the-2019-paul-bear-bryant-lifetime-achievement-award.aspx|title=Beamer to Receive The 2019 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award|website=Virginia Tech Athletics|language=en|access-date=December 15, 2019}}
On December 10, 2019, The College Football 150 ranked Beamer #19 on its "Top 25 Coaches in Bowl History" list. Beamer was also listed #45 on the 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history.{{Cite web|url=https://cfb150.org/news/2019/12/10/COLLEGE_FOOTBALL_150_ANNOUNCES_TOP_25_BOWL_COACHES.aspx|title=College Football 150 Announces Top 25 Bowl Coaches|website=College Football 150th Anniversary|language=en|access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-date=December 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215000509/https://cfb150.org/news/2019/12/10/COLLEGE_FOOTBALL_150_ANNOUNCES_TOP_25_BOWL_COACHES.aspx|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/CFB150coaches/the-150-greatest-coaches-college-football-150-year-history|title=The 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history|date=December 10, 2019|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=December 16, 2019}}

Personal life

Beamer married Cheryl (née Oakley) on April 1, 1972. The two met on a blind date, arranged by Cheryl's sister Sheila, while Beamer was a senior at Virginia Tech.{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Mark |date=November 21, 2015 |title=Cheryl Beamer's decades as a coach's wife drawing to a close |url=https://richmond.com/sports/college/cheryl-beamers-decades-as-a-coachs-wife-drawing-to-a-close/article_317a3da2-9084-11e5-84cc-7f992703c555.html |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Richmond Times-Dispatch}} They have two children, Shane and Casey, and six grandchildren. His son, Shane played football at Virginia Tech as a long snapper, and was a member of the 1999 team that played for the national championship. After assistant coaching stops at four different universities, Shane was hired by Virginia Tech in 2011 as the running backs coach and associate head coach.{{cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20110214aab.html|title=Shane Beamer named to Hokies' football staff|publisher=hokiesports.com|access-date=February 6, 2016|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053425/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20110214aab.html|url-status=dead}} Shane left Virginia Tech in 2015 to be the running backs coach at the University of Georgia and later became an assistant at Oklahoma University. He is currently the head coach at the University of South Carolina.{{cite web|url=http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=211705011|title=Coach Shane Beamer University of Oklahoma|publisher=University of Oklahoma|access-date=October 30, 2018}}{{cite web | title=University of South Carolina Hires Shane Beamer as Head Football Coach | website=Hunt Scanlon Media | date=2021-01-26 | url=https://huntscanlon.com/university-of-south-carolina-hires-shane-beamer-as-head-football-coach/ | access-date=2024-10-21}}

In 2006, Beamer and his wife Cheryl published the children's book Yea, It's a Hokie Game Day! under Virginia publisher Mascot Books, Inc.{{cite book|title=Yea, It's a Hokie Game Day!: Cheryl Beamer, Frank Beamer: 9781932888447: Amazon.com: Books|isbn = 1932888446|last1 = Beamer|first1 = Cheryl|last2 = Beamer|first2 = Frank|date = July 2006}}

After the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech shooting, Beamer was a powerful voice in the Blacksburg community, stating that the most important thing that the Virginia Tech and surrounding community could do was to disallow the act of violence to define the university. Beamer is quoted as saying, "We can't let one person destroy what goes on here every day, the caring, the thoughtfulness. We can't let one person destroy that."{{cite web|url=http://www.planetblacksburg.com/2007/04/beamer-were-not-going-to-take-it.php.html|title=Beamer: "We're Not Going To Take It"|last1=Lazenby|first1=Roland|date=April 18, 2007|website=Planet Blacksburg|access-date=November 29, 2017}}

Head coaching record

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Murray State Racers

| conf = Ohio Valley Conference

| startyear = 1981

| endyear = 1986

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1981

| name = Murray State

| overall = 8–3

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = T–2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = 9

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1982

| name = Murray State

| overall = 4–7

| conference = 2–5

| confstanding = T–5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1983

| name = Murray State

| overall = 7–4

| conference = 4–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1984

| name = Murray State

| overall = 9–2

| conference = 5–2

| confstanding = T–2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = 13

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1985

| name = Murray State

| overall = 7–3–1

| conference = 5–2

| confstanding = T–2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = 17

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 1986

| name = Murray State

| overall = 7–4–1

| conference = 6–1

| confstanding = T–1st

| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = 18

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Murray State

| overall = 42–23–2

| confrecord = 27–16

}}AP rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Virginia Tech Hokies

| conf = NCAA Division I-A Independent

| startyear = 1987

| endyear = 1990

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1987

Frank Beamer#Beamerball

Early life and playing career

Coaching career

=Early coaching positions=

=Murray State=

=Virginia Tech =

==Early years (1987–1992)==

==Big East (1993–2003)==

==ACC (2004–2015)==

== Coaching records and awards ==

==Bowl games==

Retirement and post-coaching career

=Special assistant to the Virginia Tech athletic director=

=College Football Playoff Committee=

Legacy

=Hall of Fame Inductions=

=Honors and tributes=

Personal life

Head coaching record

See also

Notes

References

External links