Virginia Tech's Risky Staff Shake-Up Already Paying Dividends

by furrer4heisman on Jun 30, 2011 11:38 PM EDT in Virginia Tech Football

We may not know all the effects Frank Beamer's February shuffling of his coaching staff for many years to come. However, the changes have already had a big impact on Virginia Tech's recruiting.

The Hokies already have 13 commitments for their 2012 recruiting class, much more than they've had in June in recent memory. The best of the bunch might be their latest commitment.

Four-star linebacker Deon Clarke from Chesterfield committed to the Hokies Wednesday. It was the latest feather in cap of his primary recruiter, Shane Beamer, who his father brought to Blacksburg to bolster Tech's recruiting efforts.

It was a risky move that could have divided the coaching staff. The arrival of the younger Beamer and Cornell Brown meant veteran coaches Billy Hite and Jim Cavanaugh had to be reassigned to administrative positions that keep them from coaching or recruiting. Honestly, it's a move that could still go either way. We may not find out how the moves affected Hite, Cav and the rest of the staff until well after all have left Blacksburg (if ever).

For now, the moves are producing their desired effects. Shane Beamer, a shrewd recruiter who despite his young age was well-seasoned in the SEC, has already landed commitments from two three-star players and now the four-star Clarke.

Frank Beamer took a chance by eschewing his coveted staff continuity in an attempt to bring better players into Blacksburg. Clarke's commitment is the latest proof that the risk is paying off. Now, we just have to wait and see if it will translate to on-field success that gets Tech over the hump and into college football's next level.

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The Payoff

Shane will solidify himself as the best recruiter on campus if he can lock up Joel Caleb, or at least right up there with Gray.

by Chazz Micheal Michealzz on Jul 1, 2011 1:14 AM EDT reply actions

About Time

As I personally witnessed the total disaster surrounding last January’s Orange Bowl, my only explanation was that we (VT) recruited for mediocrity, and therefore achieved mediocrity. If we truly want to compete at the highest level, then we must have commensurate talent.

by John Metz on Jul 1, 2011 8:53 AM EDT reply actions

Finally!

People will always bring up the JMU loss when talking about VT’s 2010 season, but in the end it was just one of those fluke things- everyone knows that if they play that game 100 times, the Hokies win 99 of them. The real wake up call was the Orange Bowl. I think that game was a real shot in the gut for Beamer, because it fully exposed Tech’s recruiting shortcomings the last few years. It’s not easy to change when you’ve got a long record of success (121-36 since ’99), and he deserves credit for finally accepting that he needed to take some chances if the Hokies are ever going to take the final step from Top 25 mainstay to elite level program.

by BleauxLeaux on Jul 1, 2011 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

ludicrous

Shane B the “PRIMARY RECRUITER”? This would be laughable if so many people weren’t buying it.
Alums in the know are well aware that Clarke’s real recruiter was Cavanaugh; we have all called Cavanaugh to congratulate HIM. Shane Beamer just got to put the official stamp on the deal — just as he gets to sit back and take credit for Cavanaugh’s recruitment of Nigel Williams.
Cavanaugh has laid enough groundwork for Shane that we won’t feel the effects of his loss for a year or two yet, but feel it we will. Ultimately, Frank Beamer’s nepotism will set this program back so far I doubt it can ever recover.

by vatekkrooter on Jul 11, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions