"This shouldn't be about who the next guy is. This should be about what they're doing to Ralph," (Frank) Beamer said in a phone interview Sunday. "When you've got a guy who's a loyal alum, who's a tremendous football coach and who is responsible for bringing Maryland football back to where it is, something like this should not happen."
Whether by retirement, buyout or firing, it appears the Maryland Terrapins are going to move on from the Ralph Friedgen era. So much so that rumors are already circulating that Mike Leach is going to coach them next season (which is something we'll get into if/when it happens).
This would mean a really good offensive mind, as well as one of Frank Beamer's best friends in the coaching business, will be looking for work. While it would makes sense for Beamer to want to bring his friend and former colleague onto his staff, would Friedgen be a good fit in Blacksburg?
Friedgen and Beamer were on the same coaching staffs in the 70s at Maryland and The Citadel. When Beamer got his first head coaching job at Murray State in 1981, he hired Friedgen to be his offensive coordinator. Their friendship has been well documented since the Hokies and Terps started squaring off frequently when Tech joined the ACC in 2004.
The main reason Friedgen would be a good addition to the Tech staff is that he's an excellent offensive coach. Everywhere he's gone he's had offensive success and his offenses are usually balanced and resemble what Tech already runs.
The problem is what position Friedgen would take. While a lot of fans will instantly say, "Fire Stinespring," which is the Pavlovian response that Hokie fans tend to blurt out in these situations, that's not going to happen. If Stinespring was going to get a pink slip from Beamer, it would have happened long ago. He's going to be around. Live with it. Plus, Stinespring had a good year as OC in 2010 and doesn't deserve the same treatment Friedgen got from Maryland.
If Friedgen and Stinespring were on the same offense staff, I wonder if it would create a situation where there are too many cooks in the kitchen. It could lead to more trouble than it would be worth. I also wonder what Friedgen would bring in the recruiting game. Maryland's recruiting was solid when Mike Locksley or James Franklin were in Maryland, but it suffered when neither was in College Park.
So what do you think? Is Fridge a good fit for the Hokies? Should Beamer he bring him to Blacksburg if he doesn't get a better job offer after getting forced out by Maryland?