For the first time in 30 years, Virginia Tech’s football program is not headed by Frank Beamer.
The legendary mentor of the Hokies stepped down last season after compiling a record of 238-121-2 that included four Orange Bowl and four Sugar Bowl trips. Beamer also coached twice against Tennessee – Virginia Tech’s foe Saturday night in the “Battle at Bristol” – losing to Phillip Fulmer’s Volunteers in the 1994 Gator Bowl and beating Lane Kiffin’s Vols in the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Beamer was a guest Thursday of “Press Row” on Chattanooga’s ESPN 105.1 FM.
Q: You’ve been through preseason camp and Labor Day weekend. Are you having withdrawals, or are you handling it better than you thought?
A: “We’re doing all right. I just came back from visiting my daughter down in Georgia. She just had her second boy, so I’ve had things on my mind and things to do. I’m staying busy. Of course my son is now coaching at the University of Georgia, and we went to their game against North Carolina.