Virginia Tech is on the hunt for its third head football coach since the legendary Frank Beamer stepped down after the 2015 season. Justin Fuente was dismissed during his sixth year in charge, and his successor, Brent Pry, was fired just three games into his fourth season.
In short, the Hokies can’t afford to miss on this next hire. There is, however, some optimism. The school’s Board of Visitors recently approved a new four-year athletic budget exceeding $229 million—an investment that places Virginia Tech among the ACC’s financial heavyweights alongside Clemson and Florida State.
“Virginia Tech is at a historic juncture in the history of Hokie Athletics,” said school president Tim Sands. “The tumblers at the institution, conference and national levels are all aligned. Today’s action unlocks the door to future success.”
As for the coaching search itself, the Hokies have assembled an eight-person committee to identify the next leader of the program. That group includes:
- Bruce Arians
- Bud Foster
- Eddie Royal
- Bridget Ryan Berman
- Lynne Doughtie
- Brad Hobbs
- Ryan McCarthy
- J. Pearson
The first three names are familiar to Virginia Tech fans. Arians has been outspoken about his involvement, Foster remains one of the most respected defensive minds in college football, and Royal—a former Hokie standout—has transitioned into a media role. The remaining members come from the business world and have strong ties to the university, either as alumni or as part of the Board of Visitors.
One surprising development is that Virginia Tech plans to hire its next head coach before naming a football general manager, reversing what many thought would be the order. The reasoning isn’t entirely clear, but it could signal a preference for a coach-GM pairing with an existing relationship or a desire to let the new coach shape the GM search.
Current athletic director Whit Babcock is expected to have input in the process, though reports indicate that Board of Visitors member John Rocovich is leading the search effort.
Despite Brent Pry’s early dismissal, the Hokies aren’t expected to make a quick hire—most of their top targets are still coaching elsewhere. In the meantime, interim coach Philip Montgomery will aim to push his record to 3–0 when Virginia Tech hosts Wake Forest on Saturday.