Virginia Tech Football: 3 bold predictions for Miami matchup in Week 12
3. Virginia Tech goes Beamer Ball
Frank Beamer built the Virginia Tech football program from rubble to hard nosed, tough out on the backbone of defense and kicking. The Hokies administration was patient. When Beamer took over for Frank Dooley in 1987, Virginia Tech was coming off of a 10-1-1 (9-2-1 on the field) season.
Coach Beamer started his time in Blacksburg with a record of 2-9 and could’ve immediately been put on the hot seat. Tech didn’t break .500 until Beamer’s third year in charge, and only won 24 games in his first six seasons at the helm.
In 1993, Beamer got Beamer Ball going and the Hokies started their run of stellar defenses and blocking kicks to take advantage of their lower rated recruiting classes. It’s not as if Beamer didn’t recruit in big names but he didn’t at the clip of Big East and now ACC counterparts Clemson, Florida State, and Miami. In the 2000 Sugar Bowl the Hokies faced the Seminoles for the BCS National Championship and were blown out but Beamer kept Virginia Tech in the national title conversation for another decade.
Against Miami in 2018 the Hokies will be looking to play the same style of football that earned them a five game winning streak over Miami in the late 1990s and another dominant run from 2003-2013 which is to force Miami into 3rd and long situations and to block kicks.
The Hurricanes’ offense is struggling and great defensive coordinators like Dave Arranda at LSU, Pat Narduzzi at Pitt in 2017 and Bud Foster at Tech this weekend will find ways to shut down the vanilla, turnover and penalty riddled Miami offense.
Prediction: Hokies force a fumble, interception, and blocked punt against Miami