Frank Beamer is the face of Virginia Tech football, as both a former player and easily its best coach in program history. He earned a lot of that reputation on the strength of special teams play and new head coach Justin Fuente has come up with a unique way to honor that legacy in 2016.
With Beamer’s blessing, Fuente announced that the team’s special teams Player of the Week award winner will be honored with the ability to wear Beamer’s former football number — No. 25 — the following week.
Fuente noted how many people think of Virginia Tech football and immediately think of crazy special teams plays.
“Thanks to Coach Beamer, his assistants and many talented student-athletes, Virginia Tech has become synonymous with special teams success. When opposing coaches and fans hear the term Hokies, the first thing that pops into the many of their minds is blocked punts and big plays in the kicking game. Coach Beamer revolutioned the college game by putting such a priority on special teams. With his blessing, we’ll honor a player every week and pay homage to the tradition of excellence at Virginia Tech by allowing them to wear Coach Beamer’s No. 25 jersey in that week’s game.”
According to the release, no FBS team blocked more kicks (63) than Virginia Tech did under Beamer in the 1990s alone. The relase also notes two other insane special teams stats, including the fact that during Beamer’s 29 seasons at the helm for the Hokies, Tech blocked 136 kicks (67 punts, 41 FGs and 28 PATs).
The team also apparently took 20 of those 67 blocked punts back for touchdowns during his time at the helm of the program.
Hell, Beamer’s teams started and finished his life as Va Tech’s head coach in fitting fashion. The first kickoff of Beamer’s era was taken back for a 92-yard touchdown, while his final game saw a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown.
If anyone should be honored for coaching up and really believing in the art of special teams play, it is clearly Beamer.