Virginia Tech made a bold play in its efforts to secure its future on the gridiron, selecting Memphis stalwart Justin Fuente to take over for Frank Beamer.
The 39 year-old Fuente is just one year younger than Beamer when he took over the Virginia Tech program prior to the 1987 season. Beamer would spend the next three decades turning the Hokies from a respectable regional program into a national powerhouse, taking the ACC by storm upon its entrance into the league. Although the Hokies slid into relative mediocrity in Beamer’s final years, he left quite a shadow for Fuente to attempt to step out of.
One of the best ways in which Fuente could endear himself to Virginia Tech fans is to play a similar style of play to his predecessor, which came to be known as “Beamer Ball.” One of the biggest tenets of “Beamer Ball” was excellence in special teams.
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