Fighting Gobbler Roundtable: The Current State of Virginia Tech Hokies Football

Jan 29, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Whit Babcock speaks during a press conference to introduce new Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Virginia Tech Hokies have had one of their worst football seasons, if not the worst season, since 1992 which was the last time they missed a bowl game and the last time they lost four home games in one season till this season. It has been a rough season for Hokie Nation with everybody wondering what the right direction is for this program.

Over the course of this week, we will ask some hot button issues and the staff of Fighting Gobbler will give their opinions on these issues from the future of Frank Beamer to whether Bud Foster could be the heir to Frank Beamer and who we think the best candidate is to replace Beamer whether a change happens after this season or down the road.

However, we start at the foundation of all of this, the state of Virginia Tech football right now which is a very debatable subject depending on your perspective. Now, here is what our staff thinks about the current state of Virginia Tech football.

Dwight Lester

The state of Virginia Tech football is up in the air.  The fan base is getting very frustrated with the team’s performance and are screaming for change.  However, the coaching staff is trying to keep the team in a positive state of mind.  With this difference in philosophies from the fan base and the coaching staff, all fans of the Hokies have no idea what is about to happen.  The only constant is the need for the team to play better.

Fans should be hopeful as there is talent all over the field.  This talent, however, is very young.  Can the Hokie staff survive this youth and keep their jobs is the real question.  The coaching staff as well as the team needs to know if the outcome of the games do not change, home games are not going to be as wild as they have been in years past.

Rebuilding processes are a test on a fan base and the powers that make staffing decisions. The state of the Hokies, if you ask me, can be summed up in one phrase, please be patient.

Joe Vitulli

The Virginia Tech Football program has been in a downward spiral for a few years now.  Poor recruiting, devastating injuries, outdated playbooks, and lack of discipline have been a plague on the Hokies.  However, this season seems to illustrate rock bottom for Virginia Tech.  The Hokies are likely to miss a bowl game for the first time in 21 years and have lost the most home games in a single season in two decades.

Nov 1, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Isaiah Ford (1) with the ball as Boston College Eagles defensive back Manuel Asprilla (21) defends in the first quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The seats under Frank Beamer and his coaching staff have to be warming and changes are likely to come after the season in one form or another.  However, while the present state of the Hokies in 2014 is bleak at best, there is hope for the future.

One of the biggest issue with the current team is how young and inexperienced they are.  Freshmen are lining up a key positions on both sides of the ball and gaining valuable experience.  Guys like Marshawn Williams, Shai McKenzie, Isiah Ford, and Bucky Hodges will be able to led this team in the future back to relevance in both the ACC and nationally.

This season may be a lost cause but there is still a bright future in Blacksburg as the Hokies rebuild and work towards next season.

Tim Thomas

The Virginia Tech Hokies have had a few down years now with this season being the worst in a long time in Blacksburg. I still think the Hokies can get to a bowl game this season due to how bad Wake Forest is and how Virginia seems to also be falling apart right now. There is no doubt that the Hokies have either hit rock bottom or are pretty close to it.

The seats of Frank Beamer and his staff have warmed a lot and there is no doubt that Whit Babcock will have a decision ahead of him this offseason. Hokie Nation has plenty of confidence that Babcock will make the right decision for the program even if they don’t have very much confidence in Beamer.

One of the biggest programs that will have to be asked is whether Beamer has just started to fall off in terms of his coaching skills just like Bobby Bowden or if Beamer is ready to bring the Hokies back to the national spotlight just like Bill Snyder at Kansas State.

The recruiting has been strong this year while the talent projected to be on the roster next season is top-15 level with the return of some big time playmakers along with the lack of departing seniors who have been quality contributors.

The question that remains is whether Frank Beamer is the guy to maximize that talent which has brought us to this point. The future is bright in Blacksburg but Whit Babcock has a decision to make that could determine the fulfillment of the huge potential next season’s team has.

Right now, Virginia Tech football is near rock bottom in this season where the Hokies have underperformed but the future looks very bright.