It has been over 40 days since Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry after a Week 3 loss to Old Dominion. Since that Sunday, the school has formed a search committee that is going to have its work cut out with all the current power conference openings already before we even get to November.
It's going to be tough to get any leaks or ideas as to which direction the committee is going, as they signed NDAs, according to Andy Bitter of Tech Sideline. There are a lot of options available for the committee to go, but it's going to take time to zero in on who their top targets are. Here are a coach's power rankings for the Virginia Tech job.
Power ranking Virginia Tech football coaching candidates
There is no shortage of candidates, but you have to think that Virginia Tech would love to go with a head coach who has head coaching experience, whether it's at a power conference school or a group of five.
5. Charles Huff
Two years ago, Charles Huff led Marshall to a non-conference win over the Hokies at home, and then last year, lost in Blacksburg before taking off for Southern Mississippi. He already has the Golden Eagles bowl-eligible and is a very good recruiter. He built the Marshall program back up and will draw a lot of interest this coaching cycle from power conference schools.
4. James Franklin
Ok, this might be a dream, but stranger things have happened. Fired from Penn State, he sounded like someone on College GameDay last week who was not interested in taking a year off next season. He'll be a big candidate and will wait until the cycle gets going and see what other jobs open. Virginia Tech needs to make its best pitch and see where it ends up.
3. Shane Beamer
A few weeks ago, this seemed like an unlikely scenario, but things are falling apart quickly in Columbia with South Carolina, and unless a major road upset occurs, they will not be bowl-eligible. Virginia Tech will check in with Beamer, and the connection makes sense, but would Shane want to make his own name at Virginia Tech after his father did? We'll see.
2. Bob Chesney
One coach who is quickly working his way up the coaching ranks and destined for a power conference job is Chesney. He has James Madison knocking on the door of the College Football Playoff this year, and even though they are unlikely to get in, the job he has done with the Dukes since coming from Holy Cross is eye-opening. It would be stunning if he's not at a power conference job by January.
1. Dan Mullen
I know, Mullen said that he's not leaving UNLV this year, but that's typical coach talk before a coach leaves. Mullen's success in the SEC at Mississippi State and Florida speaks for itself, and coming to Virginia Tech is a job where the path to winning might be the quickest in the ACC, with all the other openings. The fanbase would love him, and recruiting through the portal is something he can do. I mean, he's 6-1 at UNLV with former Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea as his QB. Remember him?