Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer to retire after this season

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer will retire at the end of this season.

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer will retire at the conclusion of this season, according to a source.

Beamer officially announced the retirement on Sunday.

“I have always said that ‘I want what is best for Virginia Tech,’” Beamer said. “Because of my love and passion for this great university, this program and our tremendous fans, I have decided after 29 years that it’s time.”

Beamer, who is in his 29th season with the Hokies, leads all active Division I coaches with 276 career wins. He will finish out the rest of this season before stepping away from the team.

“I was going to wait until the end of the season to make this announcement, but I’ve always believed in being open and honest with my players and coaches,” Beamer added. “I know Hokie Nation will continue to give our players and our coaches their full support in these last three games, and hopefully through a bowl game.”

The 69-year-old coach led the Hokies to the national championship game in 1999, with a team featuring Mike Vick at starting quarterback. Virginia Tech fell to Florida State 46–29 in the title game. The Hokies have made a total of eight major bowl games under Beamer.​

However, after winning ACC titles in 2004, ‘07, ‘08 and ‘10, Virginia Tech has not won another one since. The Hokies won 10 games or more for eight straight seasons from ‘04 to ‘11 but have not won more than than eight games in a season in the past three years and are 4–5 this season.

Beamer had throat surgery in December 2014, which forced him to coach from the booth in the Hokies‘ 33–17 win against Cincinnati in last year’s Military Bowl.

Candidates for the new opening include Justin Fuente, Rich Rodriguez, Tom Herman, Matt Rhule and Matt Wells.