Shane Beamer to join Virginia Tech football coaching staff

By Mark Giannotto

Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer announced Monday afternoon that longtime assistant coach Billy Hite has been elevated to a new administrative position as assistant to the head coach and senior advisor. Hite's on-field duties as running backs coach will be taken over by Beamer's son, Shane Beamer, who will join the staff after spending the past four years as an assistant under South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier.

“Over the years, I’ve had great confidence in Billy’s judgment and advice,” Frank Beamer said in a statement. “I appreciate the fact that I will continue to be able to rely on him in this regard. He will continue to be a valuable part of our football program and will be a real asset working with our alumni and former players in different ways.

“I think we are fortunate to get Shane to come back to Virginia Tech. He has had the opportunity to develop a good background, having coached at Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Mississippi State and South Carolina.”

The immediate impact of the change will come on the recruiting front, as Shane Beamer has been the recruiting coordinator at South Carolina the past three recruiting classes. On Monday, the Gamecocks signed defensive lineman JaDeveon Clowney, considered by most recruiting services as the top high school football recruit in the nation this year. It was the second-straight year South Carolina signed a five-star recruit with Beamer leading the team's recruiting.

Virginia Tech hasn't landed a five-star prospect since Tyrod Taylor in 2007. This year, the Hokies recruiting class is ranked No. 33 in the country, and fifth in the ACC, by Rivals.com

Frank Beamer hinted at the possibility of hiring his son during the lead up to the Orange Bowl this year, telling reporters that his wife, Cheryl, kept asking him when her son would be coming back to Blacksburg. Also, in recent years, Hite had taken on a lesser role in recruiting.

Shane Beamer graduated from Virginia Tech in 1999 after serving three seasons as the Hokies long snapper. He was a senior on the 2000 team that went all the way to the national championship. He then worked four seasons as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech and Tennessee before joining the staff at Mississippi State. He coached the defensive backs his first two years in Starkville, Miss., before serving one year as the running backs coach. He was the recruiting coordinator all three seasons there.

In addition to his recruiting responsibilities at South Carolina, Beamer was the Gamecocks' special teams coordinator and coached the linebackers and secondary during his four years there.

“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to return to Virginia Tech,” the younger Beamer said. “I’ve been gone 11 years and during that time I’ve been around a number of great coaches and great programs and had the opportunity to learn a lot. Now, I look forward to returning to Blacksburg and helping Virginia Tech continue to win championships.

“I’m also excited to have the opportunity to be around Coach Hite. I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for him and I welcome the chance to learn from him.”

Hite, a DeMatha graduate, was hired by former Coach Bill Dooley in 1978 and has been the Hokies running backs coach ever since -- a span of 398 games. He was elevated to associate head coach in 2000. Hite has sent 26 running backs to the NFL, a number that should grow this spring with Ryan Williams and Darren Evans eligible to be drafted.

“I would like to thank Coach Beamer and the athletic and university administrators for 33 great years as a coach at Virginia Tech," Hite said. "I also want to thank all the people who are giving me the opportunity for this new challenge. I’m really looking forward to it.”