Paul Finebaum on Shane Beamer possibly leaving for Virginia Tech job

Virginia Tech suffered a tough loss on Saturday against Syracuse. The loss was the third in a row for the Hokies. After a 3-1 start to the season with a win over North Carolina in Week 1, things have really fallen in Blacksburg. Saturday’s loss have left many wondering about the future of Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum even went as far to name South Carolina coach Shane Beamer as an option to replace Fuente.

South Carolina is currently 4-4 in Beamer’s first season as head coach. Beamer has obvious ties to the Virginia Tech, as his father Frank Beamer was a legendary coach for the Hokies. This makes Finebaum believe that Beamer could make the jump to the Hokies if the opportunity presents itself.

“On the Fuente front, it’s impossible to believe he’s going to survive and it’s just hard to believe just five years ago he was the hottest coach in the country,” Finebaum said on Monday morning. “I know (Beamer) loves it (in Columbia, SC), and regardless of the final scores of the games — and they’re pretty ugly right now — they really love him and believe in him. But, having been with both Shane and Frank Beamer a couple of weeks ago, and Frank Beamer is such a big part of everything Shane is doing right now, I could see (him leaving for Virginia Tech).”

Would Beamer leave South Carolina for Virginia Tech?

If the Virginia Tech job does open up, Finebaum believes that Beamer could very possibly opt to leave South Carolina.

“And I could also see why Shane Beamer would have a very difficult time saying no. … The lure of going back home. And it’s one thing to have played at a school, been part of a school. It’s another thing to be attached to the greatest name in the school’s history, which Frank Beamer is. So I could see it, yes.”

Following Virginia Tech’s loss to Syracuse, Hokies fans could be heard booing Fuente, some even calling for his job. Fuente was hired as the first head coach at Virginia Tech following the Frank Beamer era. The Hokies went 10-4 in Fuente’s first year and won the Belk Bowl in 2016. Virginia Tech went 9-4, 6-7, and 8-5 over the next three years with three bowl losses. Last season, Fuente led the Hokies to a 5-6 record.

The possibility of Beamer leaving South Carolina to take over with the Hokies will be an intriguing storyline to follow. As rumors continue to swirl of Fuente’s job status, the Virginia Tech coach is trying to focus on what he can control.

“I’m worried about giving these guys a chance to win, OK? We ain’t going down that road. Everybody up and down that hallway is selling out to give these kids a chance to win,” Fuente said to reporters after Saturday’s game. “So, I’m not worried about any of that, OK? Can’t be focused on things we can’t control. What we can control is our attitude and effort. And our kids have been incredible with all of that. And our job now is to get them to do the same exact thing for next week.”