Frank Beamer makes debut on 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Announcement of the 2018 Hall of Fame Class will be made in Atlanta on Jan. 8, 2018

June 1, 2017

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Thursday that longtime Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer is among six FBS coaches on the 2018 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition, 75 FBS players, as well as 98 players and 31 coaches from the divisional ranks are included on the 2018 ballot.

The announcement of the 2018 Class will be made Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Some of the inductees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The Jan. 8 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. A few inductees also will participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.

The 2018 class officially will be inducted during the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4, 2018, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December and honored on the field during the 14th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. They also will be honored at their respective schools at an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2018 season.

A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.

Other FBS coaches on the 2018 ballot include: Mack Brown, Jim Carlen, Pete Cawthon, Sr., Billy Jack Murphy and Darryl Rogers.

Prior to his retirement in 2015, Beamer was the winningest active coach in FBS history at the time of his retirement, having tallied an impressive career record of 238-121-2 at Virginia Tech. Under Beamer, Virginia Tech football enjoyed unprecedented success, with 23 consecutive bowl appearances, a mark that the Hokies extended to 24 straight under head coach Justin Fuente in 2016.

Beamer was appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee in 2017 and also received the Neyland Trophy for his contributions to the game. He was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and was voted the Coach of the Decade in the BIG EAST Conference in 2000. In April of 2004, Beamer was presented with a Humanitarian Award by the National Conference for Community and Justice for his contributions to fostering justice, equity and community in the Roanoke Valley.

Beamer guided his alma mater to four Atlantic Coast Conference championships, five ACC Coastal Division crowns, three BIG EAST Conference titles, six BCS appearances, two "major" bowl victories and a trip to the national championship game in 2000. Including his tenure at Murray State from 1981-86, he finished his illustrious career with 280 head coaching victories.

A three-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year (1995, 1996, 1999), Beamer was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2005. He was the consensus National Coach of the Year in 1999.

Beamer continues to serve Virginia Tech as an ambassador for athletics and the spokesperson for the Drive for 25 campaign that seeks to increase membership in the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund (aka the “Hokie Club”) to 25,000 members.

“I know firsthand from both my experience as a player and from coaching just how important scholarships are to young people here at Virginia Tech,” Beamer said. “Scholarships change lives, and that’s why Cheryl [his wife] and I have always been willing to give to help these student-athletes not just to play sports, but also to be a part of such a special place and get a degree. Many of my former players wouldn’t have received that opportunity otherwise.”

The Hokie Club recently announced that its membership has surged to an all-time record of more than 13,000 members.

“While those numbers are extremely encouraging – and I want to personally thank them for doing their part – we cannot stop now,” Beamer said at the time. “As we all know, Virginia Tech is at its best when we’re all pulling together in the same direction. There is strength in numbers. Simply put, we need more Virginia Tech alums to give back to the Hokie Club. Compared to other top programs in the nation, we don’t have enough folks on board as annual donors. This is a tremendous opportunity for fans and alumni to demonstrate their love for the Hokies by making a gift and making a difference in the lives of our students and student-athletes for generations to come.”

JOIN THE HOKIE CLUB TODAY

www.drivefor25.com

– VT –

For updates on Virginia Tech football, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Football and on Instagram @HokiesFB