Hokies set to hire Buzz Williams

By: Chris Coleman | Lead Analyst and Columnist

Welcome to the Whit Babcock era.  Virginia Tech is set to hire Buzz Williams as the new head basketball coach of the Hokies.

Williams has been the head coach at Marquette since 2008-09, and he led his team to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances…

2008-09: 25-10, NCAA Second Round
2009-10: 22-12, NCAA First Round
2010-11: 22-15, NCAA Sweet 16
2011-12: 27-8, NCAA Sweet 16
2012-13: 26-9, NCAA Elite 8
2013-14: 17-15

The 2013-14 was disappointing for Williams and Marquette, but you can’t argue with his record and results in those first five years.  The Hokies are getting a proven basketball coach who was a big-time winner in the Big East.  Virginia Tech has won six NCAA Tournament games in school history.  Buzz Williams won eight NCAA Tournament games in his tenure at Marquette.

“I am extremely excited about welcoming Buzz Williams to the Hokie Nation,” Whit Babcock said in a press release. “Buzz is a proven winner who has earned his way up through the ranks with a strong track record of success. I am confident he will energize our fan base and help make Virginia Tech Basketball competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference. I know he will recruit at the highest level.”

Williams is known as a high-energy guy and a very good recruiter.  He also has a good relationship with Boo Williams, the most high-profile AAU program in the state of Virginia.

“It’s never easy to leave a great school like Marquette, where I spent seven wonderful years, six as the head coach,” Williams said. “But this is a special situation to work at a place like Virginia Tech. I’ve heard tremendous things about this terrific institution and this is an outstanding opportunity to build a program. My family and I look forward to becoming a part of this great university and community, and taking on the challenges associated in succeeding in the ACC.”

Williams deal is reportedly for seven years for approximately $18 million, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN.

Virginia Tech will welcome Buzz Williams to Blacksburg with a formal press conference on Monday at 6pm on the floor in Cassell Coliseum.  The general public is invited to attend, and admission is free.

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  1. Tech is doing their part to improve athletics. Hokies need to do their part by purchasing season tickets, Bristol tickets, and joining the Hokie Club. You ask for it….you got it….now support it. I’m asking all my friends if they are in the Hokie Club and encouraging them to join up. Let’s do our part to support Tech now.

  2. Nice job WB!! Again, this inspires hope knowing there will be a life altering HC change in 16. Exciting time for Hokie nation!!

  3. I really got excited about the new players we have at the start of the season. It somewhat deminished as the loses piled up and injuries prevailed, but it still appeared that there was talent there. I think that Buzz has enough talent to start to have a decent season next year, before his recruits come in. Personally, I liked his energy on the sidelines when I watched his team play. At least, I’ve got hope now.

  4. Shocked that Buzz is going to VT… OK fine, hope our turn to shock will come soon. For me can’t come soon enough. I have already departed Weaver World at Warp 2 and am headed to Whit World. Thank you Mr Sulu.

  6. Very impressive. Obviously people spoke up and said open the checkbook. This likely won’t be the only place this is done.

    Great HIRES VT. And a much needed new day in Blacksburg for athletics. Now to turn to the fundraising part.

  8. Well as both an Marquette and VT Alum and member of the Hokie Club, I’m really sad Buzz left a great program in a strong conference and I’m concerned for VT that he’s never rebuilt a program in a tougher conference. No kidding, this will be a big difference from what he inherited at MU when Tom Crean left for Indiana. MU had great talent, routinely 19,000+ in attendance and a basketball first school. Buzz did a great job maintaining and improving the program in the Big East. However, I would not expect any great improvement in the next couple of years. He’s going to need recruits. But, I will say, Buzz will have the team in shape, playing their butts off, and he expends as much energy as any player on the court. Off the court, he expends as much effort with his Buzz’s Bunch foundation to support kids with medical needs. He brings a lot of caring to the community as well. For me personally, farewell Buzz, you will be missed at MU. But, welcome to the Hokie Nation.

  9. Just joined the HC for the first time and encouraging other young Hokie alums to do the same. Now if Whit can work on fixing the Lane Stadium gameday experience since Weaver and Stinespring did a good job of neutering it for the last decade.

  10. This is a great hire! A proven winner with less talent then other programs that will put an exciting brand of basketball on the floor.Buzz teams generally use 4 guard’s that spread the court and shoot threes..allot like the good Duke teams.

    1. This is a phenomenal hire. May be the most talented coach since Don DeVoe at VT.

      Whit is DA MAN. Making VT relevant in BB again in my lifetime.

  11. He danced on the WVU logo after beating them; I LOVE HIM!!!! However, He had better not apologize to WVU while he’s at Tech.

  14. Swissshhh!!! Contract had to be at least 5 for recruiting purposes. $2.57M/yr is considerably less than the @$4M he would make next 2 yrs at Marquette. A new incoming President and AD there may have led to the timing of the decision to leave. According to SI, the decision to leave isn’t nearly as shocking as is the place he is going to..Virginia Tech:

    http://college-basketball.si.com/2014/03/21/buzz-williams-stunningly-leaves-marquette-for-virginia-tech/

  15. Another high energy, screaming coach ? Will he fit in with the “family” atmosphere ? LOL

    2. He is EXACTLY what we need and want. That was the best part of Seth Greenberg…The whining and treating everyone like crap ultimately overcome that positive and he didn’t win enough to overcome that!

      THIS guy is a winner………………..on AND off the court!

  16. Best bball hire in tech history. Not to disparage Coaches Moir, Foster or Greenberg. This guy is top shelf. BOUT TIME Hokie Nation. Been waiting 50 years.

    2. Can we at least wait until he coaches a VT game before we make that pronouncement? I understand the optimism, but let’s not get carried away.

  17. Bernie McGinnis long time hokie club member season ticket holder looking forward to a whit babcock basketball turn around. very impressed with whit leadership of va.tech athletic since he was hired. va.tech strong alumni base in va. needs to be organized by our new athletic director to make va. tech take over the leadership of ncaa athletics in va. lets go hokies.

  18. Wow! Trying to figure out what I can go back and get a Masters Degree in so that I can be a student again. Excited to be excited again about VT basketball!

  19. I am delighted with the Hire, I think it’s about as Good as We can do in our current situation. We have opened up the big Checkbook no doubt. Basketball in the mighty Pwerful ACC is only gonna get better and We are now throwing down a Gauntlet, fer sure. This has got to work though, Huge Money-and a 7 Year Contract- I guess Whit will fill us in-but that’s Unheard of in my Sports knowledge- I don’t know that I would give God a 7 Year Contract- that can’t be right. Great, very Impressive hire though, a proven Winner.

  20. I have to give Babcock a high five on this hire. This guy is a very good recruiter and it will be interesting to watch what happens. Yeah sometimes you have to leave the building to find a new coach.

  21. I just have to say, this process and results are the anti Weaver. He could never pull this off. Congratulations Hokie Nation and especially Mr. Babcock.

    1. Don’t confuse couldn’t with wouldn’t. Weaver would never have pursued this hire because it has a high level of financial risky. It’s a great hire though. It was the shot in the arm the VT basketball problem needed!

  23. Wow, this seems like a GREAT hire! Does anybody have any concern over the length of the contract? Is that normal for hires the last couple of years, or is it a little long? Not trying to be negative, but it is a legit question.

    1. Whit said repeatedly in Tuesday’s presser that he would give the new guy a lot of time. He went all in on this one.

      1. He definitely is. One positive is that Buzz should feel comfortable to take his office stuff out of the box, get settled in, and do the long-term, structural stuff he needs to do to get us on the right side of 0.500 basketball. Probably easier to coach without having to look over your shoulder. JJ, sadly, has probably been doing that since early this season, looking over his shoulder.

  24. Just joined the Hokie club for the first time! Just donated $250 and will do every quarter! Whit, you showed us you mean business, now my turn to show my support! GO HOKIES! With winning hopes we fear defeat no longer!

  25. Strike up the band!!
    That’s right, the band must be there, and the cheerleaders! And many, many students!

  26. Looking forward to competing again in basketball. But this is a bonus…time to take it to the top level!

  27. Q: will the press conference have higher attendance than what we averaged this yr for games

  28. SOUNDS GREAT TO ME, I JUST HOPE ALL THE VT FANS GET BEHIND THE TEAM NOW, AND FILL UP THE CASSELL AS THEY USE TO BACK IN THE 70’S AND 80’S. THOSE WERE THE DAYS WHEN VT COULD BEAT ANY TEAM ON A GIVING NIGHT, AND IT USE TO HAPPEN. GO HOKIES!!!!

  29. FOLKS THIS IS BIGG………..VT has stepped it up for a head coach for bb and its about time. This is exciting news and will be great for the Hokie Nation. Very excited and thankful for all those at VT making this possible. Mr. Babcock deserves much of the credit but with this deal it obviously goes higher than him for support. About time and great move for VT. Excited to be part of the Hokie Nation. Go Hokies!!!!!!!!!!!

  31. Whit appears to be off to a great start! What a great hire to re-energize Hokie BBall Nation! Buzz has terrific resume and proven winner as head coach and recruiter. I have a very good feeling that this move will play out very well! Welcome Buzz & family to Hokie Nation!

  32. Wow! Exciting times!

    But of course the pessimistic side of me really hopes this is the RIGHT hire. Because if not there’s no way we can afford that buyout.

  33. If the AD really wants to turn things around, they should try to create a fan-friendly event for Mon night- let the press conference lead into a Midnight Madness type of event (within NCAA limits, etc.). This is a chance for Buzz to start selling to the fans and VT community that this indeed has become a turning point in VT sports.

    Let him share with everyone what his hopes and goals are- to the broader audience. Create the atmosphere now…

  36. outstanding!! whit is on top of his game! I am already excited about next basketball season!

  41. After what seemed like years of “wandering in the desert”, it’s good to see Tech make a head-turning hire. It’s time for our administration to understand that we are in the ACC now and to compete, especially in the revenue sports you have to open the checkbook. Great job by our new AD…what a great way to introduce yourself to HokieNation!

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