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Those close to the football program realized Frank Beamer wasn’t really the problem. He was honest, hardworking, and people liked him. In a November 7, 1992 story, the Roanoke Times & World-News columnist Jack Bogaczyk called him “Mr. Nice Guy Beamer.”
But this nice guy needed help. For the last six years, he had tried to do too much, and spread himself too thin. On top of working on special teams and handling the speaking engagements of a head coach, he also felt obligated to guide his assistants through their own duties. On Tuesdays, he’d watch film with the defensive staff and make suggestions. On Wednesdays, he’d meet with the offensive coaches and offer them 15 plays he thought the team should run.
“But by then, the hay’s in the barn,” said one former coach. “We used to fight him all the time. We said, ‘We can’t have this.’ Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is when you have to get your play repetitions in; how many reps can you get in for 15 plays on a Thursday?”
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