Various members of the media have confirmed that Virginia Tech baseball coach Pete Hughes has accepted the head coaching position at Oklahoma. The same sources report that associate head coach Patrick Mason has been elevated to the head coaching position at Virginia Tech.
Hughes led Virginia Tech to the NCAA Regionals for the second time this season, and they hosted Regionals for the first time in school history. Ironically, they were eliminated by the Oklahoma Sooners, the destination of Pete Hughes. In his seven seasons at Tech, Hughes went 222-174 after taking over a program that was the ACC’s worst.
Patrick Mason graduated from Northeastern in 1997. He has served on the Tech staff for the past three seasons, handing the VT pitchers. Before that, he was an assistant coach at Northeastern for five seasons. Mason has developed 10 catchers into MLB Draft picks over the course of his coaching career.
A press conference has been called for 4:30pm this afternoon to officially announce Mason as Tech’s new head coach.
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On the side, it’s kind of amusing reading up on Golloway the Oklahoma coach, relationship with AD was strained, wanted more money for the program, wanted more money for his salary yada, yada, yada. AD says “bye” lets him out of his contract. etc.
Yep, the stuff runs downhill I suppose, Auburn is at the top of the feeding chain takes the OK coach presumably at higher pay, OK, then turns around and doubles Hughes salary….
… bunch of smaller schools breath a sigh of relief that Weaver just walks down the hall and stops the ripple effect. Maybe it’s a way to retain loyal asst. coaches, I dunno.
Of course, in a sense, we already picked on Boston College who no doubt have even a bigger problem than VT does retaining staff, getting money for facilities etc. Agree with Chris, accept that there are bigger fish than VT just that we don’t do due diligence when that ripple comes through.
Per the Roanoke times: Hughes made $157,437 at Tech this year. The terms of his Oklahoma contract were not announced. But Golloway made more than $350,000 at Oklahoma this year. Mason was given a 5 yr. contract paying $185,000 the first year.
With the upgrades to English Field, and the $$ paid to keep Mason, I would say that our commitment to baseball (still a non revenue sport), is being upgraded. Lets show some patience and try to see a Tech baseball game if we’re really a supporter. Walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.
Seems the new mantra at VT w Weaver is do everything on the cheap. I have no problem promoting our asst coach to head coach in this situation — he recruited all 10 commits VT has. But Hughes doubles his salary in Norman – who wouldn’t take that? Johnson, Wolfe, and other hires are made on the cheap just as Hughes had a low salary comparatively speaking.
As with our football struggles Chris outlined last week – VT has become a university run by old men. Steiger announces he’s retiring – not for another 2 years. Weaver needs to retire with his health – a decision Steger won’t make w a new President coming (2 years away). All this bogs down every personnel decision in every program – including VT football in the next 2-3 years where we all agree “AGE” is affecting performance on the field, recruiting, and negative recruiting by other schools. Lame Duck status is the applicable term here. Yes, it’s “just baseball” as everyone says, but look at the schools w great “just baseball” programs – Oklahoma, LSU, FSU, UNC, etc – their other sports aren’t regressing because of their AD commitment to $ in recruiting, coaches, etc.
Hmmmm seems you opened your mouth and inserted your foot. 72_Hokie says Hughes was getting $157K, Mason has 5 yr contract and 1st year salary of $185K plus upgrades to the field.
I would say that is an improvement instead of going cheap.
As Parcells used to say, “hey fellas…..hey fellas…Listen up” Hughes probably goes for equal money or a modest bump. If you didnt see the hand writing on the wall when he said something toThe effect of “we haven’t won a recruiting battle against UVA, UNC, um, FSU or any SEC school”. The dude was tired of banging his head against the wall. Until Pitt, Syracuse entered ACC only BC probably has worse weather than Blacksburg. It’s a tough sell.
Do agree with whoever suggested we look at coastal Carolina coach or maybe others without ACC exposure, but again, what those programs have is weather.
Relax…..it’s baseball for crying out loud.
with the AD(i can’t even say his name –it is replusive!!) now in there VA. Tech is a major university (31,000 students) with a D III sports mentality . The AD is not a Hokie and has no love for this uniersity…it is his aggronce and egotism that will destroy the sports at VA. Tech!!!
That’s a little harsh isnt it? We’re talking about baseball here.
Totally over the top. Try to be rational.
Also the same AD who got us into the ACC. Or do you think we’d have been better off staying in the Big East?
Lighten up, Francis…
-Alpha ’99
Weaver didn’t get us in ACC. harles Steger and John Casteen along with backing from VA legislature did. JW added benefit of keeping our finances in the black (not a small task by any means) but he was shut out of some of the critical points in the process for the most part. If we a re in credit-giving business then let’s give where credit is due – Steger and Casteen.
p.s. I do agree that Pete Hughes move to Okla is not JW’s fault. My comment was just about ACC portion of your response.
Thank you for your service!
RH
Hokie73 when will you ever grow up. When will you ever stop this endless chatter of blaming Weaver every time something doesn’t go VaTech’s way? Huh? Me thinks you enjoy the moaning and groaning just a tad too much.
I posted previously that Hughes’ job performance was not unnoticed in the college baseball world, and I asked what would we do if we lost him. Well, here’s your answer: no commitment by a crippled AD to rewarding and retaining a solid coach, nothing done about facilties improvements, and a knee jerk reaction by hiring an assistant rather than actually doing a little work by doing a nationwide search for a new coach. I love JW for what he has done for Tech athletics, especially his successful handling of finances, but, dear God(!) when is the BOV ging to give this poor soul the golden parachute?
Every half-day (all he works any more) JW works is another day Virginia Tech falls behind. We desparately need a young, energetic, dynamic AD. Sorry JW….strike three
You have the same problem as Hokie73 … foot in mouth disease.
Well, this sucks big time! Good luck to Hughes…
I just find it interesting we didn’t offer a coach from a program like Elon or Coastal Carolina They are good programs, but don’t have the ACC type exposure. I would think they would love a crack at the ACC. They are already proven recruiters.
Mason may be a good catcher coach and also a good pitcher coach, but he’d better be a good recruiter. We need more good players.
Great. I hate to blame JW for this course of events (especially not knowing the details) but this pattern is getting old. The Athletic Department is being run into the ground by a miser. Sorry, JMO.
Yes yes blame Weaver … that is an old old tune that myself and others are tired of hearing. When Weaver retires who will you blame? Hmmmmm,
Hopefully we won’t have to blame anyone because we will someone in charge that not completely useless…
Read comments above … VaTech’s scores in the director’s cup are the highest they have ever been … hmmmmmmmmmmmm
When VaTech joined the ACC Weaver gave the travel savings to the olympic sports. It is really tiring to read posts by you and other a$$holes on this site who blame Weaver for everything that does not go VaTech’s way.
Do you and your buds on this web site even have a clue as to what it takes to manage a athletic department??? I am betting NO NO NO.
I grew ill a long time ago reading negative after negative post on this web site and had two choices either quit the site for fight … i chose to fight.
As last football season progressed it became apparent that there needed to be change with the offensive coaches. I communicated with the Athletic department in a constructive way. What did you or others who write one negative post after another here? Most likely sat on your a$$ and wrote posts?
You do a disservice to both yourself and the school you supposely support.
Wow, you have to resort to calling me an a$$hole? You do a disservice to both yourself and the school you supposedly support…
Last year it became apparent that offensive coaches needed to be changed? Apparently you are 5 years behind in critical thinking, so maybe 5 years from now you will finally see the light about Weaver…
NokieHokie … regarding calling you an a$$hole … if you walk like a duck, if you sound like a duck, if you look like a duck then you must be a duck.
No sir, i am not doing a disservice by calling you an a$$hole. The a$$hole shoe fits nicely on your feet.
I have managed a $20M a year company for many years now and when things are going great, you are increasing revenue, profits are up it is not easy to just change staff.
And, you don’t know how many good people may follow that person out the door.
Tell me have you ever managed an organization of 150+ people?
Let’s say CFB made changes 5 years ago and the next season the team goes 7-6 … and you guys would be howling and wetting your bed.
Bill Brill
I meant “where we’ve fallen to on the food chain”
this shows were have fallen to on the food chain.
as for going outside – no way. Weaver would have to exert effort and he wont or cant
Surprised we didn’t go external.
Might have been act now, or lose Mason to OK too… wonder if he’ll be able to retain others on the staff or if they’ll head west with Hughes?
Yeah, interesting thought.
You’re comment is TIC, isn’t it?
This assclown continues to show what an imcompetent, tightwad
he is when looking for HC’s in Olympic sports.
Was it Abraham LIncoln who said “better to remain silent and thought a fool rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt”. I love the many members of this board who open their mouths (or in this case tap on their keyboard) without knowing anything other than Pete Hughes left for Oklahoma and Mason has been promoted to coach.
BTW someone once commented on this board that Weaver gets a bonus when the football team does good and no other sport. He said the contract is online. Have a gripe??? then take it up with Weaver’s boss. Lobby the boss for a contract for the new AD that includes other sports.
Ohhhhh, I forgot the whiners on this board don’t care to take action they just want to whine and whine and whine. Then howl like an old hound dog.
Couldn’t agree more. And it’s the same ones each time.
I read somewhere else today that Oklahoma is reportedly going to pay Hughes well in excess of $300K a year. If that’s true, Weaver was wise not to try and match it. Baseball is a nice diversion in the spring, but it takes in almost nothing in terms of revenue. People forget that Weaver’s primary objective is to manage the VT athletic department at a profit.
As for the choice of Pat Mason as Hughes’ replacement, apparently the usual bedwetters, in their haste to bash Jim Weaver, are unwilling to even consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Mason is a very qualified candidate and an excellent choice for the job.
Just like Wolfe and Johnson!
I don’t blame Weaver for not trying to match the money that OU was willing to pay, and I certainly don’t blame Pete Hughes for accepting the opportunity to better his and his family’s well being. I do indict Weaver for doing a part time job on a full time salary and making no effort, absolutely none, to look for a replacement. I think we’ll soon learn that Mason’s salary is shockingly low and his abilities as coach and recruiter are on a par with his salary.
Enough is enough Stud. Just because some of us question the search (or lack there of) for a new Baseball Head Coach does not make us bed wetters to use your terminology. Lighten up
Hahahahaha … bedwetters … love it … may i have your permission to use that term in future posts?
VT NOSLEN … it has already been reported in the Roanoke times that Mason got a raise from Hughes $157K salary…$185K and promises of improvements to the field … open mouth and insert foot.
How do you know that Weaver didn’t look around. Someone else mentioned it might have been make the offer or Mason goes to Ok as well.
Bedwetter … the term fits
Mark Twain, no?
Tight wad? So where do you think Jim puts the money that comes in to Tech athletics? In his iRA? The stock market? Under his mattress? It’s all zero’d out at year end my friend. He has a budget just like everyone else. What he can spend isa reflection on what comes in…..TV deals, ticket sales and donations……as for the later, its Tech fans that are the tight wads.
Where did the Oklahoma coach go?
Auburn
Auburn, I think…
Where did the Auburn coach go then?
Fired