Friday Q&A: December 13, 2013

1) How can we expect VT to compete in the top 20 when the assistant coaches aren’t paid in the top 20, especially Bud Foster?

Chris Coleman: FYI – this question stems from this Roanoke Times article by Andy Bitter.

Personally, I feel like Virginia Tech is a bit unique.  Bud Foster, Charley Wiles and Torrian Gray could all go somewhere else and make more money, most likely.  If they did that, they also know that they wouldn’t be guaranteed a job after a year.  Head coaches get fired all the time, and assistant coaches pay the price.  Those guys know that if they left Virginia Tech, they could get paid more money for the price of no job security.  Meanwhile, they know that if they stay at Tech they’ll be employed as long as Frank Beamer is here.  And why not?  They are all great coaches.

For what it’s worth, going out and hiring a bunch of new coaches doesn’t guarantee success.  UVA ranks #3 in the ACC in assistant coach salaries, and NC State is #4.  Those two teams combined to go 0-16 this year with the third and fourth highest paid assistant coaches in a 14-team conference!  Obviously going out and spending a ton of money on assistant coaches doesn’t mean you are going to have success.

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