Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock confirmed in a statement on Thursday that a former assistant did indeed receive information regarding Wake Forest’s game plan prior to the Hokies’ game vs. the Demon Deacons on Nov. 22, 2014.
“We have recently been made aware that a former Wake Forest staff member provided one of our former assistant coaches some game plan information prior to our game in 2014,” Babcock said in a written statement.
“We have no indication at this time that any of this information was shared with any other staff members, nor utilized during the game itself. However, should new information become available, we will be forthcoming and transparent.”
The information likely came from Tommy Elrod, former color analyst for Wake Forest’s football radio broadcast. Elrod has since been fired after the program learned he was giving out proprietary game plan information to Wake Forest opponents since 2014. Louisville has already admitted to receiving information from Elrod.
Elrod is a former player and coach at Wake Forest.
“We hold ourselves to a higher standard at Virginia Tech,” Babcock said. “We are disappointed and embarrassed that this type of information was distributed to, and apparently received by one of our former assistant coaches. The distribution of this type of information among peers or rivals is wrong and not in the vein of sportsmanship and integrity that we demand and expect and for this, I personally apologize to the coaches, student-athletes, administration, alumni, students and fans of Wake Forest University.”
Former Virginia Tech football Head Coach Frank Beamer publicly denied knowing that any assistant received such information on Wednesday.
“I am also aware of former head coach Frank Beamer’s and current defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s public remarks yesterday as to having no knowledge of the situation and I believe both of them wholeheartedly. It should also be noted that there is no known connection of any kind to our current coaching staff, who were hired in late 2015.”
The former assistants who coaches on Virginia Tech’s staff that season that are no longer with the program are Aaron Moorehead, Stacy Searels, Cornell Brown, Torrian Gray, Bryan Stinespring, Scot Loeffler and Shane Beamer.
Frank Beamer reiterated his stance to the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Mike Barber on Thursday.
#Hokies Frank Beamer on #Wakeyleaks: “I can assure you, that while I was the head coach at VT, I had no knowledge of what is being alleged."
— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) December 15, 2016
#Hokies Frank Beamer on #Wakeyleaks: "I've built my entire career and life on doing things the right way and that will never change.”
— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) December 15, 2016
Babcock went on to say that the program will comply with the ACC and all relevant parties as the situation unfolds.
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a sudden $25,000 fine to Tech for this by the NCAA…..while UNC has been investigated forever for their academic fraud helping many football and basketball players for years on end…and no word of any penalty to UNC yet?
Good point. But the Tar Heathens can – and do – get away with anything. The normal rules don’t apply to them.
I think that CFB an CBF are telling the truth. If an assistant was told maybe he told the guy hey thanks but no thanks an threw it away. I really dislike the way the world has become. No one trusts anyone anymore, got to have documentation etc to prove that you were right.
Any speculation as to who the assistant was who received the information. I have my own ideas. It would have been an assistant on the defensive side of the ball as the information involved apparently offensive plays, not defensive formations (which are really no great secret- coaches study the films and there are only so many defensive formations one can use). So there are really only two defensive assistants possibly involved. Torrian Gray and Cornell Brown. Based on their longevity, job security, and ties to Bud ( an assistant really close to Bud would have likely told him, one not so close less likely to do so) which do you think?
Not ideal to be a part of the story – but if we have to be, at least we get this sort of press from it: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/columnist/nicole-auerbach/2016/12/15/wake-forest-leaks-virginia-tech-louisville/95485566/
thanks for link.
ugh..that football game was absolutely the worst game in the history of the sport..ever..on any level
Guess you didn’t see Wake beat BC last year 3-0? BC had ball inside Wake 20 three times and didn’t score
Is there a chance for NCAA sanctions because of this?
No
There should be sanctions, based on how pathetic that game was.
We should be in the clear, though, as we obviously didn’t take advantage of it.
Why you would need to know Wake’s game plan is beyond me. Not exactly a dominating program. Most teams are favored to beat them anyway.
Reading TSL all the time, I’m sensitive to the fact that there really isn’t a lot of difference between teams at this level. Even with Clemson “out talenting” VT, the team came really close to winning the ACCC game. It wouldn’t take but a few blown up plays to change a team’s morale for a game and if one or two games were lost in a demoralizing factor, a whole season or program can go south.
So this could be a chicken and an egg issue. If somebody holds a grudge and shares info that demoralizes a team, they steal from those players and coaches. Sure they may not be favored, but if it is only about winning in collegiate sports–even in the big time revenue producing versions, than I’m leaving and not looking back.
Every team, except the ‘Hoos deserve to have a fair game. The ‘Hoos deserve their coaches, even if that just ain’t fair 😉
I would have preferred that the assistant take action and be forthcoming instead of doubt cast on VT.
I sure hope that Whit has been in contact with that assistant, has interviewed him and asked him to come forward with the details. If not, then this has a potential to put a black mark on the program.
That game marked a very sad day for VT football.
Ah, the famed double fist celebration for 0 – 0 at end of regulation.
What amounts to less than a stolen playbook…this is silly.
I’m glad to hear that none of the shared info was used in any way for the game. To think that we lost to WF 3-6 in double overtime AND utilized leaked information from WF’s gameplan…ughhh.
Also glad to see VT athletics being forthcoming and proactive about this issue. Just like Beamer: do things the right way!
Nothing was said in this statement that we used it.. If Beamer and Foster say they had no knowledge and you believe them…
Absolutely believe them
I believe them until indisputable evidence says otherwise.
If we used that information and still
Oops….itchy trigger finger.
People seem to forget something. The information given or at least offered would help the defensive side of the game, not the offensive side.
Could inside, stolen info in effect, info have been used to cause a shut out of Wake Forest?