Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster speaks with Ohio Director of Strength and Conditioning Sonny Sano prior to a game in 2007. Foster is one of several candidates to take the head coaching position at Clemson.
Foster's ascent to defensive coordinator coincided with Tech's arrival on the national scene.
Led by All-American Cornell Brown and current defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, Tech's 1995 defense -- the first with Foster as coordinator -- took down mighty Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Foster's blitzes resulted in five sacks in the second half of that Sugar Bowl, building on a Brian Stills punt return that shifted momentum just before halftime. In the end, Tech walked away with a program-changing victory.
Continuing to coach little-known recruits such as Corey Moore, Ben Taylor and John Engelberger, Foster assembled a national-championship caliber defense in 1999.
Now, Foster churns out great defensive backs and linebackers for NFL teams to salivate over. The clipboard-smashing intensity he instills in his defenses keeps opposing coaches awake at night.
Frankly, Foster is an irreplaceable piece of Tech's football program. Not only his defensive scheming, but also the attitude he brings to the sideline, simply cannot be replaced.
Tech has tried to hold on to him, matching salary offers of other schools such as South Carolina. However, they will not be able to match a head-coaching offer in money or in importance -- yet.
While Tech may soon have to find some way to carry on without Foster, they "would be stupid" to not plan on bringing him back as the next head coach.
Only one man pulls more weight in Lane Stadium, and that is obviously Frank Beamer. With no end to the Beamer era in sight, Foster must go elsewhere to take the next step in his career.
Wherever that step takes him, he is the heir apparent to Frank Beamer. Even if Clemson is not the school that gives Foster the opportunity to run a program, it will be coming sooner rather than later.
He has earned it.
If and when Foster does take his class act elsewhere, Tech fans should thank him for what he leaves: a program in a different league than when he arrived and a legacy of integrity.
And when Beamer deems his time atop the program to be complete, Tech should jump through hoops to bring Foster back to Blacksburg. Foster should have the opportunity to lead the program that bears so much of his personality.
He has earned it.
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all I can say is 2 things: http://budfostersuccessionplan.blogspot.com/ http://firebryanstinespring.blogspot.com/2008/11/open-thread-miami-game-hokie-offense.html
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Once Foster leaves, and trust me he will leave sooner rather than later, Beamer and Stinespring will be shown for what they are. Don't get me wrong, Beamer is a good coach, but he has a problem with telling people how it is. It is obvious that he has let Stiney have free reign to make bonehead call after bonehead call. He either needs to tell him to get his act together or get his bags together...
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I think Foster's time is near, but who's to say he's gonna make a great head coach? Also, great storybook-ending idea; let him get his feet wet as a head coach somewhere else, then when Beamer realizes that his time is well over-due to hang-it-up, who's saying Foster would even want to come back here? If he is a descent coach elsewhere, why leave that program? So he could come coach a delapidated program like VT?
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well written article
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Does this count as news or just a Valentine's Day card?
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"he informed head coach and long-time companion Frank Beamer"...long-time companion...(snicker)
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FIRE FRANK BEAMER It's time for change....
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If he leaves, our chances of getting a replacement of his caliber is about zero. Without Foster's perennially impressive defense, Stinespring will be able to run our football program into the ground, as he has effectively been trying to do for several years now.
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