After a disappointing 7-6 season, Frank Beamer decided to shake it up on the offensive side of the ball.
Former Auburn and Temple offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler takes over for Bryan Stinespring at offensive coordinator. Jeff Grimes replaces Curt Newsome at offensive line coach and former Indianapolis Colts receiver Aaron Moorehead will coach the receivers.
The three new coaches will be officially introduced at a news conference on Friday.
Stinespring, Virginia Tech’s offensive coordinator since 2002, will continue to coach the tight ends while also handling the duties as the Hokies new recruiting coordinator.
Newsome is expected to take a position on the James Madison coaching staff this fall. Mike O’Cain, Tech’s quarterbacks coach/play-caller, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch Thursday night that he was fired last Tuesday. Purdue announced Kevin Sherman as their wide receivers coach after seven years in Blacksburg.
The coaching changes are the biggest shake-up since 2006, when quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers (Minnesota Vikings), offensive line coach Danny Pearman (North Carolina), receivers coach Tony Ball (Georgia) and defensive backs coach Lorenzo Ward (Oakland Raiders) left for different jobs.
With the changes, Beamer made his staff considerably younger. The average age of the new coaches (38) could have a rejuvenating effect on a team that lacked much of a spark last season.
Loeffler brings 16 years of coaching experience with him to Blacksburg. His run-first offense succeeded at Temple in 2011 but failed at Auburn in 2012 after transitioning from a spread offense. Loeffler will coach Logan Thomas and the quarterbacks in addition to his role as offensive coordinator.
Grimes, 44, coached an Auburn offensive line in 2010 that paved the way for a national championship. The last two seasons the offensive production has been down at Auburn, but Grimes has remained a highly coveted coach.
Following Auburn’s dismal 2012 season, head coach Gene Chizik and his staff was relieved of their duties. Three weeks after the Hokies played Rutgers in the Russell Athletic Bowl, Beamer named the three coaches he hopes will jump start some offensive production.
Moorehead, 32, has the least coaching experience of the three new faces. A year after his playing career ended, he joined New Mexico’s staff as a graduate assistant, then moved to Stanford as an offensive assistant for the last three years.
Beamer interviewed former Stanford offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton several weeks ago. Hamilton passed on Beamer’s offer, and has since been named the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts, reuniting with former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.
Loeffler, Grimes and Moorehead will officially begin work on January 25. With National Signing Day approaching (Feb. 6), Beamer will look to the new coaches to put the finishing touches on a recruiting class currently ranked No. 13 in the country by ESPN.