Virginia Tech sends Frank Beamer out a victor with bowl win

Virginia Tech is an outstanding program, they have a ton of tradition behind them and they have a Hall of Fame head coach in his last game.

Frank Beamer, the winningest active coach in college football coming into the Independence Bowl, is one of the legends of the game, and the Hokies did everything within their power to make sure their head coach went out with a bowl win and a winning record for his final season with the 55-52 win over Tulsa.

“The first time, we came to Shreveport, I left here a happy guy”, an elated Beamer said afterward “The last time I come to Shreveport, I leave here a happy guy”. We’ve been down 10 points with seven minutes left and come back and won.

“I got teary-eyed this morning walking out of the hotel for the last time with Coach Beamer”, Ford said.

Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery was coaching the Hurricane (6-7) in a bowl game for the first time.

The bowl committee couldn’t have envisioned a game with 107 combined points when they settled on the matchup earlier in the month.

Virginia Tech and Tulsa kick off Saturday, at 5:45 p.m.

Fans expecting to see Bud Foster’s defense lock horns with Tulsa’s 11th-ranked passing offense were rewarded instead with four touchdowns in the game’s first five minutes. Unfortunately, that one pass made the game more interesting.

Tulsa’s Evans completed 27 of 44 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

“It was different. They keep battling, they always play hard”, Beamer told ESPN. Virginia Tech secured its 23rd straight bowl appearance in Beamer’s 29th and final year at the helm with its 23-20 win over rival Virginia back in November.

All-ACC wide receiver Isaiah Ford led the Hokies with a memorable night that included a 75-yard touchdown catch from Michael Brewer. He was voted the offensive player of the game. We kept sticking together the whole time, and God willing, He gave me the power, the strength and the skills to be able to finish that game. In between those scores, the Hurricane got scores from Zack Langer (2 yards), Bishop Louie (9-yard reception from Dane Evans) and Redford Jones (29-yard field goal).

“It’s pretty special”, Brewer said, tears in his eyes, of quarterbacking Beamer’s final game.

“We’ve been in games like this, down 24, and come back and won”, Montgomery said. “It’s something to be proud of, and I’ll always hang my hat on that”. I did not really know much about college football, but I wanted to go to a football school.Penn State was my initial choice of college to attend, but in the end I chose Virginia Tech and I could not be happier with that decision.

Fittingly, Beamer’s final victory also included a touchdown off special teams – a hallmark of many of his best “Beamer Ball” teams – as Greg Stroman scored off a 67-yard punt return to put Virginia Tech up 45-21 in the second quarter.

“Its exciting because they [Tulsa] are a very good offense”, says Luther Maddy. “I can remember how cordial and friendly and delightful the people were here in Shreveport”.