FanHouse

At least so far, you'd think you were following the NHL considering how incestuous and uncreative the coach-hiring process has been. Perhaps it's due to the fact that the 119 best candidates in the world of college commandeering are already employed/recently deposed head coaches, or maybe those "hot" coordinators aren't really on the radar.

Well, let me ask you a question: when was the last time you saw VT's defense sloppy? BC game aside, I'm talking about a season as a whole. To quote UVA Sportsfanatic, we hear about "Beamerball" so damn much, it's a surprise that announcers don't bring it up any time their b-ball team blocks a shot. And while the special teams do make for the best highlights, their physical and especially quick defense has proven to be a boa constrictor under Bud Foster's stewardship- eight top-five finishes on defense in twelve years do anything for ya? Much to Virginia fans' chagrin, Foster isn't really looking to have a Mark Richt sort of effect on the Hokies, even more amazing considering that Ron Prince couldn't do diddly against his defense (and many other) and Kansas State handed him the keys. Not only that, Prince's defensive counterpart, Al Golden, got himself a top gig as well despite overseeing a unit that surrendered 52 points to Tech. Granted, he's at Temple now, but how is Foster still around when he's such an obvious commodity?

Well, for one thing, Foster is content enough with his current position to wait for the right job. Sort of like Frank Beamer, who had his name bandied about some years back, but now most people know better than to think he'd possibly leave Blacksburg for any job. But it's not unthinkable for Foster to leave this offseason or next. Among the jobs that supposedly intrigue him are Southern Miss and Northern Illinois. These certainly aren't the dregs of non-BCS, NIU's recent slide notwithstanding and don't really need a rah-rah recruiter to energize them. Foster's lunchpail approach should definitely have these teams on their phones.