- The Washington Times - Monday, January 8, 2018

The National Football Foundation announced Monday that former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and 12 other former players and coaches have been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Beamer, who has the most all-time coaching wins in Virginia Tech history, coached his alma mater for 29 years after a stint at Murray State. During his tenure, the Hokies won 238 games, making 23 consecutive bowl appearances from 1993 to his retirement in 2015.

Beamer’s Hokies won seven conference championships, three in the Big East and four in the ACC, while he was named conference coach of the year five times. Virginia Tech became known for a style of play nicknamed “Beamerball,” predicated on the idea that all three units (offense, defense, special teams) can put points on the scoreboard.

Other notable names in the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame class include former Baltimore Ravens and Miami Hurricanes safety Ed Reed, 1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson, Texas coach Mack Brown and Bethesda native Paul Palmer, a standout running back during his time at Temple.

The announcement was made from Atlanta, where Alabama and Georgia will square off for the national championship Monday night. Beamer’s son, Shane, is an assistant at Georgia after serving on his father’s staff at Virginia Tech from 2011-15. Beamer, Brown, and Matt Stinchcomb, another College Football Hall of Fame inductee, will participate in the pregame coin toss.

“We are extremely proud to announce the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame class,” Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and former Mississippi quarterback, said in a statement. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”

• Josh Luckenbaugh can be reached at jluckenbaugh@washingtontimes.com.

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