Virginia Tech Football: 8 Reasons Why the Hokies Receive No National Respect

Virginia Tech is 8-1 and controls its own destiny in the ACC Championship race. The Hokies are holding strong at No. 12 in the latest BCS Rankings.

Yet, there seems to be a negative national perception regarding Frank Beamer's team around college football. Experts and fans alike do not view the Hokies as a member of the elite college football heavyweights.

Despite seven consecutive 10-win seasons, 18 consecutive bowl appearances and the third most wins since 2004, Tech looks up to the likes of Alabama, LSU, and Oklahoma.

The question is, why?

Get reality for a dosage of reality, Hokie fans.

 

1. Zero National Championships

The Hokies were close. Painfully close. 

Leading in the second half against Chris Weinke and the Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech failed to hold on and lost by a score of 46-29.

That was the only National Championship appearance for the orange and maroon. The lack of a trophy haunts the otherwise impressive resume of Frank Beamer and the Hokie fan base.

The empty trophy case also represents the biggest obstacle to becoming elite for Virginia Tech. 

2. Virginia Tech's Record Against Top 5 Teams

Ouch. This one is not pretty for the Hokies.

Tech is 1-27 against Top Five competition all time. 1-19 under Frank Beamer.

Its tough to get wins in this category. That is why they are Top Five teams.

The best beat the best, however. And Virginia Tech has been nothing short of awful against the best. Frank Beamer has to find a way to instill the confidence needed in his teams to beat the perennial greats.

Until that time, the Hokies will be trapped by the glass ceiling that is elite status. 

3. Mediocre Bowl Record

With only four non-conference games for most teams, there are rare chances for teams to make statements against the best from other conferences.

Bowl games are some of those opportunities.

Frank Beamer has struggled consistently to get the best out of the Hokies after long layoffs. Tech is a pedestrian 8-10 during the active 18-season bowl streak.

While the streak is nice, the record in the games themselves limits the advantages of making the bowl games. No one likes to go into the offseason with a loss, but that is par for the course under Beamer.

Hey, it could be worse. We could be talking about the OTHER bowl record... 

4. Hokies' BCS Record

Embarrassing losses on the biggest stages in college football are occurring far too often for Virginia Tech.

The Hokies are no stranger to BCS games, having won four of the last six ACC titles. Tech is, however, a stranger to success in BCS bowls.

Virginia Tech is 1-4 in BCS games. The lone win came against Big East champion Cincinnati after the 2008 season.

The Hokies were outscored 126-75 in the four losses.

If Tech can tally some BCS victories, it will likely improve its record against Top 10 teams. 

5. Recruiting

A controversial topic for folks in Blacksburg, recruiting is a major contributor to the less than stellar performance for Tech in high-profile matchups.

The last 5-star recruit for Virginia Tech? Quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He was a great player for the Hokies, eventually becoming the winningest signal caller in Tech history.

The problem is, the Hokies do not bring in enough said 5-stars. While the coaching staff has a great reputation of turning dust to diamonds, just imagine what could happen if the players entered as gems.

Chances are, Tech would be that much closer to gaining some respect.  

6. Playing Down to Competition

Top teams do not beat Duke by four points. 

The best college football has to offer never lose to an FCS opponent.

Virginia Tech has done both over the past two seasons.

Games against inferior competition are often characterized by turnovers, inconsistency, and mental mistakes for the Hokies.

That can be directly attributed to Frank Beamer. It is on his shoulders to have his team ready on a weekly basis, regardless of the opponent.

Yes, a W is a W. But, when voters see a close margin of victory against bad teams, the results hardly bode well for Tech's ranking. 

7. Consistently Bad Offense

Under offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, Tech has been lost in the shuffle in terms of putting up numbers.

The BEST finish for the Tech offense in terms of total yardage was No. 38 during the 2003 season. Fans, experts, and television broadcasters alike want to see points on the board. Stinespring has consistently failed to produce good offenses, despite good talent.

More importantly, the lack of offensive success has wasted numerous seasons of Top 10 defense. I often wonder what defensive coordinator Bud Foster must want to say to his fellow coordinator Stinespring.

I think I have an idea. 

 

8. No Heisman Winners

Virginia Tech has never had a Heisman Trophy winner.

Of course, that is not necessary to be an elite program. Great programs such as Tennessee have never had one either.

It doesn't hurt matters, either.

Michael Vick is the only Hokie to ever be invited to New York City for the presentation. He did it as a freshman, but failed to win the trophy.

Others, such as current running back David Wilson, have had the numbers for consideration. The problem is, Tech would need another National Championship run for that to be realistic.

As we know, that will have to wait another year for the Blacksburg faithful.