Virginia Tech is officially the first true casualty of the 2025 season. They have parted ways with Brent Pry after going 0-3. Their blowout loss against Old Dominion worked as the last nail in the coffin. Pry’s journey ends with a 16-24 record, with the program naming Philip Montgomery as its interim head coach. And Virginia is officially on the hunt for a new HC before it’s too late in the season, and who could be a better fit than Shane Beamer, someone who already knows the program too well?

Well, this may not bode well for Gamecocks fans, but Bruce Fledman of The Athletic believes the South Carolina Gamecocks’ HC is the perfect successor. It’s an obvious choice due to his ties with Virginia Tech through his dad, Frank Beamer. A player himself, he was a walk-on playing for his father on special teams from 1995 to 1999. Beamer even returned as an assistant coach from 2011 to 2015.

Frank Beamer coached the Hokies from 1987 to 2015, achieving a 280-144-4 milestone and earning a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. Shane was fortunate to have been raised under that standard.

Beamer senior stole the show during South Carolina-Virginia Tech’s matchup. Standing with his wife, Cheryl, at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, he wore a black South Carolina quarter-zip and delivered the pregame prayer. Even though he chose his son’s team over the one he coached for close to 30 years, that moment became the starting point of Shane Beamer’s Virginia Tech buzz. And now that Pry’s no longer on the team, the chatter has only grown louder.

Just when everyone thought West Virginia was Shane Beamer’s next stop, he pulled a massive brake on it. “I think the week of the Virginia Tech game, I told everyone how I feel about South Carolina and my love for this place,” Beamer said. “That’s where my focus is at right now, just getting our football team better.” This makes it pretty clear that South Carolina is the only place Beamer wants to be. But even if Virginia wanted to sign Shane, it would come at a huge price.

Earlier this year, in January, Beamer was extended through the 2030 season, and his new deal includes a departing-coach buyout that began at $5 million and steps down annually. Plus, with the new contract, Beamer is set to make around $8.5 million a season. And if the Hokies really want ONLY Shane Beamer, they have to throw a lot of cash and a lot of convincing.

But the list doesn’t stop at Shane Beamer, as there are other coaches too in Bruce Feldman’s list.

Feldman’s other possible Brent Prey replacements

First up, there’s Ryan Silverfield, the head coach at Memphis, who has a strong 24-5 record over three seasons, with victories against Tulane and USF. What works for him is his experience, which makes him a strong contender.

USF’s Alex Golesh is another name to watch. The 41-year-old has transformed the Bulls from a struggling program (4-29 record) into a fast-paced, competitive team, achieving notable wins against Boise State and Florida. Other potential candidates include Southern Miss HC Charles Huff, who’s had a promising start this season after leading Marshall to 10 wins last year, and James Madison’s Bob Chesney, who had a successful debut season with a notable victory over North Carolina.

But here’s a surprising candidate, and that’s Oregon’s offensive coordinator Will Stein and Ohio State assistant Brian Hartline, who might get a head coaching stint at Virginia Tech. Then there is Michael Vick, who was a Hokies legend. His coaching journey at Norfolk State is currently 1-2 in his debut season. But considering Pry’s own challenges as a rookie head coach, the school might prioritize a more experienced candidate. Let’s wait and see which coach finally takes up the reins at Virginia Tech.