Class of ’18
Beamer, Mack Brown picked for Hall of Fame
ATLANTA — Coaches Frank Beamer and Mack Brown were selected Monday for the College Football Hall of Fame, part of a class of 13 that includes former players Ed Reed and Calvin Johnson.
Brown won 244 games in a 30-year head coaching career at four schools that featured 16 seasons and a national championship at Texas.
"To have been blessed to play the game for many years, then continue as a coach for 40 years, I was so fortunate to work with thousands of unbelievable student-athletes and amazing staff members," Brown said in a statement. "It was absolutely a labor of love. Now to be able to represent so many tremendous people as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame is a tribute to a lot of great teamwork."
Beamer built Virginia Tech football into a national power, taking over the program in 1987 and leading the Hokies to the national championship game in 1999. His 280 victories rank sixth in Football Bowl Championship history.
"I'd like to thank our administration and former Virginia Tech players, coaches and support staff," Beamer said. "Without them, we wouldn't have enjoyed the success Incoming members of the College Football Hall of Fame PLAYERS Trevor Cobb, Rice Kerry Collins, Penn State Dave Dickenson, Montana Dana Howard, Illinois Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech Paul Palmer, Temple Ed Reed, Miami Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia Aaron Taylor, Nebraska Charles Woodson, Michigan COACHES Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech Mack Brown, Texas Matt Tjeerdsma, Austin College, Northwest Missouri State we did as a football program."
Beamer's son, Shane, is an assistant coach with Georgia, which played Alabama in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday night in Atlanta.
Reed played safety for Miami and was an integral part of the school's last great teams, including a national title in 2001.
He became an alltime great NFL player and Super Bowl winner with the Baltimore Ravens.
Johnson was a star receiver for Georgia Tech, winning the Biletnikoff Award as top receiver in 2006 before going on to a brilliant NFL career with the Detroit Lions.