Whit Babcock On Virginia Tech's Major Sport Struggles: 'I'm Where The Buck Stops'

31 Comments

1. 

   FF Hokie March 28, 2025 at 9:36 AM

   He does not inspire or motivate imo.
2. 

   ChazB March 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM

   Time for Buck to stop @ Babcock's butt and boot him out. In the new era of media money, marketing and strong Financial acumen, Babs underwhelms in all categories. Time to cut bait and move on from this wet blanket. Let's Go... Hokies!!! Beat SC!!
3. 

   Maroon Unit March 28, 2025 at 3:51 AM

   The bottom line is the successful P4 conferences and programs have been far more proactive than the ACC and VT. If VT wants to truly succeed then simply reacting to play catch up every year won't cut it.
4. 

   Hokie E63 March 28, 2025 at 2:39 AM

   You want winning sports? Shut your mouth and open your wallet.
5. 

   VT Rocker March 27, 2025 at 10:34 PM

   Well we know the 75,000 in the stadium to see Metallica and Pantera is the only guaranteed win on that field (I’ve already Learned that ?)
6. 

   softball1 March 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM

   Apparently no buck(s) stops here$$ w/ Whitt-- pitiful - called accountability- there is 0
7. 

   mdriver March 27, 2025 at 12:56 PM

   A truly sad state of affairs for VT HOKIE fans. I was amused by Whit's comment relating to Coach Pry of "what can we do to continue his learning curve as he continues to coach." I sincerely hope that any guy that is making $4million plus as a head coach of a supposed major college football program is well beyond the learning curve, but I guess in Whit's mind that is OK. Just might be the major reason why we have been so putrid in football since Pry became head coach. VT fans deserve way better than what we have been served the past decade coming out of Merryman. So sad in so many ways.
   1. 

      MiamiSailingHokie April 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM

      You must revisit Coach Beamers learning curve!
8. 

   NC Hoke March 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM

   I posted awhile back that I thought that we had been caught flat footed by the surging NIL market last year, and he confirmed that to be the case here. What’s important now is to get it right in this portal and future portals. Have to say I feel some better about basketball after reading this article. Now CMY just has to deliver the talent.
9. 

   gemrooty March 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM

   Great article, Andy. Very, uh, significant information about our athletic department.
10. 

    George Baylor March 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM

    Andy thank you for this article. I too am very concerned that Whit does not see the need for VAST IMPROVEMENT, from CBP and his program. Pry for sure "talks a good game & happiness" but another 6-6 or worse, and he should be shown the exit door. I've had season tickets since `69 and have seen the Good-Bad & Super Ugly of VT football. Bad or Ugly this year, Whit must make the change, I hope he is up to it. Andy, any "insight' on season ticket renewals, I can't believe we still put 62K+ in Lane with Pry's product on the field?
    1. 

       SkykingHokie March 27, 2025 at 10:04 AM

       “Pry for sure “talks a good game & happiness” but another 6-6 or worse, and he should be shown the exit door.” If we have another putrid season, WB won’t hire the next HFC. He said so himself.
       1. 

          MACE HOKIE March 28, 2025 at 12:52 AM

          But aren't we still paying head coaches for our last mistake? It's not always about firing the head coach it's about hiring a better coach. Look at Indiana U and how they turn it around with a head coach in our own back yard. It was not about firing their old coach it was about hiring a good replacement coach. Isn't that Whit's job?
       2. 

          mdriver April 2, 2025 at 10:10 AM

          As it should be for both Babcock and Pry.
11. 

    Chasesfish March 27, 2025 at 9:27 AM

    I'm glad to see Whit (finally) gave an interview. The two things that stood out to me: Virginia Tech, the largest P4 school in the 11th largest state, who bears responsibility for this falloff in revenue? What assurances do fans have this year that Virginia Tech won’t be “a year behind” in the basketball budget again this year? This is an administration who has consistently “misread the market” on monetary issues. I don’t find comfort in pointing to others that failed.
    1. 

       middletennhokie March 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM

       I think VT fans in a way are responsible for the $$$, or lack thereof. We have a very dedicated and passionate fan base, but I can tell you my buddies at Tennessee and Auburn think our season ticket prices and donation amounts are laughable compared to what they have to pay for nosebleed or end zone seats. I just don't think average VT fan is willing to pony up a significant part of their income for college sports. Can't say I blame them.
       1. 

          Willamette Hokie March 27, 2025 at 12:28 PM

          I firmly believe this. I know of a number of graduates (not just casual fans) who are quick to talk about the failures, but they don't put the money where their mouth is. It's truly frustrating. Hell, they don't even go to games unless someone offers them tickets. I don't consider myself a "big" contributor to the Athletic Fund, but I contribute a lot more than they do.
          1. 

             Chasesfish March 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM

             Personally we're exhausted from sending Whit more money for the same results. At some point you have to speak with your wallet. There's also near zero outreach to figure out what donors want, what capacity is, ect.
          2. 

             mghokie March 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM

             Good post. You are right on target!
       2. 

          ToledoHokie March 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM

          That's because you have to go back 25 years since we got anything in return as far as a top consistent notch team, with the occasional exception of a good basketball run (one ACC championship, but still lost in 1st round of tournament), one Sweet 16 appearance (and coach left immediately), one womens basketball final 4 (and coach left immediately), and decades of mediocrity in football. TN and Auburn have had much success in either football, basketball, or both since then...and we haven't done a damn thing. It's comparing apples to oranges. Give us something to root for consistently and Tech fans will pony up the $$$'s, but we're done paying for mediocrity and underperforming year after year.
          1. 

             DonHo-kieHi March 28, 2025 at 12:23 AM

             You’ll pony up the bucks AFTER we have something to root for, but the gist of the whole thread is that it takes $$$ to improve the product. Sounds like a chicken/ egg or cart/ horse problem. So who blinks first? Evidently not you!
    2. 

       downjerseyhokie March 27, 2025 at 2:11 PM

       We aren’t even in the top 25 in living alumni, and a big chunk of the alumni are still young. Not sure why the “largest P4 school in the 11th largest state” matters much.
    3. 

       pharlap_99 March 28, 2025 at 12:08 AM

       Whit needs to be way more visible, must clean up his department (more new blood w/no ties to FB/JB) and must hire an experienced fundraiser to boost the HC. Or Sands needs to fire WB .. a person i like but who has failed too often recently and remains too invisible to VT fans/donors. frustrating, as he's done some good things at VT, esp the "Olympic" sports.
12. 

    pine52x March 27, 2025 at 9:11 AM

    Student athletic fee: "Tech’s increase provides roughly $10.7 million more annually, which, though not directly used for revenue sharing, will free up other money for that cause." A perfect example of being fungible, and universities in general are great at it.
    1. 

       mghokie March 27, 2025 at 3:06 PM

       This reference would be to which funds coming into the Athletic department will pay for specific expenses. If you mean fungible within the department, that is fine. If you mean fungible for athletices with other programs or academics, then you are wrong. Taxpayer dollars (and tuition) can't be used for athletics; state law prohibits that. So if revenue sharing is paid by conference distributions and ticket sales, for example, while student fees cover scholarships, non-revenue sports, and administrative costs, what does that matter to you or anyone else? it all goes into the athletics department funds, and everything is paid from there.
13. 

    133222Hokie March 27, 2025 at 9:09 AM

    The AD’s comments are so nebulous & non-specific. Where was the Athletic Department’s research on $$ needed for Men’s BB? Whit placed all his trust in CMY’s opinion? Tome for a change at the top-now.
14. 

    GO_HOKIES_GO March 27, 2025 at 8:41 AM

    “Babcock said head coach Mike Young gave the school a dollar figure he thought would satisfy the team’s NIL needs for retention and acquisition — a figure Virginia Tech met.” Now that is executive leadership taking accountability - throw MY under the bus for the athletics department not doing its due diligence to determine the resources required to be competitive in MBB. You can’t make this stuff up. I wonder why Young wants to continue to work with these clueless wonders? As for football, I hope the approach to determining progress is more sophisticated than “we’ll know when we see it” - sounds more like Justice Potter Stewart’s criteria for pornography than an analytical approach to evaluating your football program. So it goes….
    1. 

       HokieDelNorte March 27, 2025 at 9:38 AM

       I think he is talking about upcoming/current year. Not last year.
       1. 

          GO_HOKIES_GO March 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM

          No, he isn’t - Babcock is blaming MY for not giving him the accurate figure for NIL payments in MBB so that the team would be competitive in the ACC. It makes one wonder what are all those suits in Merryman are doing every day - I guess not keeping current (much less ahead) of the trends in collegiate revenue sports based on Whit’s comment.
          1. 

             Walkin` Willie March 27, 2025 at 10:58 AM

             Couldn't agree more - Whit was definitely deflecting blame there.
15. 

    Walkin` Willie March 27, 2025 at 8:19 AM

    I understand the criticism of Whit Babcock but now I think it is time to let it rest for the time being - at least there won't be any criticism coming from me. Reason is that he has done his part to get football and basketball the funds they need to be successful so now it is up to CBP and CMY to have much better seasons next year. I believe without a doubt that MBB will show significant improvement but I don't know about football as unlike basketball, we don't have any history of success under CBP like we have had under some of CMY's seasons. Except for maybe a few portal additions and some new recruits coming in, football pretty much has its roster for next year. MBB is furiously trying to complete its roster and from all accounts, should be done by the end of April. Now we just need to see what the results are next year and go from there.