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Breaking Down Will Stein as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Head Coach

The young offensive mind has crafted Oregon into a scoring juggernaut. Could his innovative mind be the answer for the Hokies' future?
Brett Holmes|
Oregon inside linebackers coach Will Stein leads practice as the Oregon Ducks hit the practice field ahead of Michigan State Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon inside linebackers coach Will Stein leads practice as the Oregon Ducks hit the practice field ahead of Michigan State Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Virginia Tech Hokies

The Hokies are no where near the beginning of their search for a new head coach.

Virginia Tech Hall of Famer Bruce Arians stated on the Pat McAfee Show that the school is looking to fill another key role before addressing the absence at head coach. "First thing for Virginia Tech is we're gonna hire a General Manager," Arians stated. "Then we'll get into the coaching search."

Everyone knows what the Hokies can be. This is a program that has national notoriety and a fan base ready to fill the stands, no matter what their record is. Figuring out the next head coach is not just about finding someone who'll gain notoriety; it'll be an innovator who can revitalize a team that once dominated the ACC. Who better to fit that description than the offensive playcaller for the reigning Big Ten champions?

College Football's Ben Johnson?

Former quarterback turned coach bounces around different teams as a positional coach. An opening at offensive coordinator enables them to test out the variety of schemes they've been developing since they were a graduate assistant. Their innovation allows the coordinator to showcase their play-calling with a national spotlight, and they become one of the premier offensive minds in football. Does this sound familiar?

That backstory belongs to both Bears' head coach Ben Johnson and Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein. Both men are in their late 30s and have years of experience developing various positions across the depth chart. Stein was a quarterback and wide receivers coach at UTSA before getting his shot at calling plays. Making his way around the offense gave him the insight to develop his own scheme and begin installing it in 2020 for the Roadrunners.

Like Johnson, when Oregon brought in Stein, he was relatively unknown. When Johnson came to Detroit, he was faced with the task of turning a Lions team that was at the bottom of the barrel into an NFC powerhouse. Stein's story has similar parallels, but he at least entered a program that was already an established threat.

He was tasked with crafting an offense around Bo Nix, who was one year removed from his transfer out of Auburn. Nix had a good first year at Oregon, but no one could've expected the evolution the offense would have in just one offseason.

Ducks Flying Higher Than Ever

Under Stein's offense, Nix reached career highs in every facet. He threw for a program record 4,508 yards. He followed the same trend with 45 passing touchdowns on just three interceptions. Troy Franklin finished with the most yards in a season with 1,383 yards on 81 receptions, the third-highest in program history as well. In just two seasons, Nix finished fifth in career wins. That 2023 squad was polled sixth by the end of the year, losing the Pac-12 championship to the undefeated Washington Huskies.

That's a stellar first year for Stein, but he would have the stakes upped in 2024. The Pac-12 was torn apart. USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington all went to the Big Ten. Faces old and new stood in the way of the Ducks. How did Stein adjust to the change?

Somehow, 2024 was an even better year for the Ducks. After all the records Nix and company broke, Oregon was focused on increasing its win total. Oklahoma transfer Dillion Gabriel threw for a career-high 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns. While they didn't have a receiver over 1,00 yards, they spread the love more. Tez Johnson caught a program record 86 passes. Traeshon Holden, Evan Stewart, and Terrance Ferguson were all dynamic pass-catchers who possessed big-play ability on any given night.

The stats weren't as jaw-dropping, but the outcome of the campaign was vastly improved. They took home the Big Ten Championship in their first try, beating out the Ohio State Buckeyes. While Ohio State won the biggest prize, taking home the National Championship weeks later, the Ducks firmly established themselves as one of the faces of college football.

Does Stein Fit the Hokies?

There's no question that when Stein gets his shot at a head coaching role, he'll have sky-high expectations. Virginia Tech is not the only program that will be interested in him. The real question is if he's the best fit for the Hokies.

We've seen this story of a first-time head coach play out before. Brent Pry started slow and didn't reach the ceiling most expected him to have. They've been burnt before by offensive gurus as well. Justin Fuente was proclaimed a "QB whisperer". However, that ended up becoming his fatal flaw.

Stein has a very strong resume and someone will have to take a chance on his upside. He's been competitive in two straight seasons and will likely follow suit in 2025. The risk-reward trade-off, however, is one that the Hokies may simply not be interested in. Like Arians said, the head coach is not at the top of the list right now. Who they bring in as general manager will play a massive role in the type of coach the Hokies are aiming for. If they do want to go with a Ben Johnson-esque candidate, however, there's no question that Stein is the top target in that vein.

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Brett Holmes
BRETT HOLMES

Brett Holmes has been covering the Hokies as a Sports Media & Analytics student at the school for the past two years. Alongside writing, he works behind the scenes as a production assistant for Virginia Tech's athletic production organization Hokie Vision. In his free time, he produces his own podcast, Holmes Field Advantage, on his YouTube. You can find him on X @_BrettHolmes

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