The University of Georgia fined assistant coach Shane Beamer $25,000 for his role in the Wake Forest leaking scandal on Thursday. Beamer is a former assistant coach at Virginia Tech, which is one of the three schools to be publicly identified for taking game planning information from former Wake Forest radio analyst Tommy Elrod.
Georgia’s fine of Beamer is an acknowledgement and admonishment from the school of his involvement in the leaking scandal. A source told Sports Illustrated last week that the leaked plays involved trick plays that Wake Forest was considering running when it played Virginia Tech in 2014. The game was still scoreless at the end of regulation before Wake Forest won 6–3 in double overtime.
"While at Virginia Tech, I was contacted by Tommy Elrod the night before our game against Wake Forest in 2014," Beamer said in a statement. "I had known him for several years through coaching circles so I did not think it unusual he would be calling me. During these communications, however, he told me about a few plays that he said Wake Forest might run during the game on Saturday ... I realize I made a serious mistake in judgment by accepting the information and failing to notify officials at Virginia Tech of the communications. I sincerely apologize to Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, the ACC and the University of Georgia for my mistake. I am truly sorry."
The revelation of Beamer’s involvement may again raise the question as to whether other Virginia Tech coaches on the staff knew about the leaked in formation. Both head coach Frank Beamer, who is now retired, and current Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster have publicly denied any involvement. (Shane Beamer is Frank’s son). But the revelation that Beamer, who was Virginia Tech’s associate head coach and running backs coach, took the compromised information raises the question of whom he shared the information with. In a statement last week in which he admitted Virginia Tech was involved in the Wake Forest leaks scandal, Hokies athletic director Whit Babcock acknowledged Frank Beamer and Foster’s denial of involvement and said, “I believe and support both of them wholeheartedly.”
