 The Peach Bowl was the final game as head coach of Virginia Tech for Bill Dooley , who had accumulated a record of 62 – 38 – 1 for the Hokies since assuming the head coaching job in 1978 . Tech president William Lavery had long disagreed with Dooley about the role of football at Virginia Tech , and prior to the beginning of the season , Lavery told Dooley that his tenure as coach would end on January 1 , 1987 . This fact was revealed to the football team and the general public after Tech 's third game of the season . At the time , Dooley was the winningest head coach in Virginia Tech history , but was under investigation for recruiting violations and had settled a breach @-@ of @-@ contract lawsuit against the university for $ 3 @.@ 5 million . As part of the out @-@ of @-@ court settlement , Dooley was required to quit his position following the Peach Bowl . In the weeks leading up to the game , Dooley dodged questions about his future . On December 23 , it was announced that Murray State head coach Frank Beamer would replace Dooley after the Peach Bowl . Facing Dooley across the field was NC State head coach Dick Sheridan , who in his first year as head coach of the Wolfpack , was named Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year and guided the Wolfpack to eight wins . 
