Roth Report
Jim Cavanaugh has played a major role in Virginia Tech's success since joining Frank Beamer's coaching staff in 1996. Cavanaugh is entering his 13th season as the Hokies' strong safety and outside linebackers coach and his seventh year as Tech's recruiting coordinator.
No one has been more instrumental in bringing top-notch talent to the Tech program than Cavanaugh. Over the past 10 years, his recruiting skills have helped the Hokies attract, among others, prep All-Americans Michael Vick, Nathaniel Adibi, Bryan Randall, Jonathan Lewis, Marcus Vick, Xavier Adibi and Chris Ellis.
Along with his success in attracting talent, Cavanaugh has been instrumental in helping players develop their talent once they join the Tech program. During his first season on the job, in 1996, outside linebacker Brandon Semones led the team in tackles and earned second-team All-BIG EAST honors.
Cavanaugh has since helped in the development of highly successful players, such as Pierson Prioleau, Cory Bird, Kevin McCadam, Michael Crawford, James Anderson and Aaron Rouse. Prioleau was a first-team All-BIG EAST pick in 1997 and 1998 and earned third-team All-America recognition from The Sporting News in '97. He was a fourth-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1999. Bird was tabbed a second-team All-BIG EAST pick following the 2000 season and was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
McCadam was one of the keys to Tech's success in 2001 and was a fifth-round NFL selection by the Atlanta Falcons. Anderson, a two-year starter at whip linebacker, was a third-round NFL draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2005 while Rouse was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers in 2007.
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Having coached high school football in Newport News and having spent most of my professional recruiting life in the state of Virginia, I am fully aware of the outstanding quality of the players and coaches within our state. Our objective is to recruit as many of the great players in the state as possible with the goal of winning the national championship.
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Tech's appearance in the 2008 Orange Bowl marked Cavanaugh's 24th postseason game as a coach. A former star receiver at William & Mary, he is a veteran of 38 years coaching, including 34 as a full-time coach on the collegiate level. He has worked at two other Virginia schools - VMI and the University of Virginia - during his career and has been on the staff of five ACC schools - NC State, UVa, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
Cavanaugh coached at the University of North Carolina for eight years and from 1982 through 1987, he worked under Bobby Ross and Joe Krivak at Maryland. He served two years at North Carolina State, three years under coach Bob Thalman at VMI, one year at Virginia and two years at Marshall. Cavanaugh began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at NC State in 1972.
During his years as a receiver at William & Mary, Cavanaugh surpassed the Tribe's career record in receiving with 117 catches and over 1,600 yards. He also earned honorable mention All-America honors in 1967 and was co-captain of his team in 1969. Cavanaugh was inducted into the William & Mary Sports Hall of Fame in April 2001.
Married to the former Marsha Carnell, he has two children - Ryan, an Appalachian State graduate who works for the Indianapolis Colts, and Lauren, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2002. Ryan and his wife, the former Melissa Searls, have two daughters, Mallory, who is 3, and brand new baby Samantha, while Lauren and her husband, Rob Reddick, have two sons, Matthew, who is 4, and Marshall, who is 2.
- Coach Jim Cavanaugh
