Tweet

Charley Wiles, a former All-America player for Frank Beamer at Murray State, has produced five All-Americans of his own since joining Beamer’s Virginia Tech staff as defensive line coach in 1996. This year, he adds the title of running game coordinator for a defense that has been stout against the rush the past few seasons, finishing in the top 30 nationally the past two seasons.

Among the top players Wiles has helped develop during his 18 seasons directing the Tech line are ends Corey Moore and Cornell Brown. 

Last season, he started four underclassmen for the most part along the line, and that group played a big part in finishing 19th in the country in sacks per game and tied for ninth in tackles for loss per game.

In 1999, Moore won the Mike Fox/Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive player and the Lombardi Award as the best lineman. He also became Tech’s second unanimous All-American and was chosen the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year two consecutive years. Brown was a two-time All-America pick, taking consensus honors as a junior in 1995 when he was named the National Defensive Player of the Year by Football News and the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2005, Wiles helped mold end Darryl Tapp into a first-team All-America selection, a first-team All-ACC selection, and a Hendricks and Lott Awards finalist. Tapp now plays on Sundays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wiles also coached John Engelberger, who was named to the second team on The Associated Press All-America team, and tackle David Pugh, who was a third-team All-America pick by The Sporting News. In 2008, end Chris Ellis and tackle Carlton Powell were both taken in the NFL Draft. In 2009, Jason Worilds flourished under his guidance and was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two other players also signed NFL free agent deals.

In all, 20 of Wiles’ players have won all-conference honors, including Tapp, who was a first-team All-ACC pick during each of the Hokies’ first two seasons in the league. In 2008, ends Orion Martin and Worilds both earned second-team honors and were among the league leaders in sacks and tackles for loss.

During the 1999 season, Wiles coached a veteran line which he helped mold into what The Sporting News rated as the best Division I-A defensive line in the college ranks prior to the season. That line helped the Hokies finish first in the nation in scoring defense and third in rushing defense and total defense. Tech’s 2001 defensive line was rated as the fourth-best in Division I-A by The Sporting News.

Wiles is on his second tour of duty at Tech. He originally joined Beamer’s Tech staff as a graduate assistant in 1987 and worked in that capacity for two years. Wiles first had a player-coach relationship with Beamer, when Beamer was the head man at Murray State. Wiles won Kodak Division I-AA All-America honors as an offensive lineman in 1986.

When he left Tech after the 1988 season, Wiles spent a year on the staff at East Tennessee State. He then returned to Murray State for a six-year coaching tenure, winding up as the Racers’ co-defensive coordinator. In 1995, he helped coach the Racers to an 11-0 regular-season mark and a berth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Wiles also served as MSU’s recruiting coordinator, helping land many of the Racers’ top players.

When Wiles rejoined Beamer at Tech in 1996, he fulfilled a goal he had set during his first stint in Blacksburg. The Hokies have competed in bowl games during each season since he rejoined the staff.

 A native of DeLand, Fla., and a three-sport star at DeLand High School, Wiles is married to the former Andrea Wilder of Booneville, Ind. They have a daughter, Kendell, and a son, Eric.