According to multiple reports, Whit Babcock is set to appoint Memphis head coach Justin Fuente to the same position at Virginia Tech.
The news first broke during the Virginia Tech-UVA game this afternoon. ESPN’s Brett McMurphy broke the news on Twitter…
Justin Fuente will be new coach at Virginia Tech. Bud Foster & Shane Beamer will remain on Hokies' staff, source told @espn
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) November 28, 2015
It’s important to note that Whit Babcock addressed the media following today’s game, and he said nothing was official.
“I’m aware of the rumors that broke,” Babcock said. “I’ll just tell you that they’re not official at this time.”
Fuente also addressed the topic after his Memphis team blew out SMU 63-0. He called the reports “premature.”
“There’s a time to address those things, and that’s not right now,” Fuente said.
It’s important to note that neither man denied the reports. While nothing is official at this time, it appears that Fuente is indeed the guy. His hiring would end a month of speculation about who will replace legendary head coach Frank Beamer.
Fuente is 26-23 in four seasons at Memphis. He inherited a program that went just 5-31 over the previous three seasons before his arrival. After going 7-17 in his first two seasons, the program took off in 2014. The Tigers went 10-3 and beat BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl. This year they are 9-3, and that includes one of the biggest victories in the history of the program against Ole Miss.
Before going to Memphis, Fuente was Co-Offensive Coordinator at TCU, where he developed future NFL starting quarterback Andy Dalton. At Memphis, he recruited and developed Paxton Lynch, who is likely to be the first quarterback selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Fuente played quarterback at Oklahoma and Murray State. He is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
McMurphy also indicated in his tweet that Bud Foster and Shane Beamer will be retained. If Foster is retained, that likely means Charley Wiles and Torrian Gray will be staying at Virginia Tech as well. That news, if it turns out to be true, is not surprising. However, the Shane Beamer news is very surprising, and we don’t have any way of knowing whether it’s true or not until the official announcement is made.
If the Fuente news is true – and it appears to be – then we can expect an official press release in the next 1-3 days.
To get to know Fuente, please watch the following video. It’s nearly 30 minutes long, so clear your schedule.
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Love how he referenced “family time” in a busy work schedule and mentioned “kids coming by the office”. I think we will be very pleased with Fuentes attitude and the way he goes about coaching. I can’t wait to see how he developes our QBs, a la Andy Dalton and current Memphis QB. I will definitely be watching their bowl game.
Go Hokies!
Fuente plus Foster is going to be a winner! We will finally have an offense to be proud of and the Hokies will be much more exciting to watch. We should give Fuente/Foster 2-3 years to be fair, since right now we have dire needs for O linemen, linebackers and quality depth at most positions.
There is no “S” on the end of CJF’s last name
Chris,
Thanks so much for the sports file video. I think coach Fuente is exactly what we need. Love his qb experience as a player and obviously his coaching success with Dalton and his current success with Lynch and Memphis.
Ford, Phillips and company will be very happy. Go Hokies!
Welcome home coach. Do things right all the time…and WIN!!
Hoo ray for Foo – N – Tay.
Youth, enthusiasm, charisma.
This is a superb hire, a worthy successor to Coach Beamer.
Now back to football respectability.
“In 3 or 4 years, you’ll be terrified he’s gonna leave for another school” haha!
Yeah NokieHokie..we should have hired the worst guy available..Heck, we should have waited for Mikey!
Actually, a guy with Oklahoma roots is more secure (w/ Stoops in OK) than a guy with Texas roots (they are arrogant enough to fire Strong in next year or so).
Post Beamer, ANY coach is subject to leave. Frank was one of a kind, and the mold is broken.
Good hire, and i’m excited…IF true (I’ll still not place my hopes on any Entertainment Network “reporter’s “scoop). I’ll wait to hear it from Whit.
Since you love to stalk me, you should as least understand what I was saying! I was pointing out how correct the host of the show was in regards to him taking the Memphis job…
If in 3-4 years he’s being poached by “another” (supposedly better in your eyes) then that mean he’s done well then I welcome it!
Me too. You totally didn’t get that I was pointing out what the host of the show said about the Memphis job…
if shane really stays, he is the special teams coach…i hope. he is terrible at what he is doing now i.e. coaching running backs.
See Shane as taking a big recruiting role as that was his specialty at other stops and we need more recruiting power. Maybe Special Teams and Recruiting Coordinator?
Maybe long-snapper coach and assistant recruiting coordinator for Shane.
Fuentes is a great hire by Whit…if indeed it is done.