I have read a lot of posts on the comparison of success for both coaches. More often than not, Buzz wins. I try to just ignore those posts but I’m brought back to what I observed over the last few years.

Fuente and Buzz were hired for very different reasons, and with actually very different desired outcomes. Yes, both were hired to win. Fuente was hired to transition an age old institution that had seen better days but had recently fallen on some hard times with the retirement of coach Beamer. Buzz was basically hired to gut and rebuild the bball program. Which he did.

Fuente delicately handled turning over the reigns to new coaches and proceeded to almost win the ACC his first year. He likely was not allowed to completely tear down the system, or tradition, so he instilled new, congruent traditions and continues to improve the program.

Buzz lost 16 out of 18 ACC games his first season at VT. At the same time, he created considerable turmoil and strife within the program as previous players left and new ones boarded the ship. No one talked about how terrible a coach he was then (we’ll, if they did, they did so quietly.) In the end, VT is a national top-20 team and currently #4 in the ACC.

So, while EACH program is in a state of flux, neither will be the same in 2019-2020. Football will likely be better, and bball will likely be worse. In the end though, each program is achieving higher lows and higher highs. We’ll see what happens, but I’m ok with a little growing pains here and there.

Whatever the score, or the record, I’ll always be a Hokie.





[Post edited by reconhokie at 03/03/2019 8:58PM]