Pitt and Duke were awful losses. Wake and Liberty were demoralizing losses. But the loss that really sunk the program and started the program down this path was ODU in 2018. And IMHO the only reason we didn't get to this current situation a year earlier was the temporary masking effect provided by Jerry Kill.

After the ODU debacle, Fuente's record against FBS competition was 5-7, up to and including the Duke blowout loss.

Then Kill was brought in, and VT experienced a mini-revival, going 6-3 in the games where he was available to provide some consulting skills to a staff that sorely needed them.

Since Kill left, VT has reverted to its losing ways, going 4-5 against FBS competition. Throwing out the 9 Kill games, Fuente has gone 9-12 against FBS opponents since the ODU game.

ODU broke something, and it has never been truly fixed. If Fuente somehow survives this year, then one of the conditions of his retention should be that Whit brings in another semi-retired FBS coach to provide some additional "quality control".