Virginia Tech Coaching Mega-Board 1.5: Justin Fuente and Larry Fedora

Virginia Tech is in the midst of both sending Frank Beamer out on a high note, and finding his replacement. I published the Virginia Tech Coaching Mega-Board 1.0 almost two weeks ago, and there have been minor to significant reports regarding the Hokies' next football coach. (Reminder: If you would like to anonymously share tips with TKP, hit us up.)

Last Tuesday GridironNow reported Justin Fuete and Chad Morris were the top options for the Hokies.

Insiders tell GN that Memphis coach Justin Fuente definitely has caught the eye of the folks at Virginia Tech, which is searching for a coach to replace the retiring Frank Beamer. Also a legitimate candidate: SMU's Chad Morris.

Arizona's Rich Rodriguez is seen as a candidate at Virginia Tech, as well, though Fuente and Morris definitely seem to be higher on the "want" list.

That was the first time GridironNow popped up on my radar, and I'm skeptical of to believe any outlet without an established history of reputable reporting. However, its masthead lists Tony Barnhart and Mike Huguenin, two veteran sportswriters, among others.

Later that Tuesday, J.C. Shurburtt published a near identical report.

I have learned that as of today, Fuente could be called the leading candidate with Morris No. 2.

Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez is another prominent name where the Hokies are concerned.

Among the non-dubious explanations, it appears that either a party, or independent parties, are telling GridironNow and Shurburtt the same information. In any event, my curiosity was piqued to learn more about Fuente (who I was very unfamiliar with until this season). I did a deep dive into his background and time at Memphis.

Memphis won 5 games in the three seasons prior to Fuente's arrival (2-10, 1-11, 2-10). The program was gutted, and needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. In multiple interviews, from when he was hired through 2014 and 2015, Fuente noted the Tigers' talent dearth.

"Hopefully, we do things the right way on the field and off the field and give people here confidence," Fuente said [in 2012]. "I told (the assistant coaches) we're way down in numbers and we're really young. But I also told them we're going to build this the way we want to build it. We're not going to get into that quick-fix."

"The first thing we needed were some numbers. Our roster had been decimated. We just didn't have people in the program. And through some of the legislation passed through the NCAA, it's a little more difficult to build that back up. You can't just go out and sign 40 guys. We had to figure out a way to develop our walk-on program just to increase our numbers." [Fuente said in 2014]

An FBS team is allotted 85 scholarships. In 2012, Fuente inherited a team that had just 50. His first offense returned just three starters, but that's probably just as well, because the 2011 Memphis offense was atrocious.

"We had a long way to go from a physical standpoint. The overall health of our squad, from the emotional health to the physical health, it just didn't give us a chance. I felt like if I created a list of things to improve and presented it to the team, it would overwhelm them. We had to be responsible to each other -- coming to workouts ready, on time, all those discipline things. And we needed to develop some trust with our kids. We had players who had had different position coaches every year through their time in the program."

"(The meeting) was pretty quick," he said [in 2015]. "They were getting ready for finals and to go home for Christmas break, and there weren't many guys in the room. That was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. Our numbers were atrocious at the time. I tried to set the tone from the very beginning that we were going to build this thing a certain way through a blue-collar attitude, hard work and toughness. I tried to send that tone immediately.

In a little less than four seasons, Fuente transformed an afterthought into a program that's two wins away from its second 10-win campaign in as many years. Player development is one of his strong points. Interesting tidbit: Memphis' three leading receivers in 2015 were former walk-ons.

In his third season as Memphis' QB1, former 2-star recruit (247Sports Composite) Paxton Lynch has thrown for 3,292 yards, 68.5% completions, 21 TDs, 3 INTs, and is in the discussion for the top quarterback taken in next year's NFL draft. In 2013, Fuente made a bold decision to start Lynch as a redshirt freshman over senior, returning starter Jacob Karam. Lynch's feet were to the flames while he learned Fuente's spread scheme (2,056 yards, 58.2% completions, 9 TDs, 10 INTs), but it paid off in the end.

I found it prudent, intelligent, and egoless that as a first time head coach Fuente sought out former head coaches to be part of his initial staff.

"I felt like it was important to hire someone that had been a head coach on staff," Fuente remarked. "Someone had thought about all the things I was going to deal with. I knew how we were going to practice, how offseason would work, how our days were going to look. I walked in ready to go because I loved the way we did it at TCU. But I knew enough to know things would come along I hadn't thought of. I'm comfortable with it. It doesn't bother me. They're comfortable enough in their skin, comfortable voicing an opinion. And I'll make a final decision. and we'll go out and make it work."

Another coach understands the importance of a good people around him.

FRANK'S DROPPING SO MANY LIFE LESSONS RIGHT NOW. TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT. UNDERSTAND YOU NEED GOOD PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.— THE KEY PLAY (@thekeyplay) November 2, 2015

The Tigers' defense steadily improved under coordinator Barry Odom. Its S&P+ ranks in 2012, 2013, and 2014 were 85th, 49th, and 23rd, respectively. However, Odom left Memphis for Missouri this season and the Tigers dipped to 88th (Mizzou is 12th). Given Fuente's focus on offense, and his blue-collar approach, he could pair well with Bud Foster and Virginia Tech's identity.

Memphis hasn't lit up the recruiting trail on Fuente's watch. According to the 247Sports Composite, the Tigers' have feasted on a steady diet of 2- and 3-star recruits from 2012-2015. The school is located in the heart of SEC country, and it's understandable it doesn't have the resources to compete with SEC schools—few schools do. However, if wins are any indication, Fuente was able to find players that fit his system and develop them, which is as important as star power.

It may seem unthinkable, but Fuente may be at Memphis for the long haul. There's plans for a $40 million athletic facilities project, and Memphis is making itself as attractive as possible to the Big 12.

"I try not to make definitive statements about anything that loop back around and bite you in the tail later on. But I know we've got a lot of sweat equity invested in this program right now," Fuente said. "We have the potential for a very bright future down the road. That won't all accumulate when we play Ole Miss. It's got to be a long process. But I certainly can see a situation where we could build something pretty special."

Fuente is a proven, no-nonsense program builder. He has an effective offensive philosophy and identity that he believes in. He develops quarterbacks, often the position that separates teams on the field. Although, the jury is out on whether he's a great recruiter; the current evidence mostly points to the contrary. His loyalty to Memphis might be tough for Virginia Tech to overcome.

On Monday, FootballScoop.com reported RichRod isn't in the running for the Virginia Tech job, but Larry Fedora may be a target.

Sources tell FootballScoop that Whit Babcock considers Larry Fedora a strong candidate at Virginia Tech. We are also of the understanding that Rich Rodriguez will not be a candidate for this position.

In a short amount of time, Fedora's rumored candidacy has polarized TKP almost as much as Rodriguez's. It's entirely possible Fedora (or his agent) is floating his name to hit a payday after the season. Or perhaps with UNC rolling into town, it's some high-level gamesmanship.

There's a certain fisherman who summarized Fedora as a doofus, and for good reason. Fedora can't get out of his own way at times. During North Carolia–South Carolina, I second guessed his offensive decision making like he was Bryan Stinespring.

I believe the pros outweigh the cons though. Fedora puts productive offenses on the field. He's coached all of his teams to bowl eligible records. He won the Conference USA championship at Southern Miss, and is on the brink of a Coastal Division crown at North Carolina. The latter would be accomplished in the face of UNC's academic scandal and NCAA sanctions.

He has Mid-Atlantic recruiting experience, and his Freak Show camp is innovative and effective.

And when it comes to hype, well, the Freak Show might be in a class of its own. UNC produced no less than 11 promotional videos associated with the Freak Show that can be found on YouTube, all of them designed to build mystique around the event. In one of the videos, a voice that sounds like it belongs on a state fair midway goes on about the "strangest creatures on earth" and the "living wonders of the world."

"We're always trying to do things outside the box," Fedora said. "We're always trying to do things that other people don't do, because we are different at Carolina. So we're going to always think a different way. So I think it probably helps that there aren't a lot of people that do things like that.

"Because I think that's part of the mystique that the kids really enjoy. They want to find out about it."

A year ago, UNC received four commitments at the Freak Show. This year two more followed, which added to the two commitments Fedora received during one of his less-freaky camps earlier in the week.

Fedora and Foster could be a potent combination. More than that, hiring Fedora would be a coup for Whit Babcock. To poach a coach from the same conference, let alone same division, would be a statement move. Tech would secure one of the most accomplished coaches in the ACC Coastal, meanwhile UNC would be left at the drawing board with more potential NCAA punishments looming.