Done deal indicates something is signed. I'd stop just short of that but it's happening. https://t.co/hKVeoB3O2C— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 26, 2015
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If it is happening, make it happen and start getting some more bodies on campus.
THREE The Office gifs??
I love it
at first I just read your first line and was like
then I read the rest and realized I should just
I fully expect an announcement Monday/Tuesday. If not i'm camping outside Whit's office, i'll report anyone entering or leaving. I'm tired of this waiting game shit.
Kbj gets it old school. The rest of you tweeters are lazy pikers.
Thanks for volunteering to take inenfor the team
Mullen it is!
YASS
It may be the alcohol but what if Bud were the HC and Fuente makes the jump to P5 as OC? Cam Cameron makes 1.5 million / year at LSU.. Wonder if he'd consider it.
I know. I know. This is offseason talk.. but my heart and my liver can't handle this.
Edit: This was a stupid post. Make it stop.
Definitely the alcohol. Fuente already got to the Rose Bowl as an OC at TCU.
I take no responsibility for what past me said.
I was looking into Fuente and came across this interview when he was first hired at Memphis. Not sure if this has been posted here already but after watching it, I really think this guy is going to be great hire for us.
Thanks for sharing. I think he is a great fit for Hokie Nation
Man Calkins called it from the beginning.
"Fuente is going to be wildly successful at Memphis...and in a few years your going to be panicking that he is leaving for a bigger school "
"I really wanted to be a tight end -- but one day they saw me throwing passes during drills and..."
Logan Thomas, is that you?
Justin
Fuente
I still like Matt Rhule and Tom Herman better... Still a good hire, and he reminds me a lot of Frank Beamer. Hopefully he can get the job done recruiting-wise, though.
So Chip Kelly?
this just showed up recently:
If true it would be out in the mainstream news by now.
Yeah i really can't imagine that being true.
For real. An entire team of 18 year old players and not a single one got upset and decided to talk about it?
Or their parents, a GA, an assistant who won't stay on, a Memphis equipment manager etc etc.
He thought to himself..."Hmmm....I better take this job before Herman does......"
So while Herman is celebrating in the locker room Justin is planning his next move and will get the last laugh......
I can't believe this. It seems more like something he would say after the SMU game and probably the week after and not right after the game. From all I've read about Fuente I don't think he do something like that.
"Hey guys, played your hearts. You deserved the win, we just didn't get it. 1 or 2 plays and it's a different game (this is where Whit heard JF channel Beamer and knew he was the right guy). Oh and by the way, I'm taking the VT job. See you guys at film review."
He probably read too much into the posts on the Tigers forum saying that the losses are from the players knowing the coach is gone.
I very much doubt that was the case.
BS
Richard Campbell
Jake Grove 4 line coach!
Jake Grove is undefeated as an assistant coach in high school over the past two years during the regular season; working through the playoffs again right now.
To the media, stop being a tease. It ain't making you look cool at all...
Smoke screens being put out about Herman, Mullen and such. I'm sure there could be a last minute switcheroo .. But with Forde's tweet, I was pretty well convinced that Fuente is our guy .. I'd be pretty surprised if he weren't at this point .. All are just trying to keep it under wraps, rightfully so
I am treating the coaching search like recruiticorns, when they are signed and on campus I will believe it...
Same game, different name. It's all just one big recruiting season. Only difference with a "coaching search" is you're trying to recruit a grown man to come to your school to recruit the kids. Same choices for tradition, conference, academics, current roster, location, family input, etc. are still there.
This is how Wolken put it in his coaching carousel article:
"Meanwhile, one person with direct knowledge who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the matter said discussions between Fuente's representatives and Virginia Tech are already fairly advanced and that Fuente is by far the favorite to be first off the board."
I'm at the point now where I'm content with what seems to be the three of Herman, Mullen, and Fuente. Rich Rod is off the table so it seems like Tech is in a win-win-win situation here because all three of these guys are excellent coaches. Exciting times everyone!
So maybe we discussed this before, but who else was interested in Fuente? He's not hot just because VT opened up, is he?
(edit: just asking because I hadn't heard of him before our search, I've got Hokie colored glasses, and it's interesting that everyone is so quick to call this a done deal as if there's no competition)
Apparently Mizzou approached his agent and was told he was off the market
I did see that. VT interested: "I'm not saying either way". Mizzou interested: "He's off the market."
He's one of the hottest names out there right now. If we weren't apparently already locking him up, someone else would be well on their way to doing so.
If he's our coach, we got ourselves a really, really good one.
Thanks. This lends credence to the likelihood that he's already "committed" to VT.
I agree Hermann would be everybody's #1, but Fuente is a great #2. Hopefully he'll do great things
Mullen would be my number 1, Herman my number 2, Morris my number 3, and Fuente my number 4. However, any of the four would be a home run hire.
If Herman goes to LSU, watch out for LSU to be a NC contender by his second season. LSU has more defensive talent than just about anyone. Herman can bring in an offense that is more effective and then add top-end Texas skill guys. The fact that Herman is 10-1 using a converted wide receiver as QB (and now said converted WR has been replaced) speaks to the sharpness of his scheme.
This is my list exactly (hard to rank Bud for me, but I would be as happy about Bud getting his shot as any of these guys). And that's a interesting thought about Herman to LSU. I could see him turning Branden Harris into the star he has potential to be, even if it's a system thing. That's a big potential shake up to SEC West
I think Bud deserved every opportunity to interview and make his case, and, just like any job search, he should have been weighed based on his experience and his vision. If Bud is named head coach, that would have been fine with me PROVIDED that he was a driving force to making the changes he talked about in Joe's exclusive interview. I have steadfastly believed that Foster has wanted to make many of the same changes that we wanted to see in the program, but held his tongue publicly out of loyalty to Coach Beamer.
That being said, my biggest Con with Bud being named head coach is that, without evidence that he can improve recruiting, coupled with the lack of a clear direction for how he would build an offensive staff (yes, we know what kind of offense he likes, but we have no idea what his contacts are, who he has a comfort level with, and if Whit could bring in those people to run the offense) he may not be the best choice of all the candidates. It is more unknowns with me that keep me from endorsing him.
All that said, would I trust my son to play for Coach Foster with full confidence that he will be given every opportunity to earn playing time and be successful at life? Absolutely. Sadly, that isn't enough in college football anymore.
I think that's the best Ive heard it said about Bud and the whole scenario. Don't think he is our best choice but damn I wish he was our best choice.
We share a concern for his ability to actually get someone who has an effective offense to his liking. His contacts are impossible to know given that he has been with us for so long. Also great OC's are hard to make lateral moves. Clemson struck gold taking a chance on Morris as an OC at a P5 school.
+1 agree w/that order
Agree with this order for an absolute offensive coaching ability. However, applying cost-benefit analysis, the order will change. Considering all it would take to hire the following coaches, their salaries, and the likelihood to stay, I would say the order should be (1) Fuente, (2) Morris, (3) Mullen, (4) Herman.
Fuente was my second choice behind Herman, but I would be stoked to have Fuente from his TCU background and what he has brought Memphis from to what it is now.
I actually have a funny feeling that if we got Herman, we would be a stepping stone to an even bigger job down the road. I think Fuente would be here for the long road or at least longer than Herman... just my .02
Nail on the head right here. I base this on no facts whatsoever, but I feel like Herman is much more likely to bail on us for a bigger job than Fuente. It already seems like he's willing to hold out at Houston for a job at a blue blood program.
I got the feeling that Herman would move on if a bigger opportunity presented itself. He has not stayed at any job for more than a couple of years.
Plus, I have a feeling that Herman may be the guy at LSU, and that is why USCe is off the table.
If he came here and did well enough to move on quickly the program would already be in a better place and considering he is probably the top recruiter of all the candidates being mentioned you would think we'd have some good to great talent for the next coach to work with. I agree with you though I think he's looking for a bigger job than VT, but am hopeful he's the guy for us.
In my eyes i dont want him. If he is holding out for a bigger/better job, then he isn't our guy. The way i see it, this would be an opportunity to make VT into one of those schools, and if he doesn't agree, then he doesn't fit.
Okay Fuente, just keep Bud. We won't get a better DC. There are other good DC's but none better, especially at working with and developing lower rated talent into stars. Brandon Flowers, Kam Chancellor, Cody Grimm, Detrick Bonner, Stephan Virgil, Roc Carmichael, DJ Parker, Dorian Porch, Orion Martin, Dadi Nicolas, Luther Maddy.. This is just a few off the top of my head.. Many more.
here-here sir
Question for people smarter than I:
I know that Bud runs a unique scheme; how long (best case/worst case) would it take for our personnel to learn Fuente's defense? Would it be as extreme as switching from a spread offense to a pro-style? How extreme would the difference in recruiting be?
Fuente is an offensive guy.
If he keeps Bud,we still have Bud's defense. I just hope for that.
Yep- if Bud stays, that means Fuente is comfortable with Bud essentially being the head coach of the defense. Some say that isn't an ideal situation (see every documentary on the 85 Bears ever made), however when the coaches have respect for each other it can work. When I was at EHC, our head coach spent his entire time with the defense and coaching kick coverage. The only decision I ever saw him make regarding the offense was when to go for it on 4th down. It doesn't mean he didn't have input. However, from what we could see, Coach Selfe and Coach Lusk had pretty hands off control of the offense.
So if Bud doesn't stay, and Fuente brings his existing DC, how serious is the defensive rebuild?
I read on a Memphis message board that Fuente's DC wasn't leaving with him. Like most of this stuff its probably just a rumor though so take it with a grain of salt. The only way I see our defensive staff getting replaced is if Bud just doesn't want to stay after not getting the HC job himself, or if Fuente doesn't feel comfortable with any of the staff.
I think both of these scenarios are well inside the realm of possibility, hence my concern.
It certainly is a possibility. Honestly though I think if Bud leaves it will be on his end and not Fuente's. For what its worth Fuente played at Murray State and so did Bud. At least there is a little common ground to start from. Also I believe Fuente retained Memphis' DC when he arrived. I'm not sure if he was already the DC or if he was just another coach on staff, but that does show he has kept a coach from a previous staff. I don't see how Fuente wouldn't try hard to keep one of the best DCs in college football.
Fuentes retained the DC at Memphis, but they coached together at Illinois state for years, so he essentially brought his own guy who just happened to be there. Certainly no guarantee he does that again though
There really shouldn't be a rebuild. Tech is fairly deep on the Dline and secondary as far as numbers. The players are young also so it should be easier to adjust to a new system being that they haven't been in the old one for 3 yrs. The LBs are the issue because they are thin but hopefully if we can score more points the D will remain fresh longer. It shouldn't take Fuente or any other offensive minded coach 3-4 yrs at Tech because we have every piece in place but the QB. I think Lawson is the future but he is unproven............
I agree. The cupboard isn't bare. Not a ton of depth but definitely not bare. I fully agree on Lawson. Lets see him do something first. I know he hasn't played much....but he didn't exactly look like Tyrod when we threw him in as a true freshman and you could tell he was the real deal immediately.
Apparently you and I remember vs. LSU very differently.
C/ATT YDS TD INT QBR
Tyrod Taylor 7/18 62 0 0 58.9
NO. I remember it well. He did much better than Glennon and ran a TD in on his first or second drive. We were so overmatched that night it was pathetic...that LSU team won the NC that year. He was the only bright spot of the night. Go back and watch the game...
I'll settle this- Tyrod's athleticism and running ability were immediately on display but he was hardly a polished product as a QB. In other words, I certainly didn't feel that we would have had a chance in the LSU game had Tyrod started the game but he was fun to watch.
I said "differently".
Outside of his feet, I don't remember seeing much from his arm that gave much indication of how good he could be. I remember a few rainbow passes that floated forever. Errant passes. Happy feet.
IOW, to me he looked like about any other freshman or even several year starter with shit for an O-line playing away against the best team in the nation.
There is no question TT got a LOT better through the years, and I kinda wish we never played him as a freshman.
If the LSU results were that debateable as to whether he could play you can always look at the stats or watch when he played Clemson in his first road game as a true freshman. 41-23 Hokie win. That seems like a distant memory nowadays. MV7 redshirted his freshman year...so name another player that could have done that.
That was hardly the only game he played as a freshman, that's just the one where he had to come off the bench. How about the FSU game a few weeks later? Lawson might end up being the best QB we've ever had in time, but Taylor was electric as a freshman. Perfect? Of course not, but there was no question he had the goods.
^
>
The one good thing with Fuente as far as Lawson is concerned is that he has developed two great QBs in Andy Dalton at TCU and now Paxton Lynch at Memphis. I just found out yesterday that Fuente played QB for Oklahoma for two seasons and then transferred to Murray State and set records there. The guy is a former QB and knows how to develop QBs.
Even if Foster leaves and Fuente (assuming he's the hire) brings a defensive coordinator who implements a completely different defensive scheme? Is a completely new defensive scheme something our boys could pick up in 15 spring practices, and 21(?) preseason practices? I'm doubt that we will see some improvement on offense, but I'm concerned that our defense may be a wet paper towel for a year or two if they are unable to pick up a new scheme.
I'm not worried about anybody's ability to learn a new scheme. I'd be more worried about Foster's prototypical undersized linemen being able to play in a more common scheme
Just as much, if not more of a concern.
Agreed. About all you could say w/ a new scheme is our DBs would be solid.
Be chaos for the rest of the players. Undersized LBs. Undersized DEs who could very well be slotted as LB's in a new scheme. Undersized interior DL with completely different assignments to play. Could be very ugly for a couple years.
Really really hoping that either Bud stays, or TG or Wiles gets the promotion and uses essentially the same scheme.
I think the chances of all three leaving are low unless the new coach really wants a clean slate of his own guys on defense. Even if Bud leaves to be a HC, only one of Gray/Wiles can follow him for a promotion to DC. The third would have to make a lateral move and I bet we could make a really competitive offer, if not the best offer to keep them as a DC.
Of course that's all irrelevant if the new coach wants his own guys and system here, but if it's really a guy like Fuente who is mostly "offense only" and open to retaining staff, I bet we could still have one of Gray/Wiles and a similar scheme in place in the nightmare scenario that Bud leaves and takes a guy with him.
It's insane to realize that all of our "big sized" D-Linemen, all got moved to the O-line.
But...didn't the 85 Bears win the Super Bowl
Handily won as I recall
Meh
Talked to multiple sources about the VT coaching search in the past 24 hrs. All said that Fuente is a final candidate but not a done deal.— Kyle Bailey (@TheClubhouseKB) November 25, 2015 " target="_blank">
Sources also indicate the other candidate still in play for the #Hokies is Houston HC Tom Herman.— Kyle Bailey (@TheClubhouseKB) November 25, 2015 " target="_blank">
Very interesting... Herman does sound like a good pedigree coach but may jump to another program later, but I'm on the Fuente bandwagon! What is the difference between the two?
I mean, lets be honest, if we're in a position to nitpick between Fuente and Herman, with either willing to sign a final offer and its just up to us to make a decision, we're in a really good spot for the future. You're practically talking about 1a and 1b nationally for hottest up and coming coaches available.
Herman looks to be the better recruiter which is very key...
Herman's dominance the past two years. 2014 OSU and 2015 Houston are just killing it. He's the hottest name and will get the best contract this round.
I've painted myself into an emotional corner. I now want Herman badly and will be disappointed if we don't get him. Concerns over Fuente's recruiting is growing in my mind.
Agreed. I like Fuente a lot - I think he's a great coach and a program builder. But the program is built, and we need someone to elevate us to another level. I don't know if Fuente fits that bill as much as Herman. What he has done at Houston, not just from a W/L perspective but in recruiting as well, is pretty incredible. He has that offense absolutely humming, as evidence by today's game. I feel like our offensive personnel would match perfectly with what he wants to do.
Fuente is known as a guy that streamlined the personnel at TCU and then turned around a horrible program at Memphis and made the most out of what he had. If Fuente is able to create a streamlined offense with a clear direction we will be fine. Our offense has had no clear direction for many years now and it shows on the field. I also know that Whit is incredibly plugged into everything and it should tell you everything you need to know that he is going with Fuente. If Bud Foster stays in this scenario as well we should be building a damn statue for Whit. I don't think people are giving enough credit to how tricky this whole season long situation has been for an AD. We are incredibly lucky to have Whit.
I'm sort of impressed with how well this has played out regarding Beamer. His announcement and last year celebration has been pretty well done.
I just can't get the lack of a proven track record in recruiting out of my mind. Who knows, Fuente may be a great recruiter and was just limited with what he could realistically do at Memphis. But you're kind of taking a leap of faith with that assumption. One of the biggest knocks on Foster as HC is his lack of recruiting prowess. Fuente is no more proven than Bud in this regard, so why not just hire Foster and offer a ton of money to Jeff Scott or Lincoln Riley if all we need is a clear offensive direction?
If Whit ultimately hires Fuente, I completely trust his judgment and believe he thinks Fuente can be successful with recruits. But right now for me, I have some concerns about that.
If Fuente can get VT back to winning, I think the recruiting will follow.
He seems capable of talking in an inspiring way to recruits and the media.
We were winning plenty in the 2000s, and those great recruiting benefits never seemed to follow, and actually worsened. If Fuente is the guy, I hope he can sell VT to the top VA recruits and beyond.
In the early 2000s we were winning despite our play calling though not because of it. Have we forgotten about the #FireStinespring years? I know it's been a while.
Winning because of a cohesive strategy and winning because the athletes played like hell and we had an elite defense are two very different things.
^This............In the early 2000s we were winning based on a strong running game, special teams and a great D. Tech is no longer dominating the OLine recruits in the region which has affected the running game. We still do really well in RB recruiting but the horses up front are not as dominate. So in order to overcome that deficiency we need a O that is less about power and more about deception. At least until we can get the profile back to where it was in the 2000s. Winning is the key. Recruit will improve if we win with a O that showcases the skill players.........
I keep hearing how Herman is a great recruiter and Fuente isn't, but lets look at a few things.
-First just look at the differences in what each coach was walking into in terms of a program between Memphis and Houston. Houston's last 4 coaches have been Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Tony Levine, and Tom Herman. Houston wasn't the dumpster fire that Memphis was when Herman took over. Last 4 coaches at Memphis were Rip Scherer, Tommy West, Larry Porter, and Justin Fuente. Quite a difference in where these two programs were coming from.
-Previously Herman was at Ohio State working for Urban Meyer. In that situation how could he NOT bring in top recruits? It isn't hard to bring in top talent to a place like Ohio State as evidenced by the QB situation they currently have.
-This is Herman's 1st full season at Houston and in looking at '15 recruiting class Houston brought in 1 four star, 6 three star, and the rest were below three star recruits. The '16 class has 1 five star, 2 four stars, 12 three stars with the rest ranked below three stars. Important to note that the five star recruit is from Houston, Tx and out of the 18 commits 15 are from the state of Texas. I don't think many would argue against Texas having a much bigger talent pool than the state of Tennessee.
-Memphis' last two recruiting classes have been 3 stars and under, but again this program was in a completely different state than Houston was and Houston has a much better talent pool to choose from being in Texas.
I'm not trying to say that Herman isn't a great coach because he IS a great coach as evidenced by the product he has put on the field this year, and the difference between OSU's offense last year to this year. However, I would argue that had Fuente came into the same situation the results would have been very similar if not the same. If Herman went to Memphis four years ago I can't see him instantly bringing in 4 and 5 star guys right off the bat to that program and winning 10-11 games his first year. I think if we get either of these guys its a GREAT hire for us and both will have success. IMO looking at the whole picture (state of program, location etc.) puts both of these guys closer together vs one being a lot better than the other.
I also wonder a bit about a person's ability to 1) come in and work magic in year 1 vs 2) build and sustain a successful program. Since Herman only has a year of coaching experience, it's hard to judge him on it.
Agreed. I think worrying about one vs. The other is just looking for something to be upset about. Considering how 4 years ago we were hiring a guy who had just gotten fired for performance reasons (Loeffler), the fact we are shopping for the best available now is fantastic.
I have zero complaints with either hire. Near equal chances of overwhelming success vs. being a bust. It's not like we are shopping around for a Tommy Bowden type. Either guy would be a huge get.
Agreed, love Whit. But if it's between Fuente and Herman, both keep Bud, both about the same salary, I'll take Herman.
All of this.
The one thing I would like to see, though, is that I'd like to see our next head coach challenge Bud to develop a defense that can run in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. With a guy like Settle, I think we may finally have that bell cow that could play nose in a 3-4. I'm just not sure if we have the LBs. Maybe we could convert a few 230 lb DEs to OLBs, might make them a little more viable as NFL 3-4 OLBs
Not really. Settle may look like a 3-4 Nose but he is not one. Also inside linebacker would be the problem for Tech in a 3-4 not outside.
Whoever wants to stay at VT long term is who I want as coach. Would it be bad if the new OC kept Searels and Burden?
Dont. Keep. Any. Offensive. Coaches.
I can't explain why I want to keep Burden - his name even suggests we shouldn't - but I think he's Torrian on offense. I think he'll be really good and I want to keep him.
Burden would be a good guy to keep in the new staff. Worked with spread offense at ODU. Most importantly is his recruiting presence and ties to the 757. I met him at a hokie event and he is very laid back and easy to talk to. I can see why young HS recruits would like him and he has a nice haul of WR in this class.
That's my biggest fear with Herman.....he bolts as soon as Texas comes open. Fuente's bio makes me think he's more likely to stay put even after success at VT.
Agreed
Besides Herman jumping to a better school, he looks lower risk even if he hasn't been a HC for that long. He's from a great coaching tree, is an offensive genius and apparently can recruit his ass off. If you can recruit, develop, and coach .. And if he kept Bud and helped Bud get some better prospects, the head coaching responsibilities are much much easier. If be fine with Fuente though...seems like a great coach and I think he'd have a better chance of keeping Bud.
The key is locking down a buyout that would make it painful for a school to pay. If the guys that good so be it..Fuente could be in the same position in 3 years. With a great coach you always have to worry about that.
The thing with Fuente though is he seems like he isn't a very "high profile" kind of guy. He also seems more family oriented and could possibly be more content in Blacksburg for the long haul. He said something in an old video interview I watched the other day about how he isn't an attention seeking person and he just wants to coach football, recruit great kids and win games.
If our next coach gets lured away that means he was kicking ass for us. I don't see that as a bad thing. Plus, like you said, put a big buyout on the new coaches (hopefully Herman) contract.
It appears to be a coaches market. So many openings already and so many potential openings after Saturday, coaches will be in the drivers seats in contract negotiations. Thus, good luck getting a school-friendly contract with a buyout.
Good point
"It appears to be a coaches market."
This could mean slim pickens for LOLUVA...
or one....more... year...of youknowhoo
In fine with Herman, Fuente, or Mullen. LSU looks to be opening up as I saw on the ESPN ticker that Les Miles suggested that Saturday would be his last game. If that happens it will be interesting to see what happens there.
Also, I'm not sure where everyone gets this trepidation with Fuente and recruiting. He has been at Memphis for a few years and had them in the top 15 from the lower depth is div-1 football. Memphis isn't a big name school and not a power five school so recruiting is gonna be hard especially when you are trying to recruit the same areas as the SEC. Not many people are gonna forego the sec for Memphis or another pwr5 school. He has a glass ceiling in that respect. So I don't think his recruiting is necessarily poor.
On Herman we don't know how is recruiting is. I'm sure it's good but he was also recruiting for OSU which sort of sells itself. His ability isn't in question as you see what he has at Houston and how OSU looks without him. However Houston wasn't horrible before him. They were still putting together winning seasons and were a decent team. So how much is him and how much is why he walked into. If he walked into fuente's situation in Memphis would he have been able to have the same success. Plus he is only in year one of being a HC where Fuente is a few years in.
So there are pros and cons to argue for both. I think both would be awesome hires. If Memphis is a one loss team and Houston has 3 do we think Fuente is the hot name??
agree. well said
The same could be said about Houston. Not many people are going to choose them over Texas, aTm, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, LSU, Bama, etc. Herman has the 5 star, #2 DT in the nation committed to Houston right now, and two other 4-stars. And a 4-star RB from last year's class. Fuente has never gotten higher than a 3-star in his tenure at Memphis.
Now, the argument could be made that Houston has the benefit of being in much better recruiting grounds (TX) than Memphis. Still, when you have that many Power 5 schools in TX, OK, and nearby in the SEC, it definitely says something about Herman's efforts there.
This is exactly what I was trying to say above. Had I known you were posting it, I'd have just hit you with a leg and moved on lol.
Just as you can say Fuente has never brought in higher than a 3 star (at Memphis not sure about TCU) you can also ask: How many Quarterback has Herman developed into early round NFL picks?
Fuente is getting ready to send his second.
Andy Dalton was a 3* and Paxton Lynch didn't really even have any D1 offers. I just heard it said in regards to Les Miles that the difference between coaches on the hot seat and not being is whether or not they get or develop a good Quarterback. Not really a ground breaking correlation but the guy has proven he can do it....he's done it twice without highly rated recruits.
Yeah I would say that is impressive. Not trying to knock Herman or anything...he would be a great hire. But I think we are underrating Fuente's resume.
How many QBs has Loeffler developed into NFL picks? This is starting to sound familiar...
We're talking recruiting rankings and player development, two separate issues. And I'm not going to count Fuente's recruiting at TCU if we're not counting Herman at OSU. At the end of the day, I just want an awesome, functional offense that can score TDs.
Herman has also taken a former wide receiver and turned him into a Davey O'Brien and Maxwell finalist QB this year. I'd say that speaks volumes about his player development as well.
What does Loeffler have to do with any of this?
Recruiting is very important. But turning players into NFL draft picks...particularly QBs is very important also. Again, as I stated, not trying to downplay Herman. The point was lets not downplay what Fuente has accomplished has well. Bringing one man down does nothing to elevate the other.
I brought up Loeffler because that was mentioned frequently when he took the job at VT. He's best buds with and coached Brady, coached Tebow, coached Henne, Navarre, and so forth. While that was great, it glossed over the fact that his track record as an OC was very suspect up to that point. And now we're seeing that trend continue. Yes, Fuente developed Dalton and now Lynch. But that doesn't explain or excuse the very real concerns about his ability and record as a recruiter. He may be good at it, but we don't have any evidence to support that at this point in time.
I too think both are great coaches, but I think if both wanted the job, I would choose Herman. If Whit hires Fuente, then obviously he has done his homework and feels he can perform all aspects of the job at a high level.
Chad Henne, Tim Tebow- Loeffler was their QB coach.
True and Loefflers best offense has been ranked in the 60s. Fuente now has the nations 6th best scoring offense at...Memphis and never had an offense at TCU be ranked higher than 10th.
And we see where they are as opposed to Dalton. He is a cemented NFL starter and has been. I think there are pros/cons/concerns about both Fuente and Herman.
Fuente has proven he can do more with less and solve problems and mitigate weaknesses on his teams -- recruited JUCOs to supplement his roster, focused his offense around a stud QB .. Recruiting? Memphis is smack dab in the middle of SEC territory .. How did Tom Herman recruit at Iowa State?? Probably badly. Herman may be a great recruiter .. Seems to be but:
A) tOSU and the allure of Urban Meyer recruits itself
B) Houston is a recruiting hotbed where he's the hot new name, both of their biggest programs are down right now ..
What he's doing at Houston is very impressive and he seems to be the more "seasoned" recruiter of the two but let's give JF a chance at a program where he has something to sell..
BTW: smoke is rolling now .. Legit leaks starting to occur
Certainly wasn't suggesting that Fuente is worse than Loeffler. Merely giving credit where credit was due. Loeffler has had a hand in developing NFL QBs.
Just want to put a cap on the Fuente potential hiring. I want it to happen and happen soon. Most of you seem to like him but carp about his recruiting. He is at Memphis, for God sake. Memphis is an armpit with some very good rib joints. No real football history in the middle of the SEC! I think he must be a great recruiter just to get the 2 and 3 star recruits that he does..,.then he wins with them!!! I think his personality is a great fit for VT. Come on Santa Whit, deliver the goods tomorrow or Monday. :-)
Any idea on what coaches JF will hire to fill out his staff? I'm assuming Bud, Torrian and Wiles on the D side. You think he brings along his current OC or Whit spends some bling to get us an up and coming OC that can recruit?
Sounds like Fuente has the potential to be a good recruiter once our offense shows improvement.
He was definitely not my first choice (or even top 5), not that it matters but if he is our new coach I'm ready to completely support him and looking forward to a great offense!
Fuente can expect several more fans in Blacksburg.
I was going to comment about this as I was flipping from Memphis' game to ours. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how empty that place was considering how much the fans supposedly want him to stay. They certainly have a funny way of showing it considering what he has done for that program. I guess it could have been a rebuke to him since they are pretty sure he is leaving. Imagine what Fuente would be feeling as he leads the team out of the tunnel for the first time to Enter Sandman after coming from a place like this.