I spoke with Dorman HS head coach David Gutshall for a story on 2018 OL Jordan McFadden. During the interview Gutshall shared an interesting anecdote with me. He and his staff visited Virginia Tech to watch spring practice in 2016 for a few days. Justin Fuente made a lasting impression. Read the following transcriptions.
ON IF HE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THE NEW VIRGINIA TECH STAFF:
"Oh yeah. We took our offensive staff, (Fuente's) first year up there, and that would be eight of them, we took them up there for three days to watch Virginia Tech practice. And that was (Fuente's) first spring. And the head coach has been at our school twice I think, so they recruit our area really good. I think the new coaching staff is very much seen all over the place. They really got a presence down here all of a sudden."
ON INITIAL IMPRESSION OF FUENTE:
"He's down to Earth...They had a GA helping us. And Coach Fuente came in and said, 'I'm working in my office, all the guys are out recruiting. Anything that comes up on film that you don't feel you're getting the answer, you come get me and I'll sit down and I'll explain what we're doing in that situation.' And not every head coach does that. He really made us feel welcome, and we left there with a tremendous feeling about Virginia Tech."
In addition to McFadden, the Hokies are pursuing 2019 4-star WR Jacoby Pinckney. Not only was Fuente's gesture good recruiting, but it was good people that was very well received.
Comments
How very CFB of him.
That's not what she said...
Great to hear! Beyond just being good in generally it's especially smart strategically, with Clemson now recruiting on a national scale it leaves a void for some South Carolina recruits
There's a good alumni base here in Charleston. Hope we can help raise VT stature and awareness in SC for any interested students and student/athletes!
Wish we could get a Hokie Club chapter started down there. It's a huge untapped group.
South, South Virginia is next. I like it.
#VA/NC/SC 2 VT
We march south to Atlanta then East to the sea, taking all the recruits in our path and leaving nothing but barren Earth.
EDIT: He just looks like a guy who'd be awesome to have a few beers with.
He looks like he'd either be an angry drunk or the guy who surprises everyone and is super funny all of the sudden. I'd go with the former, but you never know so give it a shot!
Oh.... my.... God....
That is uncanny....
Beers? No. Whiskey, for certain.
And then we will take them back to Lane Stadium...
Fuente really may be Whit's "home run hire" if we give him a few more years. Everything he does sounds right.
We haven't seen someone run through the Southeast like this since Sherman and Grant teamed up back in the 60s.
The NC2VT project is real. It's a matter of time before it spreads to the 757toVT like it used to be in the 2000s.
Psssttttt
* whispers * this is South Carolina
Forget it, he's rolling.
But if NC is now South Virginia, doesn't that make South Carolina the new North Carolina?
Dorman is our high school here in Spartanburg. Class program and some high quality kids here. My son knows McFadden well. He would be a great addition to the Hokies.
Yea and for anyone not from/familiar with the upstate Dorman probably has one of the nicest high school stadiums in the state. It's honestly on par with some small college stadiums.
and looks like they fill it up better than LOLUVa
lol on the left hand side of the stadium, we have a representation of the VT fanbase. On the right hand side, LOLUVa.
Your choice, recruits.
Being a bit generous, aren't we?
There are at least 15 people in the stands on the right.
They do, it's a nice stadium.
However, they are the Dorman 'Cavaliers'..........
It reminds me of that college stadium in North North Carolina.
Hey I like Lane Stadium South, I mean Wallace Wade...
I love games at Duke. Ridiculously easy and cheap ticket to see VT from a great view in a stadium takeover by Hokie Nation
Sat near some very polite Duke fans last year...they were very curious about key ringing!
My wife and I are actually very proud of the Duke fans. They have actually started attending games and cheering. Their attendance used to rival a LOLUVA Spring Festival. They, and the football team, were so bad you wanted to cheer for them when they got their first first down of the game in the second half.
Duke might actually fill their stadium if they played here
I like the sound of this high school, as my last name is 'Dorman'.
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Good to see the state I was conceived and birthed in finally putting out...wait huh? Phrasing!
My mother was from Charleston and was a huge Hokie fan. She met Frank Beamer on a cruise and cadged a signed photo and some Hokie gear from him. She told him he owed her 'cause she put two boys and a daughter in law through VT, and watched every game that was on TV. That worked for CFB, and my mother revered him till the day she shuffled off this mortal coil. She would be really happy and crowing about our recruits from SC. Miss ya mom.