Just saw this today while flipping through the news feed:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/9-candidates-to-replace-mcelwain-...
Not surprising, Coach Fuente is #4 on the list. I personally don't think Coach Fuente would leave (at least I hope not). I find the list interesting considering the former coaches out there for hire like Chip Kelly, Bob Stoops, and Les Miles (#1 through #3 on the list).
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Even that article says that going after Stoops is a waste of time.
Babers would be good, in the sense that we wouldn't have to worry about him at Syracuse anymore.
I will not stop worrying about Syracuse until they demolish the Carrier Dome and never speak of that place again.
Losing Babers would be a step in the right direction.
That place is also their basketball stadium too, so they'd have to build a football and basketball stadium first before they can demolish it.
They'll just build 'The Trane Station' and it will be heated and cooled by Carrier.
The fact the UF wanted to "re-negotiate" McElwain's buy out tells you everything you need to know about them. I don't see Fuente leaving for that.
Eh . . . maybe not . . .
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/607696#comment-607696
I would be pretty happy with a Scott Frost hire
And Sports Illustrated has a new piece out naming Fuente has the best choice of "Big Name Coaches" for Florida to pursue.
Gators should absolutely kick the tires but there's no way that he leaves for any of these SEC East jobs imo, for a myriad of reasons that other people have stated, in addition to the fact that he has come to really respect how much easier a HC gig is when you have a guaranteed DC like Bud Foster. All the arguments against coaching in the SEC East are solid, but national media keeps forgetting how at VT, Fuente only had to overhaul half of the staff.
Add
Feels amazing to have the hottest young P5 coach in the game leading our program, and I enjoy the rumors, but don't fear losing him just yet.
If he were to leave for an SEC job, the SEC East is precisely where he should go, with the exception of UT. If you coach in the West or UT, you face Bama every year. Why be eliminated 3-5 games into your season, before your team "fully develops". Yeah, you'll still face them in the SECCG, but theoretically, your team will be better prepared at that point.
...unless UGA becomes the next Bama. Smart learned from the master, following the same prototype.
I don't see it being anyone other than Mullen or Frost. They're both good fits and would likely say yes if offered (Frost especially)
Mullen has the obvious UF ties - and it's an upgrade from MSU. Frost a great choice if they're going the 'up & comer' route. I'd add Chip Kelly and Matt Campbell (ISU) to the convo.
I'm not willing to even consider the possibility of CJF leaving.
campbell is sticking to the midwest, hell get a big job but thats his recruiting footprint. Ive got scott frost earmarked to UF it just makes to much sense
I understand that about recruiting footprints, but you could have said the same about CJF leaving from Memphis. I think the money and the name recognition that Florida bring could offset some of that. I know nothing about Florida andvtheir program but the way ISU has played this year is crazy and I'm sure he gets some interesting phone calls at the least.
except memphis isnt far from virginia, campbell has a better chance of going to nebraska than florida. If Im florida i go all guns im on scott frost, that guy is a phenomenal coach.
It's not exactly mid west, but don't be surprised if he lands at aTm after the put Sumlin out of his misery.
TIL MSN still exists
Browsing MSN like...
Frost sounds like the best fit. Being in Florida and knowing the recruitment foot print is going to help him.
I don't think Fuente is going to leave just yet. Posted this in another thread, but he doesn't strike me as the guy that will leave in the middle of a rebuild. I think he knows he can get what he wants accomplished right where he is.
I think he's going to have a Dabo effect. Where we start getting better recruits because of the fun exciting offense that he brought in. We have already begun to see it. We have won recruits over the blueblood schools.
Yeah, this all depends on what Fuente really wants. If he wants to have a regular shot a the playoffs, stay at VT and build the program to Clemson's level. If he wants the biggest paycheck possible, go to SEC, where winning the division will always include at least one outstanding opponent and then face another in the SECCG.
He could become a legend if he does that at VT.
SAD ENOUGH TO SAY THAT ALONE I COULD BARELY LIGHT A MATCH
I'm certainly not the first to say this, but there's also the issue of making the SECCG two years in a row and being fired the next year after a disappointing start. You get a big paycheck, yes, but you also get a VERY short leash due to ridiculous expectations.
And if he does, he'll likely get paid accordingly, which is an argument in favor of staying; he's far less likely to get fired at VT if he has an off year than at UF. That big SEC paycheck is less attractive if you have to fight the school for your buyout.
Sorry, but his chances at the playoffs are as good if not better at UF. better recruiting territory, more resources, and better history. the schedule isn't alll that much harder than here. they play 4 easy games a year (UK, Vandy, USC(E) and Missou) and their crossover in the west is LSU. There are downsides, this being the 5th coach since Spurrier, 2nd since Meyer, they burned Meyer out, they are trying to figure out a way to screw McElwein out of 7 mil, seems lke half their team is suspended for this credit card fraud deal and unrealistic expectations by the fans. Additionally, while frank still comes to games, I don't get the sense that he has his nose in things around Jamerson, it looks like the OBC still does. I could see that as being a turn off, but overall, FL is a great opporunity for the right guy, but it certainly a risk.
Not as long as Saban is at Bama.
This was going to be my response.
In addition, Kirby Smart seems to be getting actual production out of all of the talent that Richt brought into UGA and is killing it on the recruiting trail. While it's still a wait and see, getting to the SECCG may soon be as tough for other teams in the SEC East is it is for a West team to get there through Bama. UF fans won't be happy with the frequency that Auburn and LSU make it to the SECCG. In 26 years, including this year, those 3 made it to the SECCG 25 times. Bama was in the game 14 times (15 if they make it this year).
You have no idea how hard it was for me to write anything good about UGA (every inbred, 2 tooth moron who married his sister-cousin, in the state of Georgia is a dawg fan).
McElwein scammed himself out of the 12.75 million buyout by lying about death threats to players and coaches. Player threats are required by NCAA and law to be investigated. He could have said the coaches were receiving threats and no one would have cared.
That being said, Florida fired a coach who in his first two years got them to the SEC championship twice and fired him when he was 3-4!!!
If the NCAA actually investigated every Twitter death threat a college athlete or coach got they'd have to double their staff overnight.
Fuente's chances of the playoffs are better at VT than they would be anywhere else.
Why?
That's why. You aren't bringing those 2 men with you to your next job.
UF will want an offensive minded head coach, it's their thing. If I were a UF fan, my first choice would be Chip Kelley, followed by Fuente, followed by Babers/Frost/Mullen. I wouldn't even consider Les, Stoops or Strong.
I think articles mentioning Stoops are lazy and clickbait. He had everything at OU and left due to serious health reasons.
Strong is probably not going to be considered, but he did a hell of a job cleaning up Texas and cleaning up Mac Browns ashes.
I'm interested to see what happens with Chip Kelley.
Any article that mentions any coach of a Power 5 'football' school who is having current success is pretty much lazy clickbait. Those kind of P5 to P5 moves just don't happen anymore unless the coach is making a pre-emptime lateral move before getting fired. Fuente on any list right now is a pipe dream, as is any other P5 coach who is at a school that isn't a perennial basement dweller in their respective conference, like Vandy was when Franklin bolted to Penn St.
Its all clickbait BS that gets people talking without having any realistic chance of happening.
Not necessarily... Strong from UL to Texas, Belima from Wiscy to Ark, Anderson from Wiscy to Oregon St, Lane from UT to USC, Rich Rod from WVU to Mich, etc.
I recognize that there is some context to the above examples; UL was not the program then that it is now, some coaches have trouble with Wiscy's AD, USC was Lane's dream job, etc. I don't want to argue whether or not UF is a 'blueblood', but I think we can all agree that in today's college football landscape, UF can offer a coach the same perks that Texas, USC, and Mich can offer.
Louisville was AAC when Strong went to Texas
This was the case of someone failing sideways. Both of those were going to be ousted before they went to the other job. Neither was a situation of the hot coach being hired away.
And these are basically the only 2 I could think of off the top of my head who were a P5 coach that was hired away to another P5 job. Both situations were coaches of... questionable moral character who were widely crucified for bailing on their programs. I would very much say this is the exception rather than the trend.
FIFY
Bielema left Wiscy because he couldn't take Barry Alvarez breathing down his neck... notorious meddley micromanager.
He was having trouble keeping Assistants, and he wanted to upgrade the facilities. There was a money issue there on top of the micromanagement.
What little rumblings I have heard/read, is that Chip does not want to be in the South at all (I read that as Texas/Southeast US), and would prefer to coach out West again.
He doesn't have to actually play defense out west...
Would Oregon take him back?
As long as VT continues to play well, Fuente isn't going anywhere. In fact, I would expect him to get a very nice payraise after this season.
Don't forget the Nebraska Job is open and Scott Frost is an Alumni of Nebraska.
Chip Kelley makes a lot of sense, Charlie Strong although he is only there for one year so not sure about that. Could also go to a top coordinator.
I just don't see how Frost turns down Nebraska. In the end, I don't think he can do that and he ends up there.
Mullen also comes off as a prick and he's apparently ruffled feathers with those still at UF. I think he's the backup plan if they can't get a Chip Kelly type of guy.
Because UF is a better paying job with better recruiting, making it easy to win a Natty. I get the draw to one's Alma Mater, but I can totally understand why Frost would pick UF over Nebraska.
Donate to the hokie club and you did everything you could. If he leaves and you're not in the hokie club, it's partially your fault.
/guilt trip
Holy click-bait batman...
They lose some credibility by implying (through a quest8ion) that Miles could turn around their QB situation. His offenses the last couple of years at LSU were bad and that was with the top RB in the nation. And it wasn't a recruiting issue either, unless he couldn't evaluate QB's.
Gotta say this scares me guys! Don't think he bolts to Florida but a quick search for "Justin Fuente" on Twitter shows the extent this. Hundreds of people and pundits caling him out as a top choice.
I'm a huge Fuente fan and felt like he was still a little under the radar. NOPE. This Florida deal is putting him on blast and he's getting a lot of free press. And AD's love to hire good coaches that the public also supports.
I think we know where this ends eventually and this makes it feel like it's coming faster than I hoped for.
@Justin - we know you read French's analysis on here. If you're reading this just don't leave before we play PSU and Mich in 2020!
Whit isn't stupid. I don't think he would have signed Fuente if he felt he was going to leave after 2 years.
I think if for some reason Fuente leaves. We would actually give Foster the head coaching gig. His problem before was he had no ties to any other programs that ran a new dynamic offense. This time he does. Foster has proven he wants to complete what he started at Tech. I don't think he would have signed on with Fuente if he didn't feel he was going to stay.
I sort of doubt he's in a real hurry to get somewhere else.
Hopefully, he'll get the job done at Virginia Tech. That's a goal in itself. I'm not sure coaching at Florida, or even the SEC, is every coach's goal. VT is a better job than some people realize.
Not really worried about Fuente leaving and if he were to go anywhere it wouldn't be UF. AD is basically a spokesperson for all the big boosters, if boosters say the time is done then AD fires the HC.
McElwain went 22–12 and 16-8 in SEC and got fired. UF was going to fire him regardless of what happened this year and him bringing up the death threats was exactly what they needed to get it done quicker.
Don't forget that Fuente picked VT. He said so himself and that has to mean something.
Good support, competitive history, clear and relatively easy route to the championship, reasonable expectations.
Not worried at all about Fuente leaving. I mean from all he has said and the type of guy he appears to be....to jump ship on something he's building after year 2 while the team you are at is trending up strongly is just not in line with who he appears to be.
Plus hasn't he stated that he has no interest in coaching in the SEC?? I mean McElwain took florida to the SECCG and after a bad year they want him out. So what would Fuente have to do to not be kicked out; especially with Saban at Bama and how Smart is doing at UGA. Plus the whole cc fraud deal. I wouldn't want to touch that program with a 10 foot pool if I was a coach. At least a coach at a legit P5 program. If I was at a G5 team or a low level P5, WF for example, maybe. But VT has a pretty decent road to the playoffs already lined up.
I mean didn't he basically do what you just described at Memphis?
Fuente was the coach at Memphis for 4 years, so not really. G5 teams also know they are by and large stepping stones to P5 gigs.
Yep. Fuente doesn't seem like the guy that would want to deal with a lot of the BS that comes with the high profile gigs in the SEC. I'd be more concerned about one of the better Big 12 jobs opening up. Namely OU, OK State or TCU. I don't think he would want to deal with Texas' BS either. The only other wild card I see would be if Mrs. Fuente wanted to get closer to her family in Illinois. In which case ND or Wisky would be a concern, but Brain Kelly seems to be have rebounded at ND and Wisky will probably keep winning the Big Ten west for the foreseeable future.
Paul chryst would have to murder someone to get booted at wisconsin. the Big loves hiring alumni, and hes winning a lot and keeping a lot of the traditional wisconsin play styles in tact. Ive been saying it a while, as much of a jerk as kelly is hes a good coach i doubt either of those jobs open up anytime soon. Plus UW seems like theyre allergic to spending money sometimes, doubt fuente leaves for that
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