Seven candidates to replace Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech – Sporting News
Virginia Tech fired Justin Fuente on Tuesday, which ends a six-year stint with the program.
Fuente was the go-to candidate to replace Frank Beamer in 2016 after his success at Memphis, and the tenure started well with an ACC championship …….
Virginia Tech fired Justin Fuente on Tuesday, which ends a six-year stint with the program.
Fuente was the go-to candidate to replace Frank Beamer in 2016 after his success at Memphis, and the tenure started well with an ACC championship appearance in his first season with the Hokies. Virginia Tech, however, dropped to sixth place in the ACC Coastal Division last season and was unable to contend in the ACC this season despite an opening night upset of North Carolina.
Fuente leaves Virginia Tech with a 43-31 record, including a 28-20 record in ACC play. It’s still a solid ACC job that should attract some interesting candidates.
MORE: Who’s next at USC? | Names to watch at LSU
Who are some of those names? Sporting News takes a closer look:
Bill O’Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator
The Nick Saban clinic opens yet another door. O’Brien spent time as an assistant coach at Maryland, Duke and Georgia Tech, and went 15-9 at Penn State amid the nightmarish circumstances following the firing of Joe Paterno. O’Brien can take the lessons learned from a one-year stint with Saban and succeed in the ACC, unless, of course, he is looking to get back in the NFL. The college game might be better for O’Brien, and Virginia Tech is a good fit. This would be a fantastic get for the Hokies.
Billy Napier, Louisiana coach
Napier, 42, is going to land a Power 5 job soon. Virginia Tech would be the appropriate level up for the Louisiana coach, who is on pace for a third straight season with double-digit victories. He is 37-12 in four years at Louisiana. Napier has experience at Alabama and Clemson, the two most-successful programs in the CFP era. He could bring those lessons for a makeover in Blacksburg.
Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina coach
Chadwell, 44, is the other Sun Belt coach that should get a long look. The 44-year-old has turned Coastal Carolina into an offensive machine the last two seasons, and that style could be a hit with Hokies’ fans. He has guided the Chants into the top 25 each of the past two years and the program has only been in existence since 2017. It’s a toss-up between Chadwell and Napier, but the difference is Chadwell does not have experience with a Power 5 program.
