Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Your typical Do-It-Yourselfer writes down everything when buying an old house, looking at what needs to be redmodeled and sometimes rebuilt.
Just like the flippers, Justin Fuente took over a Virginia Tech football program three years ago that needed some upgrades, leading him to become Mr. Fixit and taking plenty of notes on what is needed for success. But of course, he came to Blacksburg with a very impressive resume.
Fuente compiled a 19-6 record in his final two seasons at Memphis, guiding the Tigers to back-to-back bowl berths after inheriting a program that went 5-31 in three years before his arrival.
Over the past year, he has added his own spin to a Tech roster of players that call 20 different states home. In addition, he is making recruiting strides in places like Florida, California and Texas.
Not bad for a coach who followed a man, (Frank Beamer) that invested over 25 years in the program, building it from the ground up. While Beamer is seen every-and-now and then on campus and even in the stands on Saturday afternoons, Tech is slowly becoming Fuente’s.
The new Hokie coach said the key is being careful about the Hall of Fame coach you choose to follow, and this situation was perfect for him.
Step back to day one, and most onlookers would have never expected Fuente to roll into town and put up ten wins.
Typically, new coaches do not find that much success in their first year. But Fuente is anything but typical and definitely not a normal first-year coach. He followed 2016 up with a nine-win season.
This year, the question is whether he can improve upon those first two years. Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson is the only other active ACC head coach who can boast as many victories in his first two seasons at a conference school than Fuente (19).
The Hokies bring a very young team to the table, but others like Miami and Clemson also have a big appetite and are the favorites going into the season.
The key to the recipe for success in Blacksburg all lies in the hands of the coach, and whether the Hokies will move straight to the dessert table and bypass the main course.
But the first thing might be to build a stronger and bigger house before laying out the spread. Again, back to Mr. Fixit.
This week Fuente spoke to reporters at the conference media day, dropping names of a lot young players. Most of whom, us, sports writers had little or no familiarity with.
Yes, there were key returners who stepped up to the mic like Josh Jackson and Ricky Walker, but for the most part, it will be a learning as we go type of scenario.
Jackson’s presence did produce questions about his spring academic problems to the forefront, but there also oozed confidence from his head coach for just placing him in the bright lights of the media.
Several sports writers tip-toed around the subject, but Jackson was quick to respond that he had put it all behind him, removing all doubt that he was still in the driver’s seat of the car Fuente had inherited.
The door remains open that others like Ryan Willis, Herndon Hooker and Quincy Patterson could still push Jackson for playing time, but it looks like Fuente has still given Jackson the keys to the Buick or in this case, the fixer upper.
The quarterback said he was never worried the situation would not work out.
Of course, media day came just a week after Mook Reynolds was released by the team after his arrest on drug charges. A few sports writers were brave enough to ask about the incident, and Fuente simply said the door is closed on Reynolds returning to the football program. Fuente has moved on.
Hokie fans hope the skies will again be blue, but there remains lot of questions less than two months out when the team faces Florida State in the season opener. And just like any DIY project, it will require some hard work and an upgrade on both sides of the ball.
So, it’s back to the project on the table. Mr. Fixit has his hands full but should be up to the challenge on whether it’s a four-room house or the Buick sitting in the parking lot. At ACC Media Days, he gave an indication he has the blueprint for success.
Fuente’s team is still a work in progress, but the foundation is there to make it a lot easier this fall. For now, he has strapped on his tool belt and is willing to get his hands dirty, hoping everything will fall into place to continue the winning ways in burgundy and orange. I think he’s the perfect man for the job.
If they need some more nails to drive into the walls, Lowe’s and Home Depot are just around the corner.
