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Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans celebrates a big win at North Carolina. |
The most obvious coach to hire for any major program that had an opening last year was Justin Fuente. Anyone who watched closely as he took Memphis from the ashes to the top 25 knew what he accomplished there wasn't a fluke. He’s the real deal.
Virginia Tech athletics director Whit Babcock took notice and, once Frank Beamer announced he was retiring at the end of last season, aggressively moved to get a deal done before he hit the open market. Babcock’s skill and diligence paid off, because not only did he get Fuente but worked the deal so that Bud Foster would stay on as defensive coordinator.
It’s looking like a really good fit already for Virginia Tech, which moved to 4-1 after a 34-3 victory at No. 16 North Carolina. The Hokies, who should move back into the Amway Coaches Poll this week, are now in the driver's seat for the ACC’s Coastal Division and will get Miami at home on Oct. 20.
If you take away Virginia Tech’s five fumbles in the 45-24 loss to Tennessee in the Battle at Bristol — a game in which it still racked up 400 yards of offense — this has been a really dynamic and efficient offensive team.
Though it certainly helped for Virginia Tech to face the Tar Heels’ pass-happy offense in the wet and windy conditions brought by the outer reaches of Hurricane Matthew, you have to give the Hokies a lot of credit for going on the road and handling a good team and putting together their third consecutive blowout since the Tennessee loss.
Meanwhile, quarterback Jerod Evans has been a revelation. The junior college transfer, whom Fuente picked up late in the recruiting process, has 15 touchdowns and just one interception on the season.
Though it was hard to know what to expect from the Hokies this season, there’s a lot to like about this team. Fuente’s offense seems to be maximizing talented skill players like Bucky Hodges and Isaiah Ford, and the defense is firing on all cylinders. Don’t count out Virginia Tech as a stealth contender in the ACC and perhaps the biggest threat to knock off Clemson in a potential conference championship. game.
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Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans celebrates a big win at North Carolina. |