Justin Fuente Reportedly Will Be Hired as Virginia Tech Head Coach

After much speculation, Justin Fuente is reportedly leaving the University of Memphis to be the next head football coach at Virginia Tech. 

ESPN's Brett McMurphy reported the Hokies' hiring, adding that Bud Foster and Shane Beamer will remain on the staff. 

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said the hiring is not official and said it is "premature" to discuss the matter, per Andy Bitter of the Roanoke Times.

Virginia Tech is losing a coaching legend in Frank Beamer, who announced in early November his intention to retire when this season ends after 29 years with the school.

Fuente has been a rising star in the coaching ranks since leading Memphis to 10 wins and a bowl victory last year. He is still coaching the Tigers, who were blowing out SMU at the time McMurphy's report broke, though it's uncertain if the 39-year-old will stick with the team through its bowl game. 

Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports wrote on Nov. 24 that Babcock "has his man" in Fuente. 

Memphis reportedly did everything it could to keep Fuente, with Jon Solomon of CBS Sports noting the Tigers were offering him a contract extension worth more than $3 million per season. 

However, the allure of a prominent head coaching job in a Power Five conference had to be appealing to Fuente. He has the kind of confidence and attitude that will make it hard for him not to succeed wherever he is based on these comments to Zac Ellis of Sports Illustrated in January:

"

We’re going to do whatever we can to make sure we build a football program, even if we are in the middle of SEC country, just the way Forth Worth, Texas, is in the middle of Big 12 country. We want to have that work ethic and blue-collar attitude that, hopefully, people will take notice of.

"

The college football world took notice of Fuente long ago, and he gave it more reasons to keep watching with back-to-back seasons with at least nine wins at Memphis. 

Now, the pressure will only increase for Fuente in the ACC.