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Ex-Murray State QB Fuente Named New Va. Tech Coach

Ex-Murray State QB Fuente Named New Va. Tech Coach
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By The Associated Press/West Kentucky Star Staff
Nov. 29, 2015 | BLACKSBURG, VA
By The Associated Press/West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 29, 2015 | 04:19 PM | BLACKSBURG, VA
Virginia Tech has hired Memphis' Justin Fuente to be its next football coach.

The school made the announcement Sunday, bringing a quick end to its search to replace the retiring Frank Beamer after 29 seasons. The school also said longtime Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster, thought to be a candidate for the job, will remain in that position at Fuente's request.

Fuente, 39, has spent the past four seasons at Memphis, turning a struggling program into a winner. The Tigers, who compete in the American Athletic Conference, were 10-3 last season, including a 55-48, double-overtime victory against BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl.

They are 9-3 this season, including a 63-0 victory against SMU on Saturday in Fuente's final game.

Virginia Tech will introduce Fuente at a news conference Monday.

Fuente grew up in Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma before transferring to Murray State University after his redshirt sophomore season where he played quarterback for each.

At Murray State, Fuente was named the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award following the 1999 season. He still holds several single-season records at Murray State for a quarterback including: most pass completions (240), highest pass efficiency (151.21), most passing yards (3,497), and most touchdown passes (27).

 

 

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