Just in: Fuente

[PigPusher]

Fuente ain't giving up working with smart kids in Blacksburg for #10 APR in the dummy conference Fayetteville.

I respect your position, but that is just a feeling on your part. I think you will admit we will only find out if the choice ever present itself. I am like you, we just want the best for our hogs.

[Pork Twain]

I respect your position, but that is just a feeling on your part. I think you will admit we will only find out if the choice ever present itself. I am like you, we just want the best for our hogs.

Now as far as Norvell goes, I hope going back to Arkansas is a serious draw and the fact that he has spent so much time in the state, could possibly be an indication that could be true.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Turned Memphis around. Is 5-1 this season with a loss to Clemson (good game) and a convincing win over Notre Dame. Winning at a 60% clip and a young gun at 41 years.  Record would be higher but for having to build a player base at Memphis. Consider having a bright future. Was very successful QB at Union in Tulsa.

Back to topic...

Fuente would be a great hire in my opinion. He has a pretty good resume for a short career.

He was born and played in Tulsa, spent a couple of years at OU and then finished up at Murray State. He knows the area surrounding Arkansas pretty well and obviously has ties to this region. He started out coaching at Illinois State but then spent 2007-2011 at TCU coaching QB's, RB's and being the Co-OC. He took over as the HC at Memphis in 2012 and then became the HC at VT in 2016. He's still a young guy in terms of coaching experience but he seems to do a very good job running his own program. I think that he would be about as good of a hire as we could expect to get at Arkansas and given his familiarity with the area and having developed recruiting ties to Texas, I think he might do well at Arkansas.

[hog.goblin]

No discussion of Fuente's buyout?  He's not going anywhere this offseason because no one can afford him.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

No discussion of Fuente's buyout?  He's not going anywhere this offseason because no one can afford him.

I'm certainly not saying that he will, especially this soon after his arrival. But in terms of Buyouts, just remember that everyone thought that Bielema's Buyout was still huge, until the fine print was read. I have no idea how Fuente's Buyout reads.

[Pork Twain]

I still can't see him coming to Arkansas.  I mean I would love to be wrong, but I just don't see it.  Other than being close to home, what is the draw?

[hog.goblin]

I'm certainly not saying that he will, especially this soon after his arrival. But in terms of Buyouts, just remember that everyone thought that Bielema's Buyout was still huge, until the fine print was read. I have no idea how Fuente's Buyout reads.

$10 - $14M

[LZH]

Don't forget fishing...

As for coaches at Arkansas, they don't have to live anywhere in Arkansas but Fayetteville.  I can assure you it's an excellent place to live!

I have never really had the love fest with NWA that many on here have, but it is just my personal opinion only. Yes, Fayetteville has atmosphere, a great job market, low cost of living, etc. But if you are a coach making $4 million a year, all that goes right out the window. All you are concerned with is recruiting and winning football games.

[Razor1997]

Not sure why someone would leave a good place in a good conference to come take on the challenge of winning here. In my opinion, coaches aren't dying to come coach in the SEC just bc it's the SEC. And every school can pay coaches $3.5MM+ now.

A coach like Fuente wouldn't want to come to the SEC just for an extra million a year, at least not until Saban retires.

[hog.goblin]

. But if you are a coach making $4 million a year, all that goes right out the window. All you are concerned with is recruiting and winning football games.

This part I agree with.  Until you reach Saban status all you are concerned about is football.  And Saban has reached that status because all he cares about is football.

[PigPusher]

I'm certainly not saying that he will, especially this soon after his arrival. But in terms of Buyouts, just remember that everyone thought that Bielema's Buyout was still huge, until the fine print was read. I have no idea how Fuente's Buyout reads.

Since Justin does not have a huge resume at this time I would not be surprised for us to find that the buyout is not huge. Going from Memphis to VT was somewhat of a gamble for VT due to Justin's short record. Justin looked good but many factors could enter into his brief success at Memphis. (Example Coach Broyles success in the sixties with his outstanding assistants .) If so then the pressure to have to retain Coach Fuente might not have been strong when the VT contract was consummated. Probably would be a much different story now.

[12247]

Won't hurt to ask but I doubt Fuente has any real interest in changing jobs right now, especially going to an overall tougher conference in a more difficult situation for roughly the same money or even more money.