Justin Fuente

Fuente was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Justin married his wife Jenny in 2005 and they have three daughters.{{cite web | title=How pro wrestling shaped the life of Virginia Tech's Justin Fuente | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/91724/justin-fuentes-great-grandfather-was-a-wrestler-known-as-the-spanish-red-devil|last = Adelson|first=Andrea| date= March 16, 2016|publisher=ESPN|access-date=September 8, 2018}} Fuente and his family are Catholic.

Fuente attended Union High School in Tulsa and played football as a quarterback, where he threw for 6,104 yards and 65 touchdowns.{{cite news |title=QB Fuente makes his choice: OU |first=Bob |last=Hersom |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=January 23, 1995 |page=9}} In 1994, his senior season he led the state in both passing yards (2,934) and touchdown passes (32). Statewide recognition followed, with the Tulsa World naming him "Player of the Year" and The Oklahoman "All-State Offensive Player of the Year.".{{cite news | url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20110125_231_B1_ULNSom606154 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20110130090939/http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20110125_231_B1_ULNSom606154 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 30, 2011 | title=Former Union, OU quarterback Justin Fuente moving up coaching ladder | work=Tulsa World | date=January 25, 2011 | access-date=December 7, 2011 | author=Hines, Kelly }}{{cite news |title=Fuente, McQuarters capture honors |first=John |last=Helsley |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=December 18, 1994 |page=9}} Several schools recruited Fuente, including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tulsa and Texas A&M, but he ultimately signed with Oklahoma under coach Howard Schnellenberger in February 1995.

Fuente redshirted at Oklahoma for the 1995 season behind Eric Moore at quarterback.{{cite news |title=Fuente eager to talk with Blake |first=Dan |last=O'Kane |newspaper=Tulsa World |date=January 2, 1996 |page=B2}} Following the season, Schnellenberger resigned as head coach and John Blake replaced him. Entering the 1996 season, Fuente backed up Moore.{{cite news |title=Fuente's it: No. 1 QB |first=Dan |last=O'Kane |newspaper=Tulsa World |date=September 11, 1996 |page=B1}} However, after Oklahoma opened the season with a loss to TCU, Blake named Fuente the starting quarterback. Fuente started the next eight games and compiled a 3–5 record before losing his starting position to Moore following the victory over Oklahoma State.{{cite news |title=OU tabs Moore as starting QB |first=Dan |last=O'Kane |newspaper=Tulsa World |date=November 12, 1996 |page=B1}} For the year, Fuente completed 91 of 196 passes for 1,271 yards with ten interceptions and eight touchdowns.{{cite news |title=Fuente knows the cure for Sooner ills |first=Bob |last=Hersom |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=August 7, 1997 |page=23}} Fuente entered the 1997 season as the starting quarterback, but started only five games, winning two and losing three.{{cite news |title=Sooners will start Moore |first=Dan |last=O'Kane |newspaper=Tulsa World |date=October 15, 1997 |page=23}} Following the season, he transferred to Division I-AA Murray State University where he would be able to compete in the 1998 season.{{cite news |title=Sooners' Fuente transferring to Kentucky school |first=Bob |last=Hersom |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=January 7, 1998 |page=23}} Fuente amassed 2,289 yards with the Sooners.

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).{{cite book |title=2011 Murray State Football Media Guide |year=2011 |publisher=MSU Athletics Department |location=Murray, Kentucky |page=105 |url=http://issuu.com/murraystate/docs/11_guide_2 |access-date=December 7, 2011}} Following his graduation from Murray, Fuente signed a contract with the Oklahoma Wranglers of the Arena Football League.{{cite news |title=Wednesday's Sports Transactions |agency=Associated Press |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=APAB&d_place=APAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F89BE1191B6061B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |publisher=NewsLibrary.com |date=May 25, 2000 |access-date=December 7, 2011}}

In May 2000, Fuente signed a contract with the Wranglers as their third-string quarterback.{{cite news |title=Ex-Sooner Fuente, Wranglers reach deal |first=Bill |last=Kramer |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=May 24, 2000}} After seeing limited action, in the 2000 season and into the 2001 season, Fuente left the team in May 2001 in order to pursue a college coaching position at Illinois State University.{{cite news |title=AFL game Aikman's first |first=Scott |last=Munn |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |date=May 13, 2001}}

Following his playing career, Fuente began his coaching career as the quarterbacks coach at Illinois State University in 2001.{{cite news |title=ISU offensive coordinator takes job with TCU |first=Randy |last=Reinhardt |url=http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/isu-offensive-coordinator-takes-job-with-tcu/article_3eb89509-26eb-57ba-b4ae-210f3f1e525a.html |newspaper=The Pantagraph |location=Bloomington-Normal, IL |date=February 16, 2007 |access-date=December 7, 2011}} There he worked under Denver Johnson, who he played for when Johnson was an assistant coach at Oklahoma and as head coach at Murray State. After three years, Fuente was promoted to offensive coordinator, and he served in that position through the end of 2006 season when he accepted the running backs coach position at TCU. At TCU, he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2009, and under his guidance both helped develop Andy Dalton at quarterback and lead the Horned Frogs to an undefeated season and victory in the 2011 Rose Bowl.

The University of Memphis named Fuente its head coach on December 8, 2011, replacing Larry Porter.{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/id/7330918/memphis-tigers-hire-justin-fuente-tcu-horned-frogs-new-coach | title=Justin Fuente is Memphis' new coach | work=ESPN.com | date=December 8, 2011 | agency=Associated Press | access-date=December 8, 2011}} After the Tigers opened the 2012 season with only one win over their first nine games, Fuente led Memphis on a three-game winning streak to close the season and finish with an overall record of four wins and eight losses (4–8).{{cite news | url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/nov/24/memphis-tigers-clobber-southern-miss-third-straigh/ | title=Memphis Tigers clobber Southern Miss for third straight win | work=The Commercial Appeal | date=November 24, 2012 | access-date=December 9, 2011 | author=Stukenborg, Phil | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202103444/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/nov/24/memphis-tigers-clobber-southern-miss-third-straigh/ | archive-date=February 2, 2014}} In February 2013, Memphis extended the term of Fuente's contract through the 2017 season as a result of the gains he made in his first year as head coach of the Tigers.{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/8945165/memphis-tigers-coach-justin-fuente-receives-one-year-contract-extension-2017 | title=Memphis extends Justin Fuente | work=ESPN.com | date=February 13, 2013 | agency=Associated Press | access-date=February 14, 2013}}

Fuente's 2014 team captured a share of the American Athletic Conference championship, compiling a 7–1 conference record and 9–3 overall regular season record. This was the Tigers' first conference championship since winning the Missouri Valley Conference in 1971.{{cite news | url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/tigers/football/tigers-clinch-share-of-aac-title-with-41-10-win-ep-803930580-325693621.html | title=Tigers clinch share of AAC title with 41-10 win | work=The Commercial Appeal | date=November 29, 2014 | access-date=November 29, 2015 | author=Weber, Mark}} The team defeated BYU in the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl in double overtime, giving Fuente his first 10-win season and the Tigers' first 10-win season since 1938.{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/12/22/lynch-memphis-top-byu-55-48-in-miami-beach-bowl/20782867/ | title=Memphis wins Miami Beach Bowl, then brawls with BYU | work=USA Today | date=December 22, 2014 | agency=Associated Press | access-date=November 29, 2015}} The Tigers finished the season ranked {{Abbr|No.|Number}} 25 in both the AP and the Coaches Polls. Fuente was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.{{cite web | url=http://memphis.247sports.com/Bolt/Fuente-one-of-eight-finalists-for-Eddie-Robinson-Award-33686737 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20141230154631/http://memphis.247sports.com/Bolt/Fuente-one-of-eight-finalists-for-Eddie-Robinson-Award-33686737 | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 30, 2014 | title=Fuente one of eight finalists for Eddie Robinson Award | work=247Sports.com | date=December 8, 2014 | access-date=November 29, 2015 | author=Milner, Grant}} Fuente's contract was extended and he received a raise at the close of the 2014 season for a total of a 5-year deal at approximately $1.4 million per year.{{cite news | url=https://www.si.com/college-football/2014/12/18/justin-fuente-memphis-tigers-contract | title=Memphis, Justin Fuente agree to new five-year contract starting at $1.4M | work=Sports Illustrated | date=December 18, 2014 | access-date=November 29, 2015 | author=Thamel, Pete |author-link=Pete Thamel}}

File:Fuente2016.jpg.]]

Virginia Tech named Fuente its head coach on November 29, 2015, replacing the retiring Frank Beamer. In his first season in Blacksburg, Fuente led the Hokies to a 9–3 regular season record and a trip to the ACC Championship, representing the Coastal division.{{cite web |title=Virginia Tech officially names Justin Fuente head football coach. In his first season with the Hokies, he led the team to an ACC Coastal championship. |work=Hokiesports |date=November 29, 2015 |url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20151129aaa.html }} Fuente won the 2016 ACC Coach of the Year following the regular season. The Hokies defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 35–24 in the 2016 Belk Bowl, overturning a 24–0 deficit at halftime and winning three consecutive bowl games for the first time in the program's history. Virginia Tech finished the season ranked #16 in both the AP and Coaches Poll. On April 3, 2017, Fuente and Virginia Tech agreed to a contract extension through 2023.{{cite web|title=Virginia Tech's Justin Fuente agrees to extension through '23|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/19070401/virginia-tech-coach-justin-fuente-agree-contract-extension|website=ESPN.com|date=April 3, 2017}} In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic college football season, Fuente's Hokies failed to qualify for a bowl, snapping the program's 29-year streak of bowl games, the longest such in the country at the time. Virginia Tech and Fuente agreed to mutually part ways with two games remaining in the 2021 season after losses to Boston College, Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2021 |title=Virginia Tech announces head football coaching change |url=https://hokiesports.com/news/2021/11/16/virginia-tech-football-announces-head-football-coaching-change.aspx |access-date=November 16, 2021 |website=Virginia Tech Athletics |language=en}}

Tom Allen hired Fuente as an offensive analyst at Indiana in October 2023 following the firing of Walt Bell as offensive coordinator.{{Cite news |last=Olinger |first=Daniel |date=2023-10-08 |title=Indiana Football Hiring Former Virginia Tech Coach Justin Fuente as Analyst |url=https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/indiana-football-hiring-virginia-tech-coach-justin-fuente-as-analyst |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=Sports Illustrated |language=en-US}} Indiana fired Allen following the season and hired Curt Cignetti to replace him; Cignetti retained only Bob Bostad from Allen's staff.{{Cite news |last=Osterman |first=Zach |date=December 7, 2023 |title=Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti has completed his coaching staff |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2023/12/07/iu-football-coach-curt-cignetti-has-completed-his-coaching-staff-mike-shanahan/71839016007/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}}

It was reported in 2023 that Fuente accepted a role as an analyst with Indiana, a report that Fuente denies and attributes to a "misunderstanding" by media members.

{{CFB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conf=yes|bowl=yes|poll=both}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Memphis Tigers

|conf = Conference USA

|startyear = 2012

|endyear = single

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| year = 2012

| name = Memphis

| overall = 4–8

| conference = 4–4

| confstanding = T–3rd (East)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Memphis Tigers

|conf = American Athletic Conference

|startyear = 2013

|endyear = 2015

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| year = 2013

| name = Memphis

| overall = 3–9

| conference = 1–7

| confstanding = T–9th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 2014

| name = Memphis

| overall = 10–3

| conference = 7–1

| confstanding = T–1st

| bowlname = Miami Beach

| bowloutcome = W

| ranking = 25

| ranking2 = 25

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2015

| name = Memphis

| overall = 9–3

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = 3rd (West)

| bowlname = Birmingham{{efn|Did not coach bowl game|group=record}}

| bowloutcome =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

|name=Memphis

|overall= 26–23

|confrecord= 17–15

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Virginia Tech Hokies

|conf = Atlantic Coast Conference

|startyear = 2016

|endyear = 2021

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship= division

| year = 2016

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 10–4

| conference = 6–2

| confstanding = 1st (Coastal)

| bowlname = Belk

| bowloutcome = W

| ranking = 16

| ranking2 = 16

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship=

| year = 2017

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 9–4

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = 2nd (Coastal)

| bowlname = Camping World

| bowloutcome = L

| ranking = 25

| ranking2 = 24

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship=

| year = 2018

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 6–7

| conference = 4–4

| confstanding = T–3rd (Coastal)

| bowlname = Military

| bowloutcome = L

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship=

| year = 2019

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 8–5

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = 2nd (Coastal)

| bowlname = Belk

| bowloutcome = L

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship=

| year = 2020

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 5–6

| conference = 5–5

| confstanding = T–6th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship=

| year = 2021

| name = Virginia Tech

| overall = 5–5{{efn|Virginia Tech and Fuente parted ways with two games remaining in the regular season|group=record|name=2021vt}}

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = {{small|(Coastal)}}

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

|name=Virginia Tech

|overall= 43–31

|confrecord= 28–20

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 69–54

| bowls = no

| legend = yes

| poll = two

}}

{{notelist|group=record}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://hokiesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/justin-fuente/116 Virginia Tech profile]
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621211354/http://www.gotigersgo.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/fuente_justin00.html |date=June 21, 2015 |title=Memphis profile}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuente, Justin}}

Category:1976 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football quarterbacks

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