Justin Fuente cashes in with Virginia Tech

Newly-minted Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente will be paid a hefty salary in his first season with the Hokies.

Justin Fuente got a nice pay day when he signed on to be the next head coach of Virginia Tech.

According to a report by The Roanoke Times, Fuente will make $3.2 million in his first season with the Hokies. The salary comes complete with a $500,000 signing bonus and a $2.7 million base salary. This makes him the third-highest paid coach in the ACC behind Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

Virginia Tech also agreed to pay the $500,000 buyout that Fuente owes his current school, the University of Memphis. Fuente developed Memphis into a top-25 program, amassing 19 wins in each of the past two seasons. Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch has emerged as a Heisman contender, throwing 28 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Fuente’s $2.7 base salary shows a 93% spike from his $1.4 million Memphis salary. Fuente will earn $50,000 if the Hokies win an ACC championship and $250,000 if Tech can win a national championship. The young coach will also have a $3.4 million budget to hire assistants.

Fuente was regarded as the hottest coaching prospect out there on the market. However, there were many attractive landing spots. Fuente also has massive shoes to fill as he becomes Tech’s second head coach since 1987 and replaces a man in Frank Beamer who lead the Hokies to seven conference championships.

However, if there is a man currently on the market with the coaching promise to bring Virginia Tech back to national relevance, its Justin Fuente. Fuente brought Memphis into the national spotlight after its defeat of SEC giant Ole Miss. There are many out there that believe the future of Virginia Tech football is bright in the hands of Fuente, and he’s being compensated for that future.