Fansided

College football’s 20 best coaches not named Nick Saban

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHESTNUT HILL, MA – OCTOBER 07: Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente during a game between the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies on October 7, 2017, at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The Hokies beat the Eagles 23-10. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA – OCTOBER 07: Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente during a game between the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies on October 7, 2017, at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The Hokies beat the Eagles 23-10. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Justin Fuente is one of those feel-good stories in coaching as he rose through the ranks the right way. He began his coaching career after playing quarterback at Murray State as a quarterbacks coach for Illinois State. He became the offensive coordinator just three years later and caught the attention of TCU as he was hired as the running backs coach in 2007.

Clearly, his career was just getting started as he spent two seasons as the Horned Frogs’ running backs coach before moving up to co-offensive coordinator in 2009 and was eventually hired as head coach by Memphis in 2012 — that’s what you call hard work paying dividends.

Memphis went just 3-9 in his first season as head coach but that rocky start was met with an extreme turnaround as the Tigers went 10-3 the next year and 9-3 the following season and he left for Virginia Tech prior to the Birmingham Bowl.

Fuente looks like a budding turnaround specialist and he’s also an excellent recruiter. You wouldn’t think Virginia Tech is a breeding ground for blue-chip recruits, but he does well for himself.

The head coach is entering his third season with the Hokies with a 19-8 overall record and 11-5 mark in ACC play. This is one of those up-and-coming programs thanks to the new head coach.