Note: This article has been amended to reflect additional details surrounding compensation for assistants, as well as funding for recruiting purposes.
When you win ACC Coach of the Year, people tend to notice. In the case of Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech definitely noticed.
Virginia Tech announced on Monday that the university and football coach Justin Fuente had signed a contract extension that keeps Fuente under contract through the 2023 season.
“Coach Fuente has exceeded our expectations in terms of how well he and his staff have embraced the winning tradition established by coach Beamer at Virginia Tech, while adding their own distinct touches to enhance the legacy of our program,” said Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock in a statement. Justin has set high expectations for our team in the classroom, in the community and on the field. I personally appreciate the way he exemplifies our Virginia Tech values and helps instill those attributes in our student-athletes. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead our program as he continues making a positive impact on our campus and in the lives of every individual associated with Virginia Tech football.”
Fuente's original deal lasted through the 2021 season, meaning this deal is a two-year extension. Fuente made $3.2 million for the 2016 season, and his extension boosts his pay raises slightly throughout his tenure.
- 2016: $3.2 million
- 2017: $3.25 million
- 2018: $3.4 million
- 2019: $3.5 million
- 2020: $3.65 million
- 2021: $3.75 million
- 2022: $3.9 million
- 2023: $4 million
Fuente also has two retention bonuses of $200,000 and $200,000, each payable on April 1 of 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Here are the buyout figures if Fuente should want to get out of his contract to pursue another coaching position.
- 2017: $6 million
- 2018: $5 million
- 2019: $3 million
- 2020: $1 million
- 2021: $750,000
- 2022: $500,000
“My family feels incredibly blessed that I’m able to work at Virginia Tech and we’re able call Blacksburg our home,” Fuente said in a statement. “I am very appreciative for the leadership of Whit, Desiree [Reed-Francois], Dr. [Tim] Sands and the Board of Visitors in making Virginia Tech such an attractive destination for a head coach and a staff. Their support, a talented and hard-working group student-athletes and an unbelievably passionate fan base were all paramount in helping us build on coach Beamer’s winning culture."
Two other note-worthy portions related to Fuente's contract extension center around additional funding for assistant coaches and recruiting staff. Per The Roanoke Times' Andy Bitter, Fuente will have $167,500 more for "football-related staff members" and an additional $32,000 for a new full-time recruiting staff member.
https://twitter.com/AndyBitterVT/status/850363757062651905