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Justin Fuente received a contract extension from Virginia Tech through the 2023 season. In his first season with the Hokies, Fuente was the ACC’s coach of the year in 2016.

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Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock announced on Monday that head football coach Justin Fuente has agreed to a contract extension through the 2023 season.

The former Memphis head coach was named the 2016 ACC coach of the year after guiding the Hokies to a 10-win season and a berth in the ACC championship game. The Hokies concluded the year at No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll, which was the team’s highest finish in the final poll since 2010. The Hokies finished Fuente’s debut season with a Belk Bowl victory over Arkansas, a game that saw VT overcome a 24-0 deficit to record a 35-24 win.

“Coach Fuente has exceeded our expectations in terms of how well he and his staff have embraced the winning tradition established by Coach Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech, while adding their own distinct touches to enhance the legacy of our program,” Babcock said.

“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.”

The league’s youngest head coach led an offensive revival in Blacksburg last fall, as VT tied or broke 10 single-season records. It was a sight for sore eyes for fans of the Hokies who saw their team’s offense struggle in the latter years of the Beamer era. The offensive fireworks complemented Bud Foster’s defense, which ranked second among Power Five teams in third-down defense (27.3 percent).

“My family feels incredibly blessed that I’m able to work at Virginia Tech and we’re able to call Blacksburg our home,” Fuente said. “I am very appreciative for the leadership of Whit, Desiree [Reed-Francois], Dr. [Timothy] 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.

“I’m also indebted to our coaching staff and support personnel for their continued loyalty and dedication. Our student-athletes know how invested our staff is in the success of our team and in helping them achieve their personal goals in the classroom, in life, and on the football field. I’m excited that we’ll continue the work that we’ve begun at Virginia Tech for many years to come.”

The Tulsa, OK, native joined the Hokies after a four-season run at Memphis. He inherited a Tigers program that had compiled a 5-31 record in the three seasons prior to his arrival (2009-11), but in 2014 he led the Tigers to their first conference championship since 1971.

Head men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams was previously locked into an extension by Virginia Tech. Williams agreed to an extension in July 2016 that will keep him in Blacksburg through the 2022-23 season.

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