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Whit Babcock and Virginia Tech, winning the hiring game Whit Babcock and Virginia Tech, winning the hiring game
(about 3 hours later)
There was a moment just after the Justin Fuente’s introductory news conference as Virginia Tech’s football coach in late November, after Fuente and Athletic Director Whit Babcock had stepped down from the dais to shake the hand of Frank Beamer, the program’s legendary outgoing coach, in which a booster declared: “Well, that’s about as close to winning the press conference as you’re gonna get.”There was a moment just after the Justin Fuente’s introductory news conference as Virginia Tech’s football coach in late November, after Fuente and Athletic Director Whit Babcock had stepped down from the dais to shake the hand of Frank Beamer, the program’s legendary outgoing coach, in which a booster declared: “Well, that’s about as close to winning the press conference as you’re gonna get.”
Virginia Tech brass were impressed with Babcock’s choice to succeed Beamer. They liked the idea of such a young, talented up-and-comer yearning for small town life and the chance to do big things; they especially liked that Bud Foster was staying on as defensive coordinator.Virginia Tech brass were impressed with Babcock’s choice to succeed Beamer. They liked the idea of such a young, talented up-and-comer yearning for small town life and the chance to do big things; they especially liked that Bud Foster was staying on as defensive coordinator.
College football pundits across the country were just as smitten: Virginia Tech tops just about every report card released on this year’s coaching carousel. Babcock reaped his due diligence, and earned A-pluses from ESPN, CBS Sports and USA Today for the hire, and for being able to keep the news out of the media until halftime of Beamer’s final regular season game.College football pundits across the country were just as smitten: Virginia Tech tops just about every report card released on this year’s coaching carousel. Babcock reaped his due diligence, and earned A-pluses from ESPN, CBS Sports and USA Today for the hire, and for being able to keep the news out of the media until halftime of Beamer’s final regular season game.
[Frank Beamer: The heart, soul and drawl of Virginia Tech][Frank Beamer: The heart, soul and drawl of Virginia Tech]
The praise is familiar for Babcock, 45, whose latest hire takes the reins after Virginia Tech plays Tulsa in Saturday’s Independence Bowl, Beamer’s final game before retirement. In nearly two years at Virginia Tech, preceded by two years as a first-time athletic director at Cincinnati, he has shown a knack for getting his man — even when it was thought to be beyond his reach. The praise is familiar for Babcock, whose latest hire takes the reins Saturday after the Hokies play Tulsa in the Independence Bowl, Beamer’s final game. In nearly two years at Virginia Tech, preceded by two years as a first-time AD at Cincinnati, he has shown a knack for getting his man — even when it was thought to be beyond his reach.
Fuente’s hiring may have been Babcock’s smoothest, considering there were 24 Football Bowl Subdivision coaching vacancies this year, including at some of the sport’s blue-blood programs. It was given no small assist by Beamer, who announced his retirement on Nov. 1, giving Babcock and his small search committee of administrators leeway to get going before many of the biggest coaching spots opened up. Fuente already thought Blacksburg was an ideal destination, and mutual connections affirmed that to Babcock. It made the interview process fairly quick. Fuente’s hiring may have been Babcock’s smoothest, considering there were 24 Football Bowl Subdivision coaching vacancies this year, including at some of the sport’s blue-blood programs. It was given no small assist by Beamer, who announced his retirement Nov. 1, giving Babcock and his small search committee of administrators leeway to get going before many of the biggest coaching spots opened up. Fuente already thought Blacksburg was an ideal destination, and mutual connections affirmed that to Babcock. It made the interview process fairly quick.
“You can have a wish list of coaches, but something that I’ve tried to learn is that the wish list pretty quick better turn into a list of coaches who are going to say yes to your job,” Babcock said. “Fortunately in this case, the guy who was No. 1 on our wish list was also a guy who was interested in our job. It worked out wonderfully.” “You can have a wish list of coaches, but something that I’ve tried to learn is that the wish list pretty quick better turn into a list of coaches who are going to say yes to your job,” said Babcock, who is 45. “Fortunately in this case, the guy who was No. 1 on our wish list was also a guy who was interested in our job. It worked out wonderfully.”
[Latest extravagances in college sports arms race: Laser tag and mini golf] [Three Hokies seniors won’t play in bowl because of team violations]
Babcock’s résumé and reputation also helped him land Fuente, who had called around and done his homework on Babcock since the two had never crossed paths personally. Fuente felt a connection in his first interview.Babcock’s résumé and reputation also helped him land Fuente, who had called around and done his homework on Babcock since the two had never crossed paths personally. Fuente felt a connection in his first interview.
“When he asked me about the things I wanted in an athletic director and I asked him what he wanted in a football coach, we were on the same page,” Fuente said. “When he asked me about the things I wanted in an athletic director, and I asked him what he wanted in a football coach, we were on the same page,” he said.
Buzz Williams and Tommy Tuberville felt the same.Buzz Williams and Tommy Tuberville felt the same.
“Whit is the reason I’m at Virginia Tech,” said Williams, who stunned many observers in March 2014 by leaving Marquette, a team he had taken to the NCAA basketball tournament five times in six seasons, to lead a program coming off three consecutive last-place finishes in the ACC. “And I mean that in a sincere way, not in a negative or a positive way. I had never met Whit, never been to Virginia Tech, never been to Blacksburg. Obviously I knew of the ACC and the caliber of the league, the Hall of Fame coaches, the highest number of NBA players produced — I knew all of those things, but I didn’t know anything about Tech.”“Whit is the reason I’m at Virginia Tech,” said Williams, who stunned many observers in March 2014 by leaving Marquette, a team he had taken to the NCAA basketball tournament five times in six seasons, to lead a program coming off three consecutive last-place finishes in the ACC. “And I mean that in a sincere way, not in a negative or a positive way. I had never met Whit, never been to Virginia Tech, never been to Blacksburg. Obviously I knew of the ACC and the caliber of the league, the Hall of Fame coaches, the highest number of NBA players produced — I knew all of those things, but I didn’t know anything about Tech.”
And yet Williams signed with the Hokies, who were coming off their worst season since 1955, to a lower base salary than he earned at Marquette. Babcock had been in Blacksburg for all of three months. Yet Williams signed with the Hokies, who were coming off their worst season since 1955, to a lower base salary than he earned at Marquette. Babcock had been in Blacksburg for three months.
“I did know that Whit was a top-five AD in the country,” Williams said. “I knew that he was young, he was sincere, he has-high character, he believes in the same things that I believe in relative to athletics at the collegiate level. “I did know that Whit was a top five AD in the country,” Williams said. “I knew that he was young, he was sincere, he has high character, he believes in the same things that I believe in relative to athletics at the collegiate level.
“The first thing was I trusted him. Everybody sees the money and the exposure, and those obviously are important, but they’re not more important than trusting your boss.”“The first thing was I trusted him. Everybody sees the money and the exposure, and those obviously are important, but they’re not more important than trusting your boss.”
In late 2012, when Babcock was at Cincinnati, he called Tuberville a call to ask about potential replacements for up-and-coming football coach Butch Jones. Tuberville had 17 years experience and a 130-77 record as a football head coach at power conference programs Mississippi, Auburn and Texas Tech. He had signed a contract extension with Texas Tech for a $500,000-per-year raise in 2011. But a day after Jones left to coach Tennessee, Babcock announced the hiring of Tuberville to replace him. In late 2012, when Babcock was at Cincinnati, he called Tuberville a call to ask about potential replacements for up-and-coming football coach Butch Jones. Tuberville had 17 years experience and a 130-77 record as a football head coach at power conference programs Mississippi, Auburn and Texas Tech. He had signed a contract extension with Texas Tech for a $500,000-per-year raise in 2011. But a day after Jones left to coach Tennessee, Babcock announced the hiring of Tuberville.
Tuberville said he jumped at the chance to work for an open-minded athletic director. He appreciated Babcock’s deference to those with more experience than he had as a first-time AD.Tuberville said he jumped at the chance to work for an open-minded athletic director. He appreciated Babcock’s deference to those with more experience than he had as a first-time AD.
“I knew Whit was young and would listen to my suggestions — and of course, he was obviously the boss — but he was trying to learn,” Tuberville said. “That’s the key to a good athletic director: Do they use their people? It’s like me, I’ve got nine coaches and I value every one of their opinions, they have the ability to make decisions. It’s the same with a good athletic director.” “I knew Whit was young and would listen to my suggestions — and of course, he was obviously the boss — but he was trying to learn,” Tuberville said. “That’s the key to a good athletic director: Do they use their people? It’s like me: I’ve got nine coaches, and I value every one of their opinions, they have the ability to make decisions. It’s the same with a good athletic director.”
The approachability and willingness to learn were evident to Mike Alden, under whom Babcock worked for five years. Alden, who retired in April after 17 years as Missouri’s AD, recruited Babcock out of West Virginia’s athletics department in 2007 to be his right-hand man. [Latest extravagances in college sports arms race: Laser tag and mini golf]
Since then, Alden said he’s seen Babcock excel as an athletic director by growing into what Alden calls being a “servant-leader.” It boils down to being a coaches’ administrator. The approachability and willingness to learn were evident to Mike Alden, under whom Babcock worked for five years. Alden, who retired in April after 17 years as Missouri’s AD, recruited Babcock out of West Virginia’s athletics department in 2007 to be his right-hand man. Since then, Alden said he has seen Babcock excel as an athletic director by growing into what Alden calls being a “servant-leader.” It boils down to being a coaches’ administrator.
“That’s in particular what coaches — not to group them all together — but they’re usually Type-A personality, they’re movers,” Alden said. “They don’t need quote-unquote front-runners out there managing them, they need leaders, people who will be able to serve in a lot of ways, step back when necessary, but provide them good solid guidance.” “That’s in particular what coaches — not to group them all together — but they’re usually Type-A personality, they’re movers,” Alden said. “They don’t need, quote-unquote, front-runners, out there managing them, they need leaders, people who will be able to serve in a lot of ways, step back when necessary, but provide them good solid guidance.”
Alden and Tuberville both say it’s too soon to say if Babcock “won” this year’s coaching carousel, as Fuente hasn’t actually proved anything yet at Virginia Tech. Alden and Tuberville say it’s too soon to say if Babcock “won” this year’s coaching carousel, as Fuente hasn’t proved anything yet at Virginia Tech. Babcock, although confident in his hire, said he feels the same way.
Babcock, though confident in his hire, feels the same way. “That’s certainly nice and all, but we all know at the end of the day, he’s going to have to build a program that is respectful to Virginia Tech, wins games, graduates kids and plays by the rules,” Babcock said of praise about Fuente. “I just feel like we put ourselves in the best possible position. To have Bud Foster stay and be a part of it, the continuity of four assistant coaches — I just feel like it was the best we could do and time will tell. It’ll be fun to enjoy the ride and the journey.”
“That’s certainly nice and all, but we all know at the end of the day he’s going to have to build a program that is respectful to Virginia Tech, wins games, graduates kids and plays by the rules,” Babcock said of praise about Fuente. “I just feel like we put ourselves in the best possible position. To have Bud Foster stay and be a part of it, the continuity of four assistant coaches — I just feel like it was the best we could do and time will tell. It’ll be fun to enjoy the ride and the journey.”