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Guys, first of all, happy Thanksgiving to all of you! My family isn't having our meal until tonight, so I've managed to check with some sources and get some more info for you guys to much on while you're chowing down on a big turkey leg. It might be a holiday, but I'm still working feverishly to deliver all the info that you guys pay to receive.
First off, I've heard zero mention of
Tom Herman. And only a little bit of
Chad Morris. It sounds like the one
Whit Babcock wished there would have been more with is
Mark Richt. But as I've mentioned before, it sounds like an almost certainty that unless Georgia craps the bed against Georgia Tech and in the Bulldogs' bowl, Richt will return there next year. Defensive coordinator
Jeremy Pruitt will take the fall and be gone after the season.
All signs, as I've reported for about a week and a half now, point to Memphis'
Justin Fuente as Virginia Tech's coach. He has been for about two weeks and continues to be the overwhelming front-runner. I mentioned it on my INsider the other day, but all signs point to Fuente.
As I have for the past week and a half, I've also been hearing intel about Fuente's potential staff. And that's always a hell of a sign, when coaches are aligning themselves. I mentioned last week about
Barry Odom, Fuente's defensive coordinator at Memphis the last three seasons before he went to Missouri this season. Fuente has told him that he'll bring Odom with him if he wants to come. Odom in a few ways is the linchpin to figuring out a potential staff. Odom is still a top candidate for the Missouri head coaching job and I've been told from trusted sources who follow that situation that Odom has been the only one interviewed there so far. They also expect a decision there later next week.
If Odom doesn't get the Missouri job, trusted sources at Memphis have said that the Tigers job "is his if he wants it." The question is how long Memphis would wait on Odom to find out something at Missouri. So The Hokies would be the fallback option if those don't work out.
The guy to really watch that Fuente would bring is his co-offensive coordinator,
Brad Cornelsen. I'm told that has been his right-hand man with the Tigers. The others that seem likeliest to make the move with Fuente are wide receivers coach
Holmon Wiggins. One reason is that Wiggins recruits Georgia and has done very well there the past few years. Fuente wants to surround himself with a good mix of young and veteran coaches and I'm told another guy who would likely make the move is his special teams coordinator/TEs coach
James Shibest.
Also, I'm told that again by extremely trusted sources, it is HIGHLY unlikely that
Bud Foster stays on board. He's looked into Illinois, as mentioned in our last INsider and has spoken with Georgia about replacing Pruitt when that move happens. So Bud will certainly have options. I'm not ruling him out, as I never say never until it's done, but odds are slim. And he's taking
Charley Wiles with him wherever he goes. The others are still up in the air, as
Torrian Gray could always go somewhere else, perhaps as a low-FBS level defensive coordinator.
I can tell you for a fact that VT's search will wrap up in the next week, but likely no later than the first of next week. Again, there is NO DONE DEAL with any coach yet. But it's awfully close. I'm told an offer will likely be made over the next couple of days.
