Fuente impressing local coaches

[MiddleTiger]

From Football Scoop.....

"Several coaches here tonight complimenting Justin Fuente on how well the local Memphis HS coaches say he's doing reestablishing relations"

http://twitter.com/#!/footballscoop

[actortiger]

Not shocking. I've only been around him 3 times and actually talked to him once. He seems down to earth. Not on a pedestal.

Other coaches and players will love that I'm guessing.

[deltaslim]

Thanks for football stuff

[Killer_Squeed]

It's obvious that Coach Fuente is a smart guy when it comes to x's and o's and handling the media. I'm glad to hear that he's equally skilled at building recruiting relationships, but certainly not surprised.

[TOGC]

I'm so sick of this conference expansion crap that I'm ready for football to actually start.

[Tiger87]

Based on various speeches and interviews of his, and my 1 conversation with him, I believe that he should be the man for the job and should be able to get top local talent. I am concerned with the recent news of local juniors declaring for Old Miss, UTK, Vandy and others beside Memphis. I guess it will take longer.

[MiddleTiger]

Based on various speeches and interviews of his, and my 1 conversation with him, I believe that he should be the man for the job and should be able to get top local talent. I am concerned with the recent news of local juniors declaring for Old Miss, UTK, Vandy and others beside Memphis. I guess it will take longer.

Franklin and Freeze will do well until recruits realize they can't actually win any games in the SEC. With TAMU and MU now in, they just got pushed further down the totem pole. Fuente sells recruits on coming to Memphis and actually winning some games.

[Tiger87]

Franklin and Freeze will do well until recruits realize they can't actually win any games in the SEC. With TAMU and MU now in, they just got pushed further down the totem pole. Fuente sells recruits on coming to Memphis and actually winning some games.

Good point. I believe you can add little Dooley and UTK in that category as well.

[Tigerone]

Although it has changed a bit, we have been up against it with the local HS coaches for some time when it comes to recruiting local kids. The local coaches have wanted us to settle for their leftovers after the sec schools have gotten the better players. I believe that Justin and his staff will get something special rolling here real soon, and with his Texas ties we will be fine. I'm not really concerned with Freeze or Franklin long term and I'm ecstatic we have Justin instead of Freeze.

[tigerfan1818]

Me too

[Tiger87]

And some of these local HS coaches are former Tigers who were overlooked by the SEC schools. I just wish they would take some pride in themselves from that aspect and help us out. But I understand SEC payrolls are certainly bigger. Maybe if the new staff and AD do a better job of reaching out to former fb players - like we reach out to former bb players - we can mend some relationships.

[MiddleTiger]

And some of these local HS coaches are former Tigers who were overlooked by the SEC schools. I just wish they would take some pride in themselves from that aspect and help us out. But I understand SEC payrolls are certainly bigger. Maybe if the new staff and AD do a better job of reaching out to former fb players - like we reach out to former bb players - we can mend some relationships.

I think these former players want what is best for their players and they know SEC schools value football and invest heavily in it. We didn't invest in football for a long time but now we are in a major way and the BE revenue will help that even more. I think the coaches will see that and start encouraging their kids to give us a good look. We won't get all of them but we can get enough of them to be a good program.

[Tiger87]

I think these former players want what is best for their players and they know SEC schools value football and invest heavily in it. We didn't invest in football for a long time but now we are in a major way and the BE revenue will help that even more. I think the coaches will see that and start encouraging their kids to give us a good look. We won't get all of them but we can get enough of them to be a good program.

I'm just not so sure about your first sentence. Seen and heard too much. Besides, I've seen many Memphis kids go to SEC schools where they were not good fits and unhappy. They then quit or transfer. A HS coach has to know where his players would excel and it's not always the school with the biggest budgets. And our former players should appreciate this more than most. But I believe CJF can mend some of these relationships better than anyone else we've seen recently.

[MiddleTiger]

I'm just not so sure about your first sentence. Seen and heard too much. Besides, I've seen many Memphis kids go to SEC schools where they were not good fits and unhappy. They then quit or transfer. A HS coach has to know where his players would excel and it's not always the school with the biggest budgets. And our former players should appreciate this more than most. But I believe CJF can mend some of these relationships better than anyone else we've seen recently.

Wow! If that's the case, that is disturbing. I still think we are a success story waiting to be told because, to the best of my knowledge, we have never really tried to be good in football, and now we are. We have a natural talent base and a market that will support a program that does well. One thing I have noticed about Memphians, they love them some Memphis, and if our football program can project a positive national image for the city, they will respond.

[mark52]

Wow! If that's the case, that is disturbing. I still think we are a success story waiting to be told because, to the best of my knowledge, we have never really tried to be good in football, and now we are. We have a natural talent base and a market that will support a program that does well. One thing I have noticed about Memphians, they love them some Memphis, and if our football program can project a positive national image for the city, they will respond.

Spot on! Yep, I love on Memphis every chance I get. Even though I've been away almost 20 years now, it's still home to me, and always will be. The positive national image is coming, it's a work in progress, but now we have the right staff and administration to correct the past weaknesses. Yeah, I love me some MEMPHIS TIGERS!

[biggesttitansfan]

This^^^

I'm sick of seeing tiny schools out performing us.. We finally pulled someone who came from a successful smaller school, and I think he'll turn us around. It's our turn to overachieve!! Go Tigers!!

[Southern Feller]

Boise State was just a nice small school until they got the right coach and recruiting team, and university leadership support. Look where they went. UM can do the same.

[covingtontiger]

I am not looking for SEC membership. I will be happy if we can surpass MTSU and Arkansas State in football before long. Unfortunately, we were bypassed by both schools over the last 4 or 5 years. It is what it is and I am not expecting instant success. I would like to see steady progress though. I supported Larry Porter but never saw us improving under his leadership.

I have high hopes for Justin Fuente.

[TOGC]

Tommy West singlehandedly killed the football program. We were good for a few 4-7 or 6-5 seasons before he got there. He made it to five bowls, and then the bottom fell out.

Porter couldn't save the program. Hell, nobody could've followed West and done any better.

Fuente has a long, hard road ahead of him, but if we can keep him he just might be the right guy to turn it around.

[Stammers]

Tommy West singlehandedly killed the football program. We were good for a few 4-7 or 6-5 seasons before he got there. He made it to five bowls, and then the bottom fell out.

Porter couldn't save the program. Hell, nobody could've followed West and done any better.

Fuente has a long, hard road ahead of him, but if we can keep him he just might be the right guy to turn it around.

Tommy West killed the program, but he was also the only coach in the last 20 years who showed that you could win at Memphis. Knowing what we know now, I would still have hired TW. There can be no argument that Fuente is in the best position of any coach in the history of the program. There is solid youth left over from Porter's recruiting; facilities have never been better, we are headed to the BE, will have 10 X the money at our disposal and expectations will be very low for the first couple of years.

[Tiger3760]

Tommy West singlehandedly killed the football program. We were good for a few 4-7 or 6-5 seasons before he got there. He made it to five bowls, and then the bottom fell out.

Porter couldn't save the program. Hell, nobody could've followed West and done any better.

Fuente has a long, hard road ahead of him, but if we can keep him he just might be the right guy to turn it around.

Agreed, and people need to recognize as he does that we have very few players that are D-1 players right now.

[TOGC]

If I'm not mistaken, we will have roughly 65 players on scholarship, which is 20 below the NCAA allowed limit. We will be shorthanded in every game we play this year. It will take a few years to get back up to 85.