It cannot be seen as a coincidence that Virginia Tech made the decision to part company with Justin Fuente. Apart from his middling win-loss record, Fuente was getting killed on the recruiting trail in talent-rich Virginia.
North Carolina, beginning with their forays into the Tidewater region--cradle of Tar Heel legend Dre Bly--began reaching its tentacles into the middle of the state. While his focus was on in-state talent during his first offseason recruiting, Mack Brown opted to stretch his boundaries this season, grabbing three-star recruits Trevyon Green and Bryson Jennings, four-stars Tychaun Chapman, Andre Greene, Tayon Holloway, and George Pettaway, and massive five-star tackle Zach Rice from all over Virginia.