Candidate Profile: Bud Foster

Bud Foster is the current defensive coordinator of the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. He was named co-defensive coordinator of Virginia Tech in 1995 and the following year he assumed full-ownership of the position. Most people know that Bud Foster consistently runs a great defense and that his players bring a lunch pail with them to practice every day, but I'm not sure people realize just how incredible his defenses have been.

Virginia Tech joined the ACC during the 2004 football season, and since that time their defenses has been nothing short of dominant. Bud Foster's defenses finished either first or second in total defense during eight of their first nine seasons in the conference. During that same stretch they have also had a defense that ranks top ten nationally in total defense six times. This year they were third nationally in total defense and eighth in scoring defense. He has also produced countless NFL talent and does an outstanding job in player development. Virginia Tech has historically recruited good but not great talent, yet they have still produced great results on the field. Player development will be critical at Wake Forest, and Bud Foster has an outstanding track record of doing that. I could go on and on about his incredible resume and if you want to look at Virginia Tech's numbers in more detail, then you can do that here.

Now, is Bud Foster a realistic candidate? I truly believe he is and that there has to be some mutual interest. Multiple outlets are reporting that he will be interviewing for the current opening at Connecticut. If Bud Foster is interested in that position, then I don't see why he wouldn't be interested in the Wake Forest position. He has great familiarity with the area as Blacksburg is only two hours away from Winston-Salem, he would be in the same conference, and that conference also happens to be a BCS conference. Could he wait several more years and eventually take over at Virginia Tech? He absolutely could, but Bud Foster is 54 years old and Frank Beamer could easily be at Virginia Tech for at least three or more seasons.

Coach Foster is someone we should be pursuing. I could not care less if he does not meet Ron Wellman's criteria of head coaching experience, private school experience, etc., Bud Foster is a winner and a fine developer of talent, which is exactly what Wake Forest needs. It may be a slight reach, but I don't think it's a ridiculous notion to suggest that Bud Foster could be our next head coach.

So you all tell me. Is Bud Foster a realistic candidate? Would Bud Foster be a good fit?