Memphis hires TCU's Fuente as coach

Memphis has hired TCU co-offensive coordinator Justin Fuente to take over the Tigers' struggling football program. The 35-year-old Fuente, who has spent the past three seasons leading the Horned Frogs offense, was introduced in a Thursday afternoon news conference. He will be paid $900,000 in 2012 as part of a five-year contract. The Tigers fired coach Larry Porter after their season-ending 44-7 to eventual Conference USA champion Southern Mississippi on Nov. 26. Porter was 3-21 in two seasons as head coach of his alma mater. Fuente played two seasons at Oklahoma as a quarterback before transferring to Murray State, where he was the 1999 Ohio Valley Conference offensive player of the year. He worked at Illinois State for six seasons before joining TCU in 2007 as running backs coach.