Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry has announced that redshirt freshman Pop Watson will start practices as the Hokies’ No. 1 quarterback, preparing for his first career start in Saturday’s rivalry game against Virginia. Both Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee are listed as questionable for the Commonwealth Cup due to injuries sustained late in the season and are currently undergoing treatment.
“Pop will get the reps with the ones in practice today, and he needs it,” said Pry. “Collin and Kyron have had a lot of reps, so this is a valuable opportunity for Pop to grow.”
Watson stepped in during last weekend’s 31-28 loss to Duke after Schlee exited in the first quarter with an injury. Schlee, making just his second start for the Hokies, was shaken up after a hard tackle, while Drones has been sidelined for two of the past three games with a foot and knee injury.
Watson finished the Duke game with 146 passing yards, completing 12 of 25 attempts with one interception. He struggled under pressure, being sacked seven times and ending with minus-4 rushing yards. Pry attributed the sacks to a mix of Watson’s inexperience, protection breakdowns, and Duke’s defensive play.
“This was a tough learning curve,” Pry noted. “Duke presented a lot for him to process, but he had moments where he handled it well.”
With the Hokies (5-5, 3-4 ACC) aiming for bowl eligibility, Watson will practice with the starting offense for the first time this week. Freshman Davi Belfort, who has yet to see game action, is expected to serve as the backup quarterback, as Drones and Schlee may be limited to observing practices.
“We’re preparing four quarterbacks, but Davi is definitely getting more attention right now,” Pry added. “He was one play away from stepping in last Saturday, so he needs to be ready.”
Virginia Tech hopes Watson’s expanded role and Belfort’s preparation can provide the depth needed to secure a postseason berth.
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