After experiencing strong roster retention following the 2023 season, things took a different turn for Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry after the 2024 regular season. The Hokies secured bowl eligibility with a win over Virginia on Thanksgiving Weekend, earning a spot in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on January 3.
However, between that victory and their bowl game loss to Minnesota, Virginia Tech’s roster underwent significant changes. In addition to players exhausting their eligibility and declaring for the NFL Draft, several key contributors entered the transfer portal. This roster turnover forced Pry, now entering his fourth year, to be aggressive in the portal to replenish talent for the 2025 season.
So far, Virginia Tech has added 19 players from the portal, targeting key positions of need. One area of focus was the running back room after the departure of Bhayshul Tuten, who declared for the NFL Draft, and Malachi Thomas, who transferred to Purdue. While Tuten’s exit is a major loss due to his production, Thomas’s departure affects depth. Recognizing the void, Pry aggressively pursued running backs in the portal to ensure stability and playmaking ability at the position heading into 2025.
Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry explains the reason for the RB portal additions
In October, young running back P.J. Priouleau suffered a season-ending injury at Stanford, and there are lingering concerns about the severity of that injury. Adding to the uncertainty is incoming freshman Jeff Overton, who is also dealing with an injury. Despite this setback, the coaching staff remains optimistic about Overton’s potential, believing he could contribute as early as the fall if healthy.
These injuries have created significant depth concerns in Virginia Tech’s backfield, leaving Jeremiah Coney as one of the few healthy returning options. This situation prompted head coach Brent Pry to take an aggressive approach in the transfer portal, resulting in the additions of Bowling Green’s Terion Stewart and Marcellous Hawkins from Central Missouri. Stewart, who brings proven production at the FBS level, won’t arrive on campus until the summer as he completes his classes at Bowling Green. Meanwhile, 18 of Virginia Tech’s 19 portal additions are already on campus, providing a head start in integrating with the team.
With quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson returning to lead the offense behind a revamped offensive line, bolstering the running back room was a top priority. Given the current injury situation, the aggressive pursuit of backfield reinforcements was an obvious and necessary move for the Hokies as they prepare for the 2025 season.