BLACKSBURG — Like most college football programs, this week’s biggest event for Virginia Tech was national signing day, which was the Hokies’ priority.
Priority 1A was maintaining a high retention rate for the players who are already on the roster. Everyone will know for sure by the conclusion of spring practices how that process ultimately went, but for now, it appears to be as good as one could hope.
This was especially true for the new faces on the 2023 roster that arrived via the transfer portal, who made significant contributions to helping Virginia Tech achieve bowl eligibility. Most apparently liked being Hokies enough to stick around for another season.
“I always ask the guys, do you like it here? And generally, they say, Coach, I don’t just like it here, I love it here,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “So I think it’s a testament to those guys and the people in the program and to Virginia Tech that these guys want to go back and do this.”
Since the Hokies (6-6) wrapped up the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend with a 55-17 thrashing of Virginia in the Commonwealth Cup game, the news slowly trickled in on what players on the 2023 roster planned to stick around for 2024.
Like just about every other football program in the country, Pry and his staff supplemented their incoming class of high school signees with some transfer-portal acquisitions that they hope will contribute right away.
Amid preparations for their postseason contest Wednesday against No. 23 Tulane in the Military Bowl, the Hokies know that all four of their transfer-portal group of receivers plan to be back for the 2024 season. Three of them, former Norfolk State standout Da’Quan Felton, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell (who transferred from North Carolina prior to the 2022 season), will also see action in the bowl game. Ali Jennings, a transfer from Old Dominion who suffered an ankle injury in the second week, is doubtful for the bowl, but should be back to full speed by the spring.
The quartet combined for 102 receptions for 1,611 yards and 19 touchdowns.
“It made us feel real good — that’s a lot of production,” Hokies offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen said. “The thing I’m most excited about in that room is that I don’t think any of those guys have reached their full potential.”
There is also no question who will be throwing to the group. Another key transfer from last spring, Kyron Drones, will go into the spring of 2024 as Virginia Tech’s undisputed No. 1 quarterback.
“So now you get a core group of receivers back, the young guys we have behind them that are coming, and another year with the quarterback,” Bowen said.
In some cases, potential professional careers were put on hold. On offense, they include ex-North Carolina A&T running back Bhayshul Tuten, who leads the Hokies in rushing with 727 yards and eight touchdowns, has caught two TD passes and has run back two kickoffs for two more scores.
The defense expects to return three other potential NFL draftees — Antwaun Powell-Ryland, a Florida transfer from Indian River High who leads Virginia Tech in sacks, defensive lineman Josh Fuga and defensive back Dorian Strong, who has three of the Hokies’ seven interceptions.
Even Derrick Canteen, the Georgia State transfer who announced earlier this month that he will re-enter the transfer portal and play elsewhere in 2024, is delaying his departure until after the Military Bowl.
He calls it “unfinished business.” The Hokies just know they are grateful for his decision, as they will be facing Tulane without two of their top defensive backs — Nasir Peoples and Jalen Stroman, who both had surgery.
“You have to zoom out and look at the macro view,” defensive coordinator Chris Marve said. “It speaks to our culture. The guys want to be here, want to be on the team and be around one another. … It’s certainly good news. We love coaching our guys and we have great kids.”
