Everything From Virginia Tech LB Caleb Woodson After Tuesday's Practice

Virginia Tech linebacker Caleb Woodson spoke to the media after practice on Tuesday, Nov. 25; here's the entirety of what Woodson had to say:

On if there's any different fire in the building entering Rivalry Week:

"Oh, yeah. This hate week. I don't like those guys."

Q: You've been a part of two of these before. You've experienced it. What's the mindset going into this?

"Yeah, it's all balls to the walls. I mean, they got a countdown to play us every year. So, it means a lot. It means a lot to the alumni. Means a lot to this program. And go get those guys."

On how quickly does hate week become natural in your mind:

"As soon as we come in here Sunday, it's onto UVA. So, pretty quick after that Miami game."

On if he grew up rooting for Tech or UVA and how closely he followed:

"No, I didn't grow up rooting for either one. My older brother actually went to UVA, but I never really had a college team growing up."

On how the team stops UVA's quarterback Chandler Morris:

"How do you stop a quarterback like Chicken Morris? Yeah, he's real athletic. He's a veteran guy. You just got to keep him contained, keep him guessing, and then we'll have a good day."

On taking to that in practice and simulating Morris' effectiveness on the ground:

"We got to give him pressure, give him different looks, switch it up for him, try to keep him, try to keep him guessing."

On if the team revels in a chance to be spoiler to UVA's hope of reaching the ACC title game:

"I mean, that's definitely something that we looking at, but it's really just, we want to beat those guys. Every year, we want to give it to those guys and beat them."

On if Woodson knows anyone on the team, high school or otherwise:

"I know a few guys on the team."

On how the season has gone for Woodson:

"I just keep take it day by day. Each day is a blessing to wake up. So, I just really focus on each day and attack that day."

On interim head coach Philip Montgomery saying that the trust never wavered despite Woodson being stripped of captain status earlier in '25 and how much that helped:

"It means a lot. That adversity that I faced, even adversity that I face now, it helps me grow. I learn from it and become a better person for that. So, thankful for that."

On the toughness of compartmentalizing the season and if it's tough to focus on just this game:

"I don't think so, especially for this game. I mean, we playing UVA. We playing the crosstown rival. So, I think all of our focus is on UVA, and that's where it should be."

On if there's any noticeable weaknesses:

"No, they're solid. They're a solid offense. Good quarterback, good running back. He has good vision. They got some good receivers. It's going to be a challenge for us, but it's going to be a good one. Looking forward to it."

On Woodson playing his second year at inside linebacker and how much that experience has helped:

"Yeah, I feel like I've grown a lot. Linebacker is a position you got to get used to and got to get reps at. So, I feel like I'm just out there playing free and playing fast."

On Noah Chambers and Kaleb Spencer coming into their own and complimenting the group:

"Yeah, I think we all kind of compliment each other. How we've been doing it this year is kind of rotating pretty evenly. So, I think we're just going to keep with. It's been good so far."

On his first impressions of new Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin:

"I like Coach Franklin. Talked to us. Said what he wanted to fix around here, how he wanted to get things going. It was good."

On if he thinks about next year already:

"I'm focused on UVA right now. After that, we gonna focus on what I got going on next year. But right now, it's UVA."