Hughes: Virginia Tech Football Stuck In No Man's Land Right Now

Virginia Tech sits in an awkward in-between: no longer at rock bottom, but still far from shining.

Oct 4, 2025; Blacksburg, Va.; Virginia Tech safety Tyson Flowers (11) defends Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Barnes (10). | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Optimism around this team and program is slipping. After selling out every home game in the 2024 season — Lane Stadium has a listed capacity of 65,632 — Virginia Tech has dipped below 58,000 in two of its first four home games. Three tests in Lane Stadium await and while two of the three contests are against top-end ACC squads in Louisville and Miami, it feels like there's less of a buzz and more of a "wait-and-see" mentality right now around the Hokies.

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It's waiting to see if the athletic department's accepted budget increase manifests itself as the full $229 million, or whether the philanthropy section (which makes up $120 million) lags behind projections. It's waiting to see whether Virginia Tech (2-4, 1-1 ACC) football's third attempt at head coach in athletic director Whit Babcock's tenure pays off. It's waiting to see whether this season shapes up to be anything more than a development campaign. It's waiting to see how many players transfer out of the program; so far, it's four — cornerback Dante Lovett, wide receiver/punt returner Tucker Holloway, linebacker Michael Short and defensive lineman Keyshawn Burgos — with a fifth player, James Djonkam, no longer on the team.

This season feels increasingly like a lost one. Virginia Tech's triumph over NC State a week and a half ago in Carter-Finley Stadium was an exciting affair, one which briefly sparked feelings of a turnaround — at least a building block to the future if not a boost for this current one. Now, it feels like things are back to square one.

I think part of the apathy surrounding the program right now stems from the lack of change — especially at quarterback. Kyron Drones remains firmly in control under center, and nothing that interim head coach Philip Montgomery has said in post-practice or post-game media sessions suggests that a shift is coming anytime soon. That stability might sound reassuring on paper, but with this being Drones’ final year of eligibility, it raises questions about the future of the position.

The alternative, however, isn’t necessarily more promising. Sophomore backup William “Pop” Watson III flashed potential in last season’s rivalry win over Virginia, carving up a vulnerable secondary with his mobility and confidence. Yet when faced with stiffer competition, his inexperience showed; he was sacked 13 times combined in back-to-back games against Minnesota and Duke. It’s a reminder that while fans may crave something new, change for its own sake doesn’t always guarantee improvement.

Watson III remains somewhat of an enigma: good against subpar foes, but still unproven against top-end competition. It does beg the question, however: is there any reason not to pull the trigger and make the change? Drones has no eligibility after this year, making him a non-factor in the Hokies' future plans. Watson has eligibility left but that’s where the internal debate within the fanbase — and perhaps within the program — begins. Is Virginia Tech’s immediate priority to grind out as many wins as possible right now, or to begin laying the groundwork for what’s next?

Starting Watson might mean taking a step back in the short term, but it could also accelerate his development and clarify the long-term outlook at quarterback. The decision is hardly simple: play it safe with the veteran who gives you stability, or embrace the growing pains that come with developing the next potential leader of the offense.

However, the Hokies now sit with only 3.8% odds of claiming six wins, according to ESPN's FPI metric. It faces a four-game stretch where it possesses under 32% odds of victory to close the year. In fact, only one remaining contest has Virginia Tech as favorites; that game is against Cal on Friday, Oct. 24. As of now, the expectation is that Virginia Tech closes out the year with three wins. Even that could be thrown up in the air if the Hokies lose to California in 17 days.

In the short-term, Virginia Tech does have a game to play: Georgia Tech will host the Hokies in Atlanta, on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET, with viewing available on the ACC Network.