Virginia Tech Football: CBS Sports Names Hokies Biggest Question Mark Heading Into Spring Practice

Spring practice begins this week for Virginia Tech Football and it is a different vibe than from a year ago. Last offseason, the Hokies were getting a lot of hype ahead of the 2024 season and fell flat, going 6-7 after a 5-3 start. This is a big year for head coach Brent Pry, who is going into his fourth season with the program, and is going to be relying on a host of new transfers and two brand new coordinators to help get things turned around in Blacksburg.

There are an endless amount of questions this program faces this spring, but what is the top one? CBS Sports Chip Patterson wrote about this recently and had this to say:

1. Can Philip Montgomery unlock the best of Kyron Drones?

"New offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery arrives with an established reputation as an offensive mind thanks to his rise in the industry that included offensive coordinator stops at Houston and Baylor, where he helped coach up game-changing quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III, Bryce Petty and Case Keenum. But the most important piece of this equation, and the one that makes Montgomery's track record notable, is what's in store for Drones' third year as Virginia Tech's starting QB. Drones had 17 passing touchdowns to just three interceptions and was second among all ACC quarterbacks with 818 yards rushing in 2023, but injuries and inconsistencies in performance kept Virginia Tech from delivering on any preseason "ACC dark horse" talk last year. If Montgomery can take advantage of Drones' skill set, this Virginia Tech offense could be dangerous and the Hokies might be able to finally break through beyond being just a bowl team in 2025."

Drones has potential, but he also has to take a step forward in his development as a passer and that could be tough to do with so many new faces on the offense. Virginia Tech is losing running back Bhayshul Tuten, wide receivers Da'Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane, and a pair of impactful starters on the offensive line. Drones is going to have to figure out the chemistry with new pieces on the offense, as well as learning under a new coordinator.

The results could be that Drones does take a step forward and this is the year that Virginia Tech becomes an ACC contender. Montgomery has been a successful coordinator in the past, leading some high power offenses. If he can get Drones to improve as a quarter, Virginia Tech might be better than you think in 2025.

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