BLACKSBURG — Three freshmen quarterbacks took each of the 81 snaps in Virginia Tech’s spring scrimmage Saturday. None has ever played in an actual college game, and chances are none will in 2025.
In short, hot takes from this annual event have rarely, if ever, been less advisable.
That said, there were some notable highlights and takeaways from the defense’s 50-21 victory over the offense, a result built on convoluted scoring and a 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown by reserve linebacker George Ballance from Cox High and a 38-yard interception return for a score by starting cornerback Dante Lovett.
“Unfortunately for the offense, we’ve done a nice job all spring in the takeaway category,” fourth-year coach Brent Pry said. “We’ve got to do a better job protecting the football.”
757 presence
Led by inside linebacker Kaleb Spencer (Gloucester) and defensive tackle Kemari Copeland (Kellam), the Hokies’ Hampton Roads contingent figures to play a central role in 2025.
Both transferred to Tech prior to last season, Spencer from Miami, Copeland from Iowa Western Community College. Spencer started one game, while Copeland saw his season end after four contests due to a torn triceps.
Both ran with the first-team defense Saturday, Spencer logging a game-best seven tackles, including a jarring hit of running back Braydon Bennett. Copeland led all defensive linemen with four stops and was named the spring’s defensive MVP.
“While he was injured, he learned the playbook,” Pry said. “He wasn’t in a good place there. He learned technique. He studied it so that when he was cleared and able to play, he made the most of it. He was disruptive. Obviously, he’s very strong, explosive.”
Pry also applauded early enrollee cornerbacks Knahlij Harrell (Green Run) and Jahmari DeLoatch (Oscar Smith) and said they should help the Hokies not only on special teams, but also in the secondary.
Rookie quarterbacks
Incumbent starter Kyron Drones underwent a “minor medical procedure” for an undisclosed condition Wednesday, and projected backup Pop Watson sustained a soft-tissue injury Tuesday, leaving Saturday to redshirt freshman Davi Belfort and early enrollees Kelden Ryan and A.J. Brand.
“I’m looking out there and Kelden and A.J., those guys should still be in high school,” Pry said, “and they’re out there trying to run the show.”
None completed a pass of longer than 18 yards, and Ryan and Brand both threw interceptions. But Belfort threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Greene, and Ryan had the day’s longest run (43 yards).
Still, Drones was front of mind, and his health is paramount if the Hokies are to rebound from last season’s 6-7 disappointment.
“I’ve been really, really pleased with Kyron,” new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said. “I think he’s picked our offense extremely well. I think he sees what he can do in it and what the pieces around him can do in it. I thought he really read defenses throughout really well, going against (defensive coordinator) Sam (Siefkes) every day and what they do.”
Offensive MVP
Greene showed why coaches voted him the offense’s MVP this spring, catching the touchdown pass from Belfort and throwing a 57-yard scoring pass to Tennessee transfer Cam Seldon after a backward pass from Belfort.
“It seemed each and every practice, he made some kind of play, especially when we needed it,” Pry said.
Due to an economics exam, Greene missed practice Friday when Montgomery installed the gadget play. Didn’t matter.
“I told Coach Monty, I can sling it a little bit, too,” said Greene, a southpaw backup quarterback during his high school days in Knoxville, Tennessee.
“We were going to be very, very vanilla today,” Montgomery said. “We weren’t going to show much of our offense, which we didn’t. We didn’t use a lot of motions or different formations. We were going to be very plain with that. We feel we have an advantage leading into the fall because of that. So, we felt like if we used one little gadget to help us, we’ll see if we could take advantage, and so we did.”
The rangy, 6-foot-2, Greene caught 19 passes for 268 yards and two scores last season as a sophomore, but believes he’s capable of much more.
“I don’t think there is a ceiling for me,” he said. “… I hold myself to a high standard.”
Dream school
James Djonkam was a second-team, all-conference linebacker at Eastern Michigan last season, but happily moved to defensive end at Tech, which he called his “dream school.”
“I’m here repping the Virginia Tech Hokies? That’s all that matters,” said Djonkam, a Northern Virginia product. “I could be the water boy. As long as I’m part of the team. That’s my main thing, and I’m on the field.”
As for the defense’s motivation Saturday?
“We looked at (the offense) like they was UVA,” Djonkam said. “And we wanted to win. So, at the end of the day, hey, we came for blood and we got that.”