ROANOKE, Va. – The Military Bowl is certainly a contrast between the two programs. While the Green Wave finds themselves in a coaching transition with multiple players opting out and hitting the transfer portal, Virginia Tech is quite the opposite.
Coach Brent Pry’s second season delivered double the win total of year one and delivered a bowl bid. Now, the roster is responding with the key skill position players. Quarterback Kyron Drones, the entire wide receiver room, and All-American running back Bhayshul Tuten will return for the 2024 season.
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Defensively, stars Antwan Powell-Ryland and Josh Fuga and All-American cornerback Dorian Strong and his partner in crime Mansoor Delane are all back for the Hokies. All of this to further solidify the notion that the Hokies culture is back to where it belongs.
“Man, I think if you zoom out and think about the macro of it, I think it speaks to our culture that the guys want to be here,” said Hokies defensive coordinator Chris Marve. “Want to be on the team and be around one another the value that they place on the brotherhood that’s here that that’s been developed in our time here and the expectation and the vision we have for ourselves moving forward.”
“They feel there’s excitement, there’s encouragement,” said Hokies head coach Brent Pry. “They love the fanbase here and they love going to school here. I always ask these guys, ‘Do you like it here?’ and generally they say ‘Coach I don’t just like it here. I love it here.’”
“The fans, Lane stadium, there’s nothing else like it,” said defensive tackle Norell Pollard. “Like, even when I went to Florida State it’s nothing like Lane nothing like Virginia Tech so just being here is a blessing.”
The Hokies have played in 34 bowl games in program history with the next one, the Military Bowl, coming on Wednesday at 2 p.m.