Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Long snapper Christian Epling will wear No. 25 when the Hokies welcome the Yellow Jackets to Blacksburg this Saturday. The game will be the redshirt sophomore’s first time carrying on the legacy of historic Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer. Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech will square off in Lane Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26 at noon ET, with live coverage on ACC Network.
After redshirting in 2022, Epling primarily held snapping duties on field goals over 12 games in 2023. This season, the Dacula, Georgia native has cemented his role at long snapper, starring in all seven games with the Hokies special teams unit. Epling and placekicker John Love have been one of college football’s most efficient pairings this fall, as Epling’s consistency has helped Love to make 9 of 10 field goal attempts and go a perfect 26 of 26 on extra point tries. The redshirt sophomore’s precise snapping is a key contributor to Love’s 90% field goal accuracy, which is tied for second among ACC kickers.
When Epling suits up for the daytime contest Saturday, the 6-foot-2 snapper will become the fourth long snapper in Tech history to wear Frank Beamer’s historic jersey. He will also become the first long snapper to wear No. 25 since long snapper Justin Pollock wore the jersey against Georgia Tech in 2022.
The weekly tradition of wearing No. 25 started in 2016 and has continued each season. Each week, a member of the special teams wears the number to recognize how influential Frank Beamer was to Tech football both as a player and a coach. The jersey number was retired in 2002. Fans can find more information on who has worn the jersey here.