Hokie ClubNothing says Happy New Year like a big scoop of Duke's Mayo on a turkey sandwich, right? I know some of you wackos will eat the stuff right out of the jar, but I need some bread and some tuna salad at least. Fair?
Anyway, a new look Virginia Tech football team will ring in 2025 in Charlotte Friday night in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against Minnesota.
We can call it a ‘new-look team’ because over a dozen players who started for the Hokies in their last game against Virginia on November 30 won’t dress for this one, including key players like Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Dorian Strong, Mansoor Delane, and Keli Lawson on defense, and offensive stalwarts Bhayshul Tuten, Jaylin Lane and left tackle Xavier Chaplin.
Bowl game opt-outs have always been an issue for NFL-bound players, but the transfer portal creates a tricky hand for coaches trying to build a roster and prepare a team for a one-off game such as this. That’s the situation highly ranked yet depleted Tulane faced last year when it faced Virginia Tech in Annapolis, and the hand that’s been dealt the Hokies’ head coach Brent Pry for Friday’s game in Charlotte.
What’s exciting is this: Friday’s game gives us a peek at some younger Hokies who will be thrust into prime-time action: Hello Tommy Ricard, Joshua Clark, and Brody Adams!
Minnesota has experienced some attrition as well, so we should have an exciting contest for sure.
Some other notes as we approach kickoff:
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- Virginia Tech and Minnesota have been playing football since the 1800s, yet this is the first time the two schools will play. It’s Orange & Maroon vs. Orange and Gold.
Overall, this is Tech’s 36th all-time bowl appearance and its third in the Duke's Mayo Bowl (called the Belk Bowl in 2016 and 2019). This was the site of the Hokies’ biggest comeback in school history. In the 2016 game, the Hokies trailed Arkansas 24-0 at halftime before rallying for a 35-24 victory.
While they will not play in the game on Friday night, nine members of the Hokies’ 2025 signing class were suited up at practice this week in Charlotte. That’s a huge plus for those young men, and Pry called this week ‘invaluable’ at his media briefing on Monday afternoon.
The nine include quarterbacks AJ Brand from Charlotte and Kelden Ryan from Texas. Also, at practice this week for the Hokies were running back Jeffrey Overton, wide receiver Micah Matthews, offensive lineman Carter Stallard, defensive lineman Christian Evans, linebacker Brett Clatterbaugh, and defensive backs Jojo Crim and Jahmari DeLoatch.
Again, those kids can’t play in Friday’s game, but they have jump-started their college careers this week at Providence Day High School, the Hokies’ practice facility this week.
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- Bowl games always bring out interesting anecdotes and stories, and you can be sure this game means a lot to the Carroll family.
I’ve been texting this week with former Hokie long snapper Collin Carroll whose younger brother Quinn will start at left tackle for the Gophers on Friday. Collin was a four-year letterwinner for the Hokies and started a program record 55 consecutive games for Virginia Tech. Collin reports “The Carroll’s are so so pumped about the matchup with the Hokies!” probably more than any other family in the country.
Younger brother Quinn grew up an avid Hokies fan and attended many Tech games as a kid. He was with Notre Dame when the Irish played in Blacksburg a few years ago. But this week on a podcast with my counterpart at Minnesota, Mike Grimm, Quinn shared that he has a bunch of Tyrod Taylor jerseys and autographs that he got during his childhood. He’s been a tremendous player and popular teammate for the Gophers and a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten player. Father Jay was a two-time all-Big Ten player for the Gophers and played for the Vikings.
When he was a player and student at Virginia Tech, Collin interned for us at our Virginia Tech Sports Network operation and did several interviews and a bunch of on-camera work for us. Just a wonderful young man from a big, loving Midwestern family.
In fact, there are few families who care so deeply about the football programs at Minnesota and Virginia Tech like the Carrolls, and it will be fun to see them in Charlotte on Friday.
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- As for the game itself, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said Monday that he felt as if his team was ‘preparing for ghosts,’ since his staff was unsure of who would be in uniform for Virginia Tech.
Fleck suggested explosive plays and turnovers would likely decide the game, which is likely true for all games.
This year, the Hokies have certainly been thriving on creating turnovers. Tech has registered 23 takeaways through 12 games, which ranks 18th nationally. And remember, since 2012, the Hokies have a record of 59-13 when winning the turnover battle, for an 81.9 winning percentage.
The Gophers have been similarly opportunistic. Minnesota’s defense has forced 20 turnovers, including 16 interceptions, this year.
Speaking of Fleck, the Hokies have faced him before when he was head coach at Western Michigan.
In September of 2014, the Hokies beat Fleck’s WMU team 35-17 at Lane Stadium. Hokies’ QB Michael Brewer threw touchdown passes to Bucky Hodges and Isaiah Ford, and Marshawn Williams rushed for 119 yards in Tech’s win.
The Hokies scored just eight seconds into the game when Tech’s Andrew Matuapuaka returned a fumble on the opening kickoff for a score.
Fleck has done very well at Minnesota, compiling a 57-39 record in eight seasons. He’s 23-3 vs. non-conference opponents and 5-0 in bowl games as head coach of the Gophers.
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- We hope you can join us live for Tech Talk Live! Our show this week will take place this Thursday from 7-8 p.m. ET at Graham Street Pub. Coach Pry, Mike Burnop and Zach Mackey will host the radio show in front of the live audience. If you can’t make it in person, you’re welcome to join us on your hometown Tech network radio station or via the HokieSports mobile app.
Our coverage of Friday’s game begins at 5:30 ET on our radio network and the HokieSports mobile app. You can also catch us on SiriusXM Channel 371. If you’re coming to the game, you can catch us at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on 89.5 FM.
For Mike Burnop and me, this will be our 24th Virginia Tech bowl game broadcast together. I recall back in 1993 how special that very first Independence Bowl game was for that group of players and how important it was to beat a good Big Ten team from Indiana. It would be spectacular to get 2025 off to a winning start with another exciting win.
We look forward to seeing many of you and talking with you Friday night from Charlotte.
Happy New Year and Bring on the Mayo!