Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – As the Virginia Tech football team continues to inch closer towards the season opener against South Carolina, an intriguing part of the offense is lacing up their cleats: the running back room. Under new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and running backs coach Elijah Brooks, the Hokies are welcoming a plethora of talent to Blacksburg this fall as they look to continue their success in the run game. In this week’s Position Preview we take a closer look at a running backs room that promises to excite later this fall.
This year’s running back corps will look slightly different than it did in years prior. Former Tech standout Bhayshul Tuten, whose 1,159 rushing yards ranked fourth in the ACC last season, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. As the consensus starter for the Hokies last fall, Tuten continually performed under the brightest lights, his 17 total touchdowns earning the New Jersey native All-ACC Second Team Honors.
To fill the vacancy left by Tuten’s departure, Head Coach Brent Pry and the Tech football staff were proactive in the transfer portal. Three of the eight members of the 2025 running back squad are standout athletes who have transferred to Blacksburg, aiming to expand their game under the watchful eye of both Brooks and Montgomery.
Terion Stewart is one of those transfers. A graduate student from Bowling Green University, Stewart arrives in Blacksburg with 2,367 career rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry over his time in Ohio. Stewart posted a team-high 898 rushing yards in 166 attempts with the Falcons last fall, earning All-MAC First Team honors over 11 appearances as the team’s running back. Standing at 5-foot-9, 222-pounds, Stewart has excelled as a yards-after-contact back throughout his career, often breaking tackles and making defenders miss en route to big gains.
Additional transfer athletes joining the Hokies are Braydon Bennett and Marcellous Hawkins. Bennett, who joins the Hokies with a year of eligibility left after playing in 44 games at Coastal Carolina, brings height and a long stride to the Hokies behind his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. As a Chanticleer in 2024, the South Carolina native had multiple games with 100 rushing yards or more, dashing over teams like Louisiana (13 attempts, 132 yards) and Georgia Southern (16 attempts, 138 yards). Comparatively, Hawkins joins Tech after spending the last three seasons at Central Missouri. His dual-threat ability was most exemplified as a sophomore in 2023, rushing for a team-high 1,053 yards and hauling in 283 receiving yards.
Several running backs also return to Blacksburg as the season continues to creep closer. Athletes who were featured in various roles this past season will have a chance to contribute in the backfield for Pry and the Hokies.
Of the four returning backs from the 2024 roster, Richmond, Va. native Jeremiah Coney has seen the most on-field action. Coney played 12 games last fall, making a sole start against Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Jan. 23, 2025. His 96 rushing yards against Syracuse on the road were integral in keeping the Hokies in a tightly contested matchup as Tuten sat out due to injury.
Also joining Coney as returners are P.J. Prioleau and Tyler Mason. Prioleau provides a veteran presence in the room. The now-redshirt senior looks to soar after an injury sidelined him for the back half of the regular season in 2024. His work is most notable on the special teams unit, as the 5-foot-11 Prioleau was responsible for 86 return yards over four kicks last fall. Mason enters 2025 as a redshirt freshman after rushing for 39 yards in two games last season.
Jeffrey Overton is the lone true freshman in the room. The Woodbridge, Va. native joins the Hokies after tallying more than 8,000 career rushing yards over four years in high school, spending three years at Freedom High and his last season at Hayfield Secondary. While at Hayfield, Overton was named the Region 6C Offensive Player of the Year on a team that shut out its opponents seven times in twelve games.
As the Hokies continue to prepare for their season opener matchup against South Carolina in the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Game, fans can be confident that the running game will be as strong as ever. Don’t miss your chance to secure your tickets to see the Hokies later this season!