When the Transfer Portal opened back in January, you knew that there were going to be some Virginia Tech players looking for a new home in 2026. It was inevitable. After James Franklin was hired, some players saw the writing on the wall and bolted for greener pastures.
One of those players was quarterback Pop Watson, who returned home to Massachusetts to play at UMass, a program that has nowhere to go but up. He committed to Virginia Tech while he was a star at Springfield Central High School. Now, he heads home, 30 minutes from his hometown, to take over as QB1 for the Minuteman. Head coach Joe Harasymiak didn't mince words about his new signal caller.
Former Virginia Tech QB Pop Watson draws praise ahead of UMass opener
It wasn't surprising that Watson transferred, and it wasn't surprising that he returned home to continue his career. During his time in Blacksburg, he sat behind Baylor transfer Kyron Drones, but he played a big role in the Hokies becoming bowl-eligible in 2024. After Drones and UCLA transfer Collin Schlee went down with injuries in November that year, that left former head coach Brent Pry with Watson to play the season finale against Virginia in Blacksburg.
Watson was good, going 14-for-21 for 254 yards through the air and a touchdown in the Hokies' 37-17 rout of the Cavaliers to retain the Commonwealth Cup. He also rushed for 48 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown as the Hokies ended up in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte against Minnesota that year. It was his ability to progress through his reads against Virginia's defense and have a near-perfect day that Virginia Tech needed. Now, he'll get his shot to run his own offense beginning on Thursday night on the road against Rutgers in the Big Ten. Harasymiak dropped a quote that should get Minutemen fans excited after a 0-12 2025 season.
“This goes from the pros on down: You have to have a dude at that spot,” Harasymiak said, per Amin Touri of the Boston Globe. “The best thing about recruiting is when both parties align on what they want. . . . We needed a quarterback. Bad. Our quarterback play was atrocious last year. No leadership. It was a revolving door. Gave everybody an opportunity. Didn’t happen.
“We know we need to fix that. We feel like we’ve done that.”
Read More: Former Virginia Tech QB Pop Watson delivers a stunning message to UMass fans
UMass does have that "dude'' for the MAC with Watson, who was a fan favorite in Blacksburg and even had fan support the last couple of years when Drones struggled, and fans wanted his name called. It never really was, and that's too bad. Franklin has brought in Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer to be his starter in Blacksburg, as well as North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker. Redshirt freshman Kelden Ryan and true freshman Troy Huhn have also impressed in fall camp in what is a very young room for the ACC. The Hokies also have four-star Class of 2027 quarterback Peter Bourque from Hingham, Mass., committed for the future.
The future is bright for the quarterback room at Virginia Tech, but it is also high for Watson, who has a chance to become a hero in Amherst and help the program turn around in 2026. UMass is a perfect spot for Watson, and his journey begins against Rutgers Thursday night.
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