When Virginia Tech football began its first camp under James Franklin, there were going to be a lot of position battles up for grabs. One position that appears to be up for grabs when it comes to the two-deep is running back. Two returners from last year's team, Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton Jr., are your presumed 1-2 duo.
One notable missing player from the camp has been Louisiana transfer Bill Davis, who has been dealing with an injury. He was projected to be the third back this fall, but his injury is opening the door to the need for a No. 3 running back. Franklin hinted that the position could end up being deeper than some originally thought.
James Franklin hints at depth at the running back position for 2026
Franklin met with the media after practice on Tuesday and made it clear that he likes the depth at the running back position and where it's at with camp about to come to a close. It appears that the third running back spot will come down to Tyler Mason and true freshman Messiah Mickens.
"Those two guys are battling for the third back, and part of that battle is who's going to have the most significant role on special teams," said Franklin. "So, that's been an interesting battle.''
Mickens came to Virginia Tech following Franklin after originally committing to Penn State. A four-star coming out of high school, the 5-foot-10 back is quick and a bruising runner. As for Mason, he too is 5-foot-10 and has been waiting for his opportunity to crack the Hokies lineup. Over his first two seasons in Blacksburg, the North Carolina native has just 13 carries and 59 yards, but he has shown promise. It wouldn't be surprising to see him get some carries in the rotation in 2026.
Davis was expected to come in and make an impact in 2026, and he still may, depending on what his injury is and how long he's expected to be out. However, Mason and Mickens are going to create some tough decisions with the season opener less than two weeks away.
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