New Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin got some good news recently in terms of retention from the 2025 roster he is taking over. When he was hired, he talked about getting some retention, but he knew there were going to be some players who would leave in the portal when it opened last Friday.
Last month, he hired Georgia Tech running back coach Norval McKenzie from Brent Key's staff, which was a major addition after Elijah Brooks left for South Florida. Then, Virginia Tech got some big retention when it came to the running back room.
True freshman Jeffrey Overton, Jr., who missed the early part of the season with an injury, but impressed once he was healthy and on the field. He announced that he was returning, then Central Missouri transfer Marcellous Hawkins decided to return after an impressive season in Blacksburg. There is still a need through the portal for another running back, and on Monday, the Hokies landed a good one.
Virginia Tech gets commitment from Louisiana transfer RB Bill Davis
Louisiana running back Bill Davis committed to Virginia Tech on Monday, giving McKenzie and Franklin a deep room. Joining Davis, Hawkins, and Overton, Jr. will be incoming freshman Messiah Mickens, making it an intriguing one.
This past season for Louisiana, Davis rushed for 767 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards a carry. In 2024, he rushed for 796 yards and nine touchdowns. With some experienced backs already returning, Davis should step up and still get a lot of carries and be part of the rotation for McKenzie and Franklin.
It has been a huge couple of days for Franklin and Virginia Tech in terms of the Transfer Portal. He received a commitment from Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer to headline a busy couple of days.