Last year during the winter Transfer Portal cycle, former head coach Brent Pry and his staff landed a handful of players on the defensive side of the ball. There needed to be an overhaul of the secondary after it was hit hard by players hitting the portal or heading to the NFL Draft.
Virginia Tech landed some veteran players through the portal, including Hawaii transfer Caleb Brown. A 6-foot-1 redshirt senior, Brown was expected to be a big part of the Hokies' secondary this fall. He played in the first three games against South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Old Dominion, but hasn't played since because of an injury. On Wednesday, interim coach Philip Montgomery gave an update saying that Brown was still trying to work his way back from an injury.
On Thursday, Kolby Crawford of VTScoop reported that Brown's 2025 season is over following surgery.
In the three games Brown played in this year, he registered two tackles and a pass break up.
Virginia Tech secondary depth takes another big hit
The Hokies' secondary took a hit the day after Pry was fired following a loss to Old Dominion last month. Dante Lovett hit the portal after the 30-day portal window following Pry's dismissal. Then the group was hit with injuries. His absence over the last three weeks has forced younger players Jojo Crim, Thomas Williams, and Jahmari DeLoatch to play more snaps, and that will be the case moving forward over the final six games.
"Those young guys have really stepped up and played well," Montgomery said on Wednesday after practice. "They continue to get better."
They will need to get better as the season goes along, as they are going to face some talented quarterbacks beginning this weekend against Georgia Tech's Haynes King. This is a less-than-ideal situation for Virginia Tech as they begin the second half of the season on Saturday afternoon.