Despite it being right in the middle of the holiday season, the college football news never stops. That's where we're at now with the transfer portal and commitments and also players declaring for the NFL Draft in April in Green Bay. The transfer portal is where we'll begin this edition of Virginia Tech football news.
Keli Lawson commits to Big 12 school
When the transfer portal officially opened a couple of weeks ago, some Hokies entered compared to last season when head coach Brent Pry got a ton of retainment. This season, a handful of Virginia Tech players with eligibility hit the portal and slowly they are finding new homes. That was the case on Christmas Eve.
Linebacker Keli Lawson entered the portal and Tuesday night, he committed to Central Florida in the Big 12. Last season, former Hokies cornerback Derrick Canteen transferred to Cincinnati in the Big 12 too.
Josh Fuga declares for NFL Draft
Last season after Virginia Tech became bowl-eligible with a win at Virginia, defensive lineman Josh Fuga was one of a number of players on both sides of the ball who announced he was returning for 2024. This season the 6-foot-2, 313-pound Woodbridge native had 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his final season in Blacksburg.
Wednesday, he announced on his X account that he's declaring for the NFL Draft, ending his time as a Hokie. He was a good player during his time in a Virginia Tech uniform collecting 70 tackles and four sacks. He was part of a defensive line this season that caused nightmares at times for opponents.
Bowl game eight days away
Now that Christmas is over, Virginia Tech will be traveling to Charlotte in a few days for the Duke's Mayo Bowl against Minnesota. The Hokies roster will look a lot different from the one that beat Virginia on Thanksgiving Weekend, but one more game to watch some of the younger players play is key for the future of the program.