If the giant gongs of Fantasy SciFi movie doom aren’t ringing, maybe the run on for the Hokies should be AC/DC’s Hell’s Bells. This team is rapidly falling apart, and no amount of decent backup coaching is going to help it. As the end of the 30-day open portal period comes close, we are seeing an acceleration in the players opting to leave the program and the school. That’s putting iHC Philip Montgomery in a really bad position as an increasing number of players will not be available to play for the Saturday contest against the Wolfpack.

Though not all of the absent players are portal related, the list of non-portal related player statuses in the Out and Questionable categories is pretty daunting.

As our old friend Treadmill Horse updates us:

The Hokies are missing starters on both sides of the ball. Now, there is nothing in the list that hints at the reason for the absence but given the circumstances of the increasing number of players entering the 30-day transfer portal window the roster is going to be thin and very inexperienced.

Without hearing about transfer information, Defensive Ends Keyshawn Burgos and James Djonkam are no longer listed on the official roster in the Football 2025 – Virginia Tech Athletics roster. To make matters worse, critical backup Linebacker Michael Short is transferring out. With Woodson on the pine (probably for disciplinary reasons) Short was a critical part of the defensive mid-field.

The Law of Unintended, but Totally Predictable Consequences

Darren Heitner is a sports related attorney: (here is an excerpt from his X Bio)

Darren Adam Heitner is the Founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., an adjunct professor of Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, an adjunct professor of NIL at the University of Miami School of Law, a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, and author of many books published by the American Bar Association (How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know) as well as numerous articles in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. Heitner has been referred to as one of the foremost experts on name, image, and likeness (NIL) by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, a power player in NIL deals by Action Network, “a founding father of college athletes earning rights,” and a top sports trademark attorney by Sportico.

So, folks this is a serious legal action, not just some nobody threatening something. The Virginia Tech Athletic department is being none-to-genteel about the players parting company with the program either by force redshirting or just entering the portal mid-season. This is just another legal fight that is likely to spread to a class action lawsuit across any program interpreting the House settlement in the way that Tech has. Presumably UCLA and Oklahoma State might also be in for the same sort of treatment as their rosters drain.

This is money to defend, folks. Maybe John Rockovich will do the work pro bono for the Athletic Department, but juries and judges have not been kind to the institutions over the players. The cost of defending these suits is going to mount rapidly as more kids leave and lose their deals.

We won’t judge either side on this one we are just reporting the event and noting that it’s definitely unintended consequence of the willy-nilly NIL, pay for play, and professionalization of college sports. We warned about the reality that professional contracts are bi-directional, and there would be negative repercussions for leaving programs, now.

This is guaranteed to get much uglier and how this program even finishes a season after a couple of weeks of this is going to be far beyond current predictability.

So, We Get Team Swiss Cheese – Staff Predictions!

Nothing much to add to the above. The team is coming apart piece by piece, and rational hopes of winning anything the remainder of the season are fleeing rapidly.

Bryan Manning

Hokies were dropping like flies over the last two weeks, looking to take advantage of the redshirt/portal rules. Oh well, as senior defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam said, if they don’t want to be there, get out. I agree. Anyway, what can we expect tomorrow? I actually think the Hokies will keep it competitive in the first half before the Wolfpack open it up in the second half. N.C. State’s QB is talented, but he’ll also turn it over.

Prediction: N.C. State 34, Virginia Tech 17

John Schneider

Virginia Tech’s remnant Hokies will travel to Raleigh, stumble through a late game in front of a prime-time audience, and well, have you ever seen a turkey that’s been torn up by a wolf or even a coyote? That’ll be the Hokies getting on the bus, if they can even walk. There are a whole lot of maybes and step-ups in the starting and backup roster for the Hokies. Maybe the defense plays well? Maybe Drones and the backs have a decent day? Maybe the receivers won’t drop critical passes? Maybe some relatively unknown #3 or #4 in the depth chart will step up? Too many for my blood.

NC State will win this one running away. Predicting the score would be pointless.

Okay, It’s Your Turn

It’s all up to whoever shows up for the game on Saturday. The Hokies’ season is essentially over. The basketball teams look really good…

GO HOKIES!!!!