Virginia Tech Defensive Tackle Kemari Copeland Out For the Season Due To Injury, Will Redshirt

Copeland announced on social media that he is out for the season

Nov 11, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; A Virginia Tech Hokies helmet rest on a table during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech defensive tackle Kemari Copeland announced on social media that he has undergone season-ending surgery for a torn tricep in "several places" and will miss the rest of the 2024 season and redshirt.

#Hokies DL and Iowa CC Transfer Kemari Copeland has announced via his Instagram that he will be redshirting this year due to a torn tricep “in several places” that will require surgery. pic.twitter.com/p7TQocIZju

— Nels Williams (@NelsWilliams) October 1, 2024

Copeland wrote this on Instagram:

"A lot of times in life we don't really understand what's going on or why things happen," Copeland wrote on Instagram Tuesday night. "Especially with me on the football journey it's a roller coaster ride but that's what life is. Life tests you in times when you least expect it that's what I've learned while going through this thing called life. In the past struggles and trials of my life there was always something greater on the other side. One of [my] favorite scriptures, John 13:7 says "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." I can't wait to see what's on the other side of this. It was just like any other play I got off the ball as hard as I could and felt a pop in my arm. Got MRIs later and found out I tore my tricep in several places and would need surgery. I will be back soon though and I will just be redshirting this year."

Copeland was a new addition to Virginia Tech in the 2024 class and he came from Iowa Western Community College. He had played at Army before that. He played in only four games this season, making him eligible to be redshirted. Copeland totaled six tackles this season.

Going into next week, the Hokies have to make sure that they don't let one loss turn into two. They were so close to upsetting Miami, which could have been a win to turn around their season, but they came up short in one of the most heartbreaking ways possible. Can they get up off the mat quickly and go on the road to beat a feisty Stanford team? Stanford is 2-2, but they are well-coached and do have a road win vs Syracuse and gave Clemson a tough fight for 2 1/2 quarters before the turnovers became too much to overcome.

Virginia Tech vs Stanford kicks off at 3:30 next Saturday and will be televised on the ACC Network.