Virginia Tech Football: Hokies QB's Kyron Drones and Pop Watson Will Return in 2025
Blacksburg, Vir — On Friday morning, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry announced that quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson will return next season. Watson manned the quarterback position after Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee both went down with injuries.
Drones Strike x Bomb Pop 💥@KyronDrones & @WW3thefuture are both returning next year 😎#ThisIsHome pic.twitter.com/PVqja0nXOE
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) December 13, 2024
Brent Pry also announced that Kyron Drones is unlikely to play in Virginia Tech's bowl matchup against Minnesota in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Drones has been battling multiple injuries throughout the 2024 season and now he will likely miss Virginia Tech's final game of the season.
The quarterback that arose through Kyron Drones's injuries was Pop Watson, and he looked great. Watson showed flashes of next-level athleticism despite just being a redshirt freshman. He was behind Collin Schlee for most of the season, but now Schlee is out of eligibility and Watson should be slated to be the backup quarterback. Watson threw for 254 yards and a touchdown against Virginia in the Commonwealth Cup. Watson added 48 yards on the ground, averaging 4.4 yards per rush with a touchdown.
Drones played in just nine games this season. He ended the year with 1,562 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions. The dual-threat quarterback also added 336 yards on the ground, six rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown.
The duo of quarterbacks will now return for the 2025 season, despite the fact that both Drones and Watson could both have great transfer destinations.
Brent Pry also addressed the staff changes including the firing of defensive coordinator Chris Marve and offensive line coach Ron Crook. Drones and Watson will return to the team with a new defensive coordinator and offensive line coach on the staff.
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.