Honestly, the vt spring game 2025 felt like a fever dream compared to how the rest of the year actually shook out. If you were there on that windy April 12th afternoon, you remember the vibes. Lane Stadium was buzzing. Kickoff hit at 3 p.m., and for a few hours, Hokie Nation convinced itself that Brent Pry had finally found the secret sauce.
Funny how things change.
We’re sitting here in 2026 now, looking back at a season that went off the rails faster than anyone expected. But that day in April? It was all hope and "Enter Sandman" echoes. The defense looked like a brick wall. The offense showed some flashy new toys. It’s kinda wild to think that the same team that looked so disciplined in the spring would end up 3-9, leading to the mid-season firing of Brent Pry after that disaster against Old Dominion.
The Day the Defense Stole the Show
If you follow Hokie football, you know the "Lunch Pail" mentality is basically a religion. During the vt spring game 2025, Sam Siefkes—making his debut as the defensive coordinator—looked like a genius. His unit absolutely throttled the offense, "winning" the scrimmage with a staggering 50-21 score under the day's special point system.
It wasn't just close. It was a beatdown.
Dante Lovett was the name on everyone’s lips after he jumped a route for a 38-yard pick-six. He looked like the next great Tech corner. Then you had George Ballance scooping up a fumble and taking it to the house. At the time, we all thought the defense was just that elite. Maybe they were, or maybe the offense was just struggling to find its soul.
The pressure was constant. Aycen Stevens and Deric Dandy were living in the backfield, racking up two tackles for loss each. Even the freshmen were getting in on the action. Sherrod Henderson notched a sack that had the North Stands roaring. You could feel the energy. It felt like the old-school Bud Foster days were back, at least for a Saturday afternoon.
The Quarterback "Carousel" and Ayden Greene
Let’s talk about the quarterbacks. This is where it gets weird.
Kyron Drones was the guy, obviously. But the spring game is always about the "what if" scenarios. Interestingly enough, the best passer on the field that day wasn't even a quarterback. It was wide receiver Ayden Greene.
Basically, Greene threw the most creative pass of the day on a lateral play that found a wide-open Cameron Seldon for a 57-yard score. It was the kind of gadget play that makes spring games fun but rarely shows up in the third quarter of a tight ACC matchup in November.
The actual QBs? It was a mixed bag.
- Davi Belfort had the most polish, finishing with a 132.6 passer rating and a nice touchdown toss to Greene.
- A.J. Brand and Kelden Ryan showed they could run, but the passing game just wasn't there. Brand did punch in the only rushing touchdown for the QBs.
- The freshman trio really struggled against Siefkes’ defense. It was a "welcome to college football" moment for most of them.
Life After Bhayshul Tuten
Replacing a guy like Bhayshul Tuten is basically impossible. He was the heart of the team. Going into the vt spring game 2025, everyone wanted to see who would step up in that backfield.
Coastal Carolina transfer Braydon Bennett made the strongest case. He was efficient, picking up 74 yards on just 11 carries. He has that vision—the kind where he waits for the hole to develop instead of just slamming into the guard's back.
Then you had Marcellous Hawkins, who was more of a volume guy that day, grinding out 45 yards on 14 touches. Terion Stewart, the transfer from Bowling Green, wasn't even there. He was finishing up a class, which left a big "what if" hanging over the running back room.
In hindsight, the "committee" approach we saw in April was a sign of things to come. The run game was fine, but it lacked that game-breaking threat Tuten provided.
Why the Hype Didn't Match the Reality
Looking back from 2026, it’s easy to be cynical. The vt spring game 2025 was part of "Hokie Hi Weekend," which included baseball against Florida State and softball against Notre Dame. It was a celebration of Tech sports. The school even charged $10 for general admission, and the Maroon Club was packed at $25 a head.
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But the 3-9 record that followed? Nobody saw that coming.
The most shocking part of the whole saga wasn't even the spring game. It was what happened after the season. In a move that absolutely nobody had on their bingo card, James Franklin was hired as the new head coach. And his first big move? He hired Brent Pry back. Not as the head coach, but as the defensive coordinator.
It’s the ultimate "full circle" moment. Pry is back in the role where he actually excels—running the defense—while Franklin handles the big-picture stuff. The talent in Blacksburg is currently being rebuilt through the portal, even with the recent hiccup regarding Baylor transfer Kamauryn Morgan reopening his recruitment due to admissions issues.
Actionable Takeaways for Hokie Fans
If you're trying to make sense of the current state of the program compared to what we saw in the vt spring game 2025, keep these things in mind:
- Don't overvalue spring stats. Those 50 points the defense scored? They were a result of a specific scoring system, not a sign that the team was invincible.
- Watch the trenches. The spring game showed that the defensive line had depth, but the offensive line's inability to protect the young QBs was a red flag we probably ignored.
- The James Franklin Era is different. The recruiting and portal approach under Franklin is significantly more aggressive than what we saw during the Pry head-coaching years.
- April is for experiments. When you see a wide receiver throwing a 50-yard bomb, enjoy the highlight, but don't expect it to be the base offense in the fall.
The 2025 spring game was a snapshot of a program at a crossroads. It was the last time we saw that specific iteration of the Hokies before the massive leadership shift. Now, with Franklin at the helm and Pry back in his defensive element, Hokie Nation is looking toward 2026 with a lot more caution—and maybe a little bit of that old "Lane Stadium magic" left in the tank.
The focus now shifts entirely to the 2026 spring game on April 18. New coach, new system, same expectations.
Next Steps:
- Check the updated 2026 roster to see how many players from the 2025 spring game are still on the team.
- Look into the 2026 spring game ticket portal, which usually opens in early March.
- Review James Franklin's recent transfer portal additions to see how the defensive line is being rebuilt.