🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨Virginia Tech starter Dae'Quan Wright to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, from @EvanGWatkins247 #Hokieshttps://t.co/tcpKWaedw0— VTScoop247 (@VTScoop247) November 28, 2023
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I think this is the Dae'Quan Wrong decision.
I wonder if Pry lets him play in the bowl game (or if he would want to play).
Part of the reason we got absolutely crushed in our last bowl game was players that had entered the portal were not allowed to play.
Pry's policy is that players in the portal are allowed to use facilities to train themselves, but will not be able to participate in team events while in the portal.
So I assume no.
I wonder what his NIL valuation even is? Hate to lose him but if I can get make more money doing the same thing I am doing now. You can kiss my ass goodbye.
I can make more money working somewhere else, substantially more. But I love where I work, and who I work for/with, and I don't know if I'll replicate that somewhere else. The grass isn't always greener.
My guess is this isn't just about NIL money.
Or maybe it is! The person paying you less money would certainly agree with you.
Glad I saw it on one of the other threads here first or I'd be a lot more upset/disappointed. Guessing he'll go get an SEC bag.
It sucks...but 28 catches for 366 yards and 0 Tds this season, and 19 catches for 208 yards and 0 Tds last season? Not exactly gamebreaking numbers there. Hopefully we should be able to replace that production.
Big and athletic is an attractive combo. Even though he wasn't most physical blocker, his YAC skills are really good for someone his size.
I will miss the Wright euro step juke.
Wright made a ton of improvement throughout the year especially in his play off the ball. If Gallo is able to come back I don't know that we'll notice much of a drop off though. Wright is probably a bit more dynamic as a big bodied WR but Gallo can fit more of a true TE role.
If Felton comes back we have a big bodied WR
Yes, but how big are his hands? Does he wear XXXL-sized gloves? ;^)
I just looked up his stats for the year - he had 28 catches for 366 yards and no touchdowns. This doesn't appear to be stellar production for a tight end, primarily one who is more pass oriented like Wright. For comparison, in '22 Galo had 30 catches for 256 yards. Anyone have any insight on why he's leaving? Does he stand to be picked up by a school for $$??
He's from Georgia, might want to go somewhere closer to home.
This
Rumors on TSL are that the coaching staff have concerns with his work ethic. My guess is that this is a fairly mutual decision.
I've been thinking that since I heard he might be leaving. I noticed a few times this season when his pass catching attempts or blocking attempts looked a little lazy. I think he's got great talent and he has noticeably improved over his time here so I fully believe that he could develop into a great asset with another year or two but I fully believe this explanation. Wish him the best, and thank him for everything he has done for our program. Go be great, unless you play against us
I think the way it was framed on TSL was that if he ever decides he wants to be a football player 12 months a year he could/would be an amazing player. But he seems to only want to be a football player 3-4 months a year. That's the kind of thing that shows up with his inconsistent play on the field. Its no surprise he's been much better the past 3 games this season than he was the first 3. He's actually be taking reps in practice the past 3 months.
implication was that if he were a hard worker year-round, the VT program would pushing for more NIL to try and keep him around
maybe the change of scenery will be the wake-up call he needs to realize his potential. or maybe he's the same up and down player at his new school
I thought he looked better (and noticeably faster/slimmer) as the season went on. I was not sure if my eyes were lying to me. This makes sense.
He's one of the guys French eviscerated after the Marshall debacle for ethic iirc
No insight, but athletic big men that can catch get YAC are a rare commodity. Every OC would want a player that meets his measurables and ability.
He might be looking at his minutes dropping off when Gallo returns and thinks he put enough on tape to be a bigger piece of another offense. Grass isn't always greener, but NIL dollars are. Between PT and the bidding war that NIL has become, he probably stands to gain a bit all around.
Here's my blanket response for anyone looking to leave - I wish them the best and they will always be a Hokie.
If DW feels he can get a better opportunity (NIL or other) somewhere else, I wish him all the luck.
Sir, that is far too well thought out and logical for an internet sports message board. Please take these antics elsewhere
You're out of line!
when in line is out of line
As much as I preach about player rights, and the importance of having the freedom to leave a bad situation or chase cash, I 100% get why the portal has made the sport worse for fans. It's fun watching a player develop over multiple years, and it sucks seeing them leave, when you think they could continue to grow with the team.
The issue is, once again, CFB is a pro sport masquerading as an amateur one. As noted elsewhere, the portal+NIL means that we're all farm leagues for 5-10 blue bloods. We'll get their cast offs and they'll get our diamonds.
The NFL recognized how un-fun it would be to have a defecto dominant set of teams that are entrenched not by coaching or culture but by stockpiling talent. They fixed that with things like the salary cap. CFB doesn't have a salary, or a cap, or the kinds of monopoly exceptions the NFL has.
All of the problems, none of the solutions. It's great for the players (who deserve it the most). Bad for the sport.
But they have a scholarship limit.
/s
what would actually work is a substantially reduced roster cap
That would make it harder for the non blue bloods as well. Part of the roster size probably helps with teams being able to bring on players who may not pan out. If you limit roster size, misses on player evaluations hurt a LOT more.
If blue bloods are mostly bringing on majority 5 star and 4 star players, it's less likely they have misses.
So maybe we put money on Free Parking spot? /s
I don't think we got the memo to be playing by house rules. https://monopoly.fandom.com/wiki/Free_Parking
If Gallo comes back and we have the younger Gosnell and St Germane returning, this will not be that much of an issue, his vast improvement notwithstanding.
If we were going to lose a skill player statrer on offense, he's probably the guy I'd pick.
Just a general reminder that not all transfers are due to NIL/primarily about NIL. Obviously, that is a factor for just about any quality player in the country now, but all the other reasons players used to transfer still exist.
I said something similar in the portal thread, but it might be worth repeating. We really should give these kids a little more benefit of the doubt. There's an immediate assumption that they're chasing a quick buck. If you can get added production by transferring, and that production gets you from an UDFA to a draft pick, or a 6/7 rounder to a 4/5 you: 1. Make a lot more money on your first contract, and 2. Have a WAY better shot at getting a second one. Your entire career earnings can swing by a huge amount if you find a program that features your talents more.
He should head just a short way up the road to Lane North. They only have two decent players and he'd shine for sure. He'd have a good shot at 1st team ACC just being a good player on a crappy team, it seems.
Thinking about this. Has a VT player in current history ever transferred to UVA? I remember a few years ago when Enzo Anthony (longsnapper) transferred from UVA to VT but can't ever remember it happening the other way around. I guess it would have to be fairly recent because transferring within conference before graduating used to mean sitting two years, iirc. Am I forgetting anyone?
Enzo Anthony was a double agent
Dae'Quan commits to Ole Miss
Still, best of luck to him!
Best for all parties honestly. He's a big athlete that looks the part decent get for them but we aren't dishing out a few hundred k for a blocking liability that only posts 27 yards per game 0 TD's
Guess that explains kiffin looking at footage of us
I am gonna miss him. Think we are underrating how good he was this year. Created a lot of missed tackles for a TE.
He didn't block for half the year. He never scored a TD. The only place he excelled was bailing the team out on 3rd and 10+ where he converted 3 of the 4 passes he caught.
EDIT: typo in the number
That's not nothing
vs UVA he caught a 3rd and n to advance us down the field on the first drive, but then committed a holding penalty to force a FG. Then he caught another one to set up Holloway's TD grab.
vs Pitt he caught a 3rd and long to advance, while the Hokies were already up 17.
vs Rutgers he caught a 3rd and mid to advance, but the Hokies were already down 12 with less than 9 minutes to go in the game.
vs Purdue he caught a long 3rd down that set up the tying score, right before the half, then converted another one early in the 3rd, but that drive ended on the sack that probably caused Wells' injury.
So the only game in which it made a difference, he did show up on 3rd down, but against the two teams who played in the ACCCG, he went for a combined 2 catches for 5 yards.
The program won't go into free-fall without him, but it does sting a little. He was talented and made some good plays as a young freshman and sophomore. We're not just losing the production that he's given thus far, we're losing what he might've grown into as well. The staff may still have been correct to say they weren't going to match on NIL, but I do think this stings a little. He's not perfect, but if we're serious about being good, having a player of Wright's caliber as a backup to Gallo is a good thing.
I think the days of having a legit good player as a backup, assuming you're a program that doesn't have $$$$$$$$, are sadly over.
Gosnell was a higher rated recruit and is showing promise now that he's healthy. St Germain looks good as well. We are totally fine with this loss.
3 solid tight ends and a ton of pass catchers next year.
And better blockers
Sure but we're talking about replacing 3 plays. Gallo had similar numbers in 2022 with a mess of a situation on offense. Having a good target on 3rd down is important but we had more times where we convertedb 3rd and 10+ where he wasn't the reciever.
Yeah and his passer rating is like non existent
Ahh the 3rd and 20 conversions definitely left me with some warm and fuzzies.
I mean, if gallo (the expected started) is back to full health, we should be fine. We have a lot of pass catchers on this team.
Good player with the potential to be even better. Only player transferring out I really hate to see go. But NIL changes the game. We have positions of need, and paying top $$ for a player in a position where we have good depth only makes sense if he is head and shoulders better than those behind him on the depth chart. Guessing the coaches do not feel he is worth the money to VT, while for Ole Miss it may be big position of need. Hopefully it will turn out to be the right choice for VT.
Good luck to Wright. He is going to a high powered offense, and will probably see the ball much more than at tech. He is good with yards after catch.
This is probably just as meaningful to Wright as the NIL $$$. We have a pretty stacked WR room, Gallo coming back, and 2 younger guys behind him who have talent. I think he realized he wasn't going to get a ton of targets if he stayed at VT, and could potentially find the opportunity for more elsewhere.
Good for him, I hope he's successful and benefits from this decision. I think VT is going to be fine, especially if Gallo's back up to speed and we can keep developing the youngsters who looked good in the bowl game (admittedly a small sample size).