No waiting till Christmas required for this Messiah. Thank you Franklin!
🚨COMMITMENT🚨Virginia Tech #Hokies gain a commitment from 4⭐️ RB Messiah Mickens. Former PSU commit picks VT over Ole Miss, Oklahoma & Indiana. The James Franklin Era of recruiting kicks off with a premier skill position player in the 2026 class.STORY |... pic.twitter.com/1q6kh9qlDQ— Matej Sis (@MatejS247) November 25, 2025
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The Messiah will lead them to the promise land
Let's Go!!!
HOKIES!!!!
Bringing this gif out of mothballs
Also, his hometown is Harrisburg, PA
This is a shot right across the bow of Penn St as a whole. We coming for you, bitches
A running back from Pennsylvania you say!
We're gonna need to get like 3 or 4 more of those to make up for the past decade
WE BACK UP!
LET'S GO!
Let the good times roll!
This is huge, he's our first Top 250 RB in over a decade. Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie in 2014 were our last.
So, not quite KJ-level hype, but still so, so sweet.
A very sobering stat. We need talent like that, especially at a position that can touch the ball so much. It's not like we've been missing on just 5 star RBs either. Not having a top 250 RB in 11 years is a clear sign that we were not recruiting well enough and it was going to hold our offense back
PSU fans right now...
Was watching his highlights earlier today. They're hilarious
http://www.hudl.com/v/2R5Xne
That stiff arm at 24 seconds felt personal
I'm a little concerned with how much he swings the ball around as he runs. Something that can be worked on and coached up but I worry that much movement will be easy for defenders to punch it out.
All we need is a boxing glove on a stick
Virginia Tech, Thats where
This will be the new bat signal
Dude is crushing it already. Future is bright folks!
This video is fire!!
Plus the blond at :17-:18 😳
Heavy emphasis on the well qualified. Makes sense for recruits
The Bat Signal crossed a million views.
the universe is watching?
Holy shit it's really happening
An early Christmas present of Messiah. Love it!
I'm a believer
...not a trace, of doubt in my mind.
Obligatory
Incredible symbolism.
Including Jeffery Overton Jr, this gives us back to back years landing a 4* RB.
The last time we had 2 x 4* RBs on the roster they were Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie, who, if I remember, were pretty damn good.
Oh what could have been without so many freak injuries in 2014
There's a joke about the Overton Window and the Messiah somewhere in here, I'm sure of it
I believe discussing religion or politics is generally frowned upon by the CGs.
Messiah memes were tough to sort through for just this reason...
If the OL opens a wide gap for him to score a TD, I am absolutely going to the Cecil B DeMille Ten Commandments parting of the Red Sea, though.
I know it's not biblically accurate, but it's close enough for TKP work.
Also something something Diablo
I think you misremember. Shai got suspended for matching with an underaged girl on tinder and Marshawn was not bad, but neither really materialized or came close to living up to their recruiting rating.
Yeah, I know.
But when they were both healthy and unincarcerated, they were damn good
IIRC they also both had trouble staying healthy. Williams had moments where he looked like the heir to the Darren Evans mantle though, just a punishing runner between the tackles. Shame.
Marshawn blew out his knee three times I think. The third was a game he finished when he knew his career was done if I'm remembering right.
they both transfered and we decent other places.
Virginia Tech made the announcement that Williams will take a medical disqualification due to persistent knee problems, meaning he'll no longer play football but remain in school and on scholarship.
huh, must have been another back at the same time
Trey Edmunds? Or the guy that went to Colorado?
Travon McMillian
Neither of them, but I'm getting older and more senile everyday
Michael HolmesDrew Harris
I believe you are referring to "Dragon"
I always called him Trillian.
Truly the good ol days of TKP. I hope those type of days return soon.
I'm not misremembering, they tore up eventual national champion Ohio State in their second ever college games (or at least each had a crucial TD, they didn't rush for that many yards). And they both flashed that year and were clearly a level of talent above JC and Trey. Marshawn played more that year. When Shai came back from suspension a few years later he didn't have many carries but he was clearly the best RB on the field. The output never matched the rankings, but the talent absolutely did.
I was disappointed he was allowed back on the team
Brandon Ore...
Here we go!
And Overton is starting to look good. Hopefully the two form a hell of a duo for years to come.
Former PSU commit picks VT over Ole Miss, Oklahoma & Indiana.
In today's landscape, when has VT beat out the likes of the above P2 programs for a prized recruit? This young man chose the coach over these P2 programs. We are in good hands. In JMFF We Trust!!!
VT to the rest of CFB:
Are we Big Dawgs now?
Coming to flip your croots
Now that's a big dog
You ain't never seen a set on a dog like this one's got, Clark.
Merry Christmas everyone.
I cannot wait until we start bullying teams again.
This kid is a straight DOG.
Plays RB and OLB/DE for his high school and he is always the best player on the field regardless of where he's lined up. Just patient enough (reminds me a little of Tuten in that regard), but not too much. As soon as he sees his opportunity he puts his foot in the ground, decisively, and makes his move. He's elusive, but also not shy of contact. Breaks tackles regularly and has breakaway speed.
I do expect him, depending on what the RB room looks like, to contribute some next season.
EDIT: If we have any sort of ACC level QB next season, our running game will be one of the best in the ACC.
Agreed. He does need to upgrade his ball carrying practice. That's typical stuff to learn.
How could you blame him? PSU doesn't even have a coach.
VT scored big with Franklin.
Running backs are great, love 'em. But I really want some 4 & 5-star road graders keeping them untouched until they see corners & safeties 12 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Our opponents won't be able to Handel the Messiah.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Well our fans DO stand a lot instead of sitting....
New commitment threads on TKP about to be like.....
Stoked to have him on board!
Just an aside though if you're the parents naming your kid like this is like a really bold move
I teach in public school. The names that these parents are coming up with are, and include, unique. And with some very unique spelling formulations.
/r/tradgedeigh
Kevin
Keavienne
I went to school with a girl named Unyque. My sister had a classmates literally named Abcde.
"Abby" for short, no doubt.
Abseedee?
"Obesity"
My Hawkeye bride is a retired teacher. Two names of kids she taught:
1. Espn (pronounced es'-pen)
2. Female (pronounced fe-mahl'-y). The mother said that the hospital named her, and that they gave her a pink plastic bracelet with her name on it.
You can't make up stuff like this.
aint no fucking way
My 3rd/5th grade teacher (same lady) had a very similar story of a student named Female she had in the 90s while she was living in Atlanta. Now I'm wondering if somebody is bullshitting or if it actually happens with some level of frequency. I'll probably never know for sure.
Probably right up there with La-a (Ladasha). Urban legend about silly naming practices that some people pick up and say they actually met someone with that name.
Also: Oranjelo and Lemonjelo, twins named for the hospital-served orange jello and lemon jello that the mother enjoyed during birth.
My mom did serve with someone in the Air Force that was names Mary Christmas and knew another woman named Crystal Chanda Leer. Sis had a high school friend who after marriage was Sally Alley
At least her name wasn't Julia Gulia.
I know somebody named Seel (last name) who enlisted into the Navy's UDT school. I can't speak to the veracity of the story that, when queried on his desire to become a SEAL he replied, "Hell, my sister's a Seel," but knowing him, it's possibly true.
I personally taught a student whose first and middle name was Heavenly Christ.
My wife worked in education and had a child named Placenta. She asked the mom how she chose the name and she said she heard it in the delivery room and thought it was beautiful. This is a true story.
Wife worked with a kid with 5 brothers (6 boys total).
ALL of them were named after their dad and then the number they were in order. So Jimmy Joe the 1st, Jimmy Joe the 2nd, etc.
I can only imagine what that house was like when someone was in trouble 🤣
Guy on my favorite football team was named Devine Diablo.
And with that, we've come full circle!
A band director in my neighboring school was named Harry Whacker. And they announced it as such on the sound system in the stadiums. Glorious times!
He's on my other favorite football team now, and doing well. Still trying to get the Blessed Demon nickname to stick.
Friend of mine is a doctor. She had a lady who came in with two boys both named Willy. Noting the father's name was Willy my friend asked if the older child was named after his father to which the mother said yes. She then asked if the younger child was named after his father as well and the mother said no, he was named after his brother.
Like George Foreman's 5 kids?
https://www.today.com/parents/celebrity/george-foreman-kids-rcna134106
In my high school, we had a family that were all named, with a couple of different spellings, John McCloud. Mom, sis, dad and at least two brothers (it's been since the sixties and, well, you know) were all named Jon or John. The kids went by nicknames, I remember Boots and Buttons for sure.
My wife had a great aunt named Minnie whose daughters were, Tinker, Bunny and Ducky. And how about Emerson Boozer naming his kid Ima? I was in the room with a Hercules Twang (no lie) and a flute player in a nearby high school band in my day was named Narcissus King. Names are cool.
Was in college with a guy named "Tin" last name "Can:. Sister was named "Rusty".
On his 18th birthday I walked with him to the courthouse and changed his name before the judge. Judge says," I have to ask why." He replied, "I have been a joke to my parents from the day I was born." Emancipated and renamed for his 18th birthday present.
I can confirm a real-life Oranjelo and Lemonjelo from when I was in high school in Winchester, VA
I was checking in swimmers for a lake swim my swim team puts on and got a Melchior Belfasar and said "wait your named for 2 of thr 3 wisemen" to which he replied, yes do you know the 3rd, and i answered correctly (thank you chrono trigger), never found out if that's his middle name.
My sister went to school with Brooke and Rainbow Trout.
I met a reminginton steel once.
By my favorite, we'll most confusing was Ashley and her brother Ashleigh.
Brooke and Rainbow werent the swimmers? Missed opportunity
The oddest one that i can think of off the top of my head was, i seen Wolfboy Wulfberger on an application one time.
And side note- this subthread on names by itself makes the annual membership worth it.(recent changes to commenting not withstanding)
First heard that one from South Carolina maybe 25 years ago. Didn't buy it then, don't buy it now. So yeah, I do think you can make up stuff like this.
Back when I taught I had a student named Tequila. Only other I can think of know was when one of my wife's friends Sandy married into the last name Sandals.
What about Pat MacCooter or Phil McGroin?
Or perhaps Mike Oxmaul or Hugh Janus?
I wanna know when Howie Feltersnatch is gonna commit
Hugh G. Reckshun was in the phone book (I know I'm old) when I was in Blacksburg.
Must be a cousin of 'Haywood Jablomy'...
The girlfriend of my freshman year roommate in Pritchard was named Special. When he introduced me to her, she said "Hi, I'm Special." And I said, "Nice to meet you, I'm Awesome." It didn't go over well. She then showed me her bedazzled belt buckle and necklace that said Special, to prove to me that was her actual name. She also wore wigs, every color under the sun and I thought it was a different chick each time her brought her over for the first couple of weeks. Of course, she reminded me her name was Special each time. He went by Jazz, though that wasn't his real name.
that woman made it to college despite her upbringing
If it weren't for that horse I would have never spent that year in college
Not really different than Christopher or any of the other Christ derivatives. Just from the Hebrew instead of the Greek
Messiah Mickens already recruiting for us on X. Are the "??" a signal (Messiah used them) or is everyone doing it?
https://x.com/messiah_mickens/status/1993734777153716541?s=46&t=C9o5FDCY...
The ?? are pretty common. Its basically asking our fan base to say yes and others to say no. Usually turns into a string of memes.
Messiah pls...oh wait shit we got him. Messiah THANK YOU!!!
Mickens with a filthy one handed catch in the playoffs this week.
In an earlier playoff game...oh yeah he plays defense too. Pick Six
Dear God. I don't think that ball had fully left the QBs hands and he already had the pick.
That pick six wasn't fair. That's disgusting lol
Makes sense that he's listed some places as an athlete instead of RB
Yeah, his Hudl film had a fair amount of LB highlights. Dude can just play
Holy $4i!
Give it to me, Roscoe!