Drones Strike x Bomb Pop 💥@KyronDrones & @WW3thefuture are both returning next year 😎#ThisIsHome pic.twitter.com/PVqja0nXOE— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) December 13, 2024
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Finally some good news!! This may be a QB controversy, but this is a good problem to have!
I am legitimately confused by this one. Not gonna lie. I figured Drones was gone, sure as the world, and that Pop was the heir apparent. I'm assuming Drones starts again next year and Pop yet again waits in the wings...?
Hopefully we can continue to hold onto him. I assume with Drones' injury issues right now, that Pop will at least be the starting QB for the bowl game. 🤷🏻
Open competition for the starting spot in the spring and summer. Best passer gets the job
So it's gonna be Pop
Yep. Should be a great QB battle this spring and fall. And we don't have to go sign an experienced back up like Schlee now. The QB room should be set for next year. May the best man win!
dont think it's that simple -- there is a real chance that whoever loses the job splits, especially if it's drones simply because the staff cant try to sell him on being patient to wait his turn
It's possible, but there's a lot of chatter that Drones is going to need offseason surgery and may not be able to play or be full speed this spring. In which case Pop is going to get all the QB1 reps, and we have a QB competition in August for the starting job. At that point there are no more transfer windows until after next season. If Drones and Pop both play this spring and compete, its possible the guy who is behind could enter the portal. But for either one, you're transferring after the spring and have to learn a whole new system somewhere else in order to start that August.
depends on the language in the contract they sign.
Things will get really interesting if Pop shows out big time in the bowl game. With the delta in remaining eligibility between the two, it feels like the #1 priority here should be to keep Pop in the boat. At the same time, I'm really hoping Drones can get right for 2025, he never looked 100% this season.
Someone told Drones the truth about his development this year and he smartly realized he can make more money in his career by staying another year.
Now the question is can Pop beat him for the starting position?
He could make money going somewhere else. The QB portal pool isn't great this year. Going pro was never an option for him.
If I were Drones, I would play school.
He could certainly parley his time as VT QB1 into a career in the sport.
This will be Drones' final year of eligibility, correct? If so, Pop seems to acknowledging that he is willing to develop one more year and then take the reigns. I'm sure he had offers to go elsewhere and play next year.
I 100% think the QB1 spot should be wide open in spring, but if he is sticking around that makes me feel good for the QB position in the future (as long as we can keep Pop after the '25 season)
This is what concerns me the most. Do whatever we can to retain Pop after what he showed.
I hate to have any kind of quarterback "controversy", however if Drones didn't return we were likely looking to pay an experienced backup from the portal in case Pop got hurt. As a RS freshman he has plenty of eligibility left and will certainly see the field regardless of who is the starter next fall.
Yeah I'll believe this one once I see them run out of the tunnel for the first game 😂 Until then I'll just be cautiously optimistic
Based on the way Pry addressed it in the presser, I would assume Drones injuries were and are a significant impediment to his development. He knows he needs another year. It sounds like it is possible that Drones may not be 100% healthy in spring ball. Great opportunity for Pops. But that would just make the battle in the fall that much tighter. Fans would probably be fine starting the season with whoever wins the battle. But would the loser feel okay with that - especially if that is Drones?
If this is the case, just makes our usage of him when he was clearly hurt this year problematic. How much did we worsen a bad situation by having him out there running read options behind a bad line when he was already hobbled? The Vandy game especially
One play, anytime in the season in games or practice could mean that #2 is now #1. Why go away when your QBs are gonna be running and subject to injury at any time?
Are we building a quality QB pipeline? Pop getting another year of training before starting isn't a bad thing. Drones getting another year to put on film what he can do is good too. Having 2 or 3 QBs behind Pop gives us at least one that will be ready to take over when Pop leaves.
Now, find people to protect them.
Defensive transfers are going to be tough to get until a new DC is settled on. Lots of young guys are going to get a chance to step foward without that infusion of external talent.
Assuming we may see Belfort leave with this news? I mean, it seems as if Drones starts next year, more development for Pop, and then Pop starts after Drones leaves.
I doubt it, he'll be a redshirt freshman next year, it's still too early for him to expect to start. I think he leaves after next season when he gets passed by Ryan and/or Brand.
Drones to linebacker?!
I bet Drones would be a pretty good tight end.
No, seriously. I bet he would.
I'm not sure about that. 2 catches for -2 yards and 1TD aren't the kind of eye popping numbers we are looking for from a TE... /s/s/s/s
ah, the ol reverse-reverse Logan Thomas.
.
Watson to safety? We need those too.
/s
My guess is this story changes at the Spring transfer window.
Whatever happens in the future, this is unequivocally good news for the Virginia Tech football program today.
If you listened to the Sons of Saturday podcast with Pop, I'm not that surprised with both staying. It seemed like they are pretty close and Pop wasn't expecting to start until Drones was gone. He said his goal was to get to second on the depth chart this year, which he was sad in how it happened but grateful for the chance. Pop just seems like a really good dude who just wants what is best for the team.
seems like drones probably has the higher ceiling but pop has the much higher floor
Hard disagree. Pop has a higher ceiling, we don't really know what his floor is. Drones has more experience, we know what we can expect out of him. I don't think he's hit his ceiling, but I don't think it's anywhere near Pop's.
This.
fix your signature
put some respect on WW3's name
I believe he only puts names on the list once they are done playing. Drones is on there, ostensibly, because he won't play vs uva again. Pop likely will.
What's really crazy, is the only qb we've had lately who isn't on this list is Hendon Hooker. He lost to Uva. Transferred out and then was in the heisman race until he got hurt. Wild.
Edit to clarify.
and randall, which is also crazy
Oof, that '03 game.
Absolutely insane that Randall didn't beat UVA.
He beat them in '04, but the signature is for undefeateds only.
02 as well, the infamous "loluva kicks off to start both halves" game
We were going crazy in the stands, never seen anything like that
Ah thank you
Yeah as I said in another thread, I'm not jinxing Pop like that. I'd be disrespecting him by putting him on there prematurely, actually.
I might need to take Drones off of there now that he's back, I am *not* going to be responsible for another loss to UVA
im speaking purely physically. we dont have much of a sample size, but pop seems to be there mentally e.g. that really bad throw to the flats at duke didnt rattle him, i think kd1 is in a place right now where it would have shook him hard. but kd1 is a monster and just needs to work out the head games. hes playing like 2012 logan but he can be a 2011 logan on steroids.
as an aside: i was really impressed how pop didnt pout when he was suspended too. he kept his mouth shut and corrected his behavior.
I consider accuracy part of physical attributes. Pop is more accurate and I think has better overall arm talent than Drones. He's also faster, and while he can't 3rd & Logan like Drones can, I think the combination of his running and throwing abilities open up more options than Drones.
Drones has a pretty live arm but has really struggled with accuracy. Pop seems to be a more polished passer and is quicker and more decisive in reading the field. As far as running ability, they're really two different styles. With Drones, you're going to be doing more inverted veer/QB power/sweep type designed runs toward the middle of the field. He has speed and momentum once he gets going, but a great comparison is Logan Thomas. He's like a freight train to bring down but doesn't have the initial burst and acceleration to get to the edge in a true read option offense. Pop fits that to a tee - that dude can straight fly. He might be one of the fastest players on the field when he's out there. But he's smaller and you can't use him as a battering ram like Drones. But frankly, I don't really want my QB running up the gut a ton anyhow. A QB with speed to threaten the edge when he pulls a handoff back from the RB is far more dangerous IMO. Have to get a great OL coach who can improve our downhill run game with the RB to take that off the QBs plate.
Pat White was like 6'0" 180 his freshman year, put on 25 lbs in 4 years. So Pop is similar size.
Key words describing a great QB being "quicker and more decisive in reading the field.".... add to that "predominately makes GOOD decisions".
Just finished that interview. Pop said a lot of things that make me think he's pretty firmly a VT, especially as long as Bowen is here.
This is why you don't get rid of Bowen. Those QBs are super attached to him.
Those QBs are super attached to him.
But... why?
I'm mean he's a big guy so maybe gravity?
Will Drones be happy with less money next year if we give some to Pop?
I am not sure who will be there to block for them, but more and more I am coming around to the idea that Jeff Overton is going to be special. Pair him with Pop on inside zone read could be a special tandem. Overton is the best HS back they have landed since Ryan Williams.
This all day. He made opponents look like they were standing still the last two years. His lateral movements at the second level are pretty amazing.
Better than David Wilson?