Amidst a press conference where he discussed his staff changes, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry also revealed that both veteran starting QB Kyron Drones and talented redshirt freshman QB Pop Watson will be back with the Hokies next season.
Pry had this to say about Drones and Watson returning next year.
"Kyron Drones will be returning to Virginia Tech as will Pop Watson. Couldn't be happier about both those guys reupping their commitment to us. I think we have a very good quarterback room moving forward with those guys, with Davi (Belfort), and obviously our two signees that have had impressive high school senior seasons," Pry said.
Having both back means that Virginia Tech is set at quarterback for next season with Drones and Watson leading the way plus Davi Belfort and two incoming quarterbacks in Kelden Ryan and AJ Brand. To have this type of depth without having to use any portal resources towards doing that is a benefit for the Hokies. Drones and Watson can also help recruit some other transfer offensive talent to go around them and a talented young group of skill position players, especially with an offensive line in need of a rebuild.
There will be plenty of talk about a potential competition between Drones and Watson among fans given the excitement about Watson with his promising glimpses against Duke and strong start against UVA while Drones didn't take the next steps this season.
However, I would be stunned if this wasn't Drones' team next season given the fact that the primary reason for Drones' struggles was the fact that he was banged up all year. You can see it in his passing numbers with his only 220+ yard passing game coming week 1 against Vanderbilt. A healthy Drones is still the guy who showed lots of potential in 2023.
Watson isn't guaranteed to be an instant star especially now that teams have tape on him. His success and potential is legitimate but context matters in terms of whether he's the right guy in 2025, with Watson's standout game coming against a bad UVA pass defense. Giving Watson the chance to push Drones and learn from his experiences this season before taking the reigns in 2026 does make sense though if Watson earns the opportunity and looks better during the offseason, he should get the chance to be the guy.
While Drones most likely will be QB1 again in 2025 before handing things over to Watson in 2026, Hokie fan will likely get to see Watson lead the way one more time in the Duke's Mayo Bowl with Drones still banged up and unlikely to play in this game.
"That's probably unlikely. He had a couple different injuries that he was dealing with. I think we all know he's tough as nails, but one in particular has been problematic in a recovery path. I'm not gonna rule it out but I'd say it's unlikely," Pry said.
At this point, it seems reasonable and the right call to not expect Drones in this bowl game but rather have him shut it down and focus on getting healthy for next season while giving Watson a chance to gain more experience against a quality Power 4 opponent.
Looking for the best coverage and analysis of the Hokies? Become a TLP Insider today here.
