After suffering a right knee injury in the spring, Virginia Tech junior wide receiver and punt returner Tucker Holloway is questionable for the season, Hokies head coach Brent Pry said Tuesday during an offseason check-in with local reporters.
Holloway had his right knee in a sleeve late during spring drills and did not participate in the spring game. A third-year junior, he has a redshirt available to him, which could factor into how much he pushes to get back this season.
“He’ll be questionable for the season,” Pry said. “And I say that because of the injury and I say that because he has a redshirt available, which he and I have already discussed, and we [will] kind of just let things play out and see what direction we go.”
Though he was still working to break into the mix as a pass-catcher, Holloway was a third-team All-ACC punt returner in 2023 after finishing eighth nationally with a 12.9-yard average on 20 attempts, with a long of 66 yards and four total returns that went longer than 20 yards.
He burst on the scene late in 2022 as a freshman by setting the program's single-game punt return yardage record with 188 yards on seven returns, including a 90-yarder for a touchdown, against Georgia Tech. Much debate was had about whether or not he should burn his redshirt against Liberty late in the year. He played, his fifth game of the year to burn the shirt, though that ended up making it available to him now. (Tech actually petitioned the NCAA unsuccessfully to get that year back after its UVa finale was canceled.)
The Hokies should be fairly set at wideout still, with the quartet of Ali Jennings, Da’Quan Felton, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell all returning, plus the spring emergence of younger players, headlined by Ayden Greene.
At punt returner, Tech’s fortunate to have Lane, who ranked fourth nationally in punt return average (14.5 yards) with Middle Tennessee in 2021. Lane was credited with five returns for 31 yards last season in spot duty, though he had a touchdown at Boston College wiped out for a penalty.
Greene is another player who could return punts, having added it to his repertoire near the end of spring.
“He’s kind of just accelerating in a lot of areas, and it wasn’t a surprise to me when you put him back there on return and by the end of spring, you’re going, ‘OK, this guy’s got a chance to be a damn good one too,’’ Pry said of Greene. “But J-Lane’s proven at it.”
Pry also said freshman defensive tackle Andrew Hanchuk is likely to miss the season. He suffered a leg injury that required a giant brace and was on crutches at the spring game.
“He may have had an opportunity to work into some late work in the season potentially,” Pry said, “but more than likely a redshirt candidate.”
Meanwhile, Lemar Law is medically retiring. He’s a redshirt sophomore who joined Gunner Givens in moving from defensive line to offensive line in the spring. He’ll be around the team in a student-coach capacity like safety Nyke Johnson, who took a medical hardship in the winter.
Tech’s currently at the scholarship limit of 85 after the Law news, with Alabama defensive tackle transfer Khurtiss Perry and Miami linebacker/safety Kaleb Spencer filling the final two scholarship spots. (Kicker Kyle Lowe has been on scholarship since before last season, Pry confirmed.) Everyone is enrolled except quarterback transfer Collin Schlee, who’s still finishing up classes at UCLA, which is on the quarter system and does not wrap up until June 14.
The news was better for defensive end C.J. McCray, who Pry said is OK after going down during the spring game with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. He was on crutches afterward and was carted back to the locker room.
Pry said the senior edge rusher is not 100 percent quite yet but is only a few weeks from it.
“He’s a genetic freak,” Pry said. “This guy takes care of his body and he’s strong, he’s healthy. Very conscientious of his body. And he’s tough. So I would think mid-summer he’ll be back full tilt.”
The news was positive for a handful of guys who missed the spring or were limited because of injuries. Linebacker Keli Lawson and Jalen Stroman are full go. Pry said tight end Nick Gallo “looks great” while both the Gosnell brothers look good, adding that Stephen, a wideout who went down with a non-contact knee injury in the Military Bowl, is “shockingly well ahead of schedule.”