Practice Report: Virginia Tech's Quarterback Room In Flux Again With Pop Watson's Suspension

Andy Bitter

Senior Staff Writer

September 20, 2023 35

Freshman quarterback Pop Watson faces an indefinite suspension for violating team rules, coach Brent Pry said. (Jon Fleming)

Virginia Tech’s ever-changing quarterback room will have a slightly different look again at Marshall on Saturday, with Hokies coach Brent Pry announcing that freshman quarterback Pop Watson has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

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35 Comments

Cheesehokie September 21, 2023 at 10:07 PM

One more injury at QB and we'll be picking an undergrad out of the serving line at a dining hall
extremehokie September 21, 2023 at 1:00 PM

Nice grading curve there. Solid? No. Perhaps inconsistent at best. I would say a solid D.
VaPoly07 September 21, 2023 at 8:59 AM

Pop suspension for curfew is ridiculous. Pry needs to get this S-show together. thats the type of thing you sweep under the rug. seriously, curfew? this is becoming a clown show.
1. Walkin` Willie September 21, 2023 at 9:10 AM
  
  Completely disagree. I'll bet Coach Pry and the rest of the coaching staff laid out the rules multiple times. If you don't enforce the rules consistently, then you will end up with a team not caring about the rules...and then you lose the team.
  1. atlhokie1 September 21, 2023 at 9:49 AM
    
    Yep, totally agree unless you want to lose the team. Forgetting that Beamer used to put players on the bus back to Blacksburg at bowl games.
  2. hokiemichael September 21, 2023 at 9:50 AM
    
    +1
    1. NMB Hokie September 21, 2023 at 10:34 AM
      
      +2 Rules are rules for a reason. If not enforced, no point in having them.
  3. vtsquirm September 22, 2023 at 9:15 AM
    
    but "indefinite suspension"? Whether its the rest of the season or not, it has the same feeling as if it was a serious violation of team rules (dui, fighting, etc)
2. VT Realist September 21, 2023 at 11:44 AM
  
  Absolutely not. You must hold players accountable and teach them responsibility.
3. mcannaday September 21, 2023 at 12:45 PM
  
  Its called discipline. You let it go one time and then your program looks like Miami’s cons. The message is nobody is bigger than the team. Losing Watson has no impact. Undisciplined players play undisciplined football.
4. VBHokieman September 21, 2023 at 1:43 PM
  
  They have team rules. Each player signs off on following the rules. The punishment for not following the rules is laid out clearly to each player. A player breaks the rules and gets caught. Punishment ensues. Why is that a difficult concept to grasp? It becomes a clown show when only some get punished and others don't based on their position on the depth chart.
Two4VT September 21, 2023 at 8:53 AM

Apparently the grading system at Tech has gotten a touch easier.
PacelineHokie September 21, 2023 at 8:31 AM

Bonus points for Pry using the historical version of the phrase "champing at the bit". Now that we are making a final descent toward a UVa-level of football, we might as well start caring about these kinds of things. :)
BNOMO September 21, 2023 at 7:24 AM

B-? I love Coach price but seriously, Old Dominion‘s quarterback looked like Randall Cunningham against us. I’m curious how many runs of 20+ yards have we given up this year? And this is not a bunch of freshmen either. I hope he can get them going.
1hokies1 September 20, 2023 at 11:15 PM

JC Price is terrible. Can't believe so many people wanted him to be head coach.
1. geoff.bowman September 21, 2023 at 12:56 AM
  
  Have one conversation with that man and you’d change your tune
  1. pharlap_99 September 21, 2023 at 1:07 AM
    
    I have ... he's awesome. Great guy, was a great player for us back in the day. But that doesn't mean he's an excellent DL coach (and/or HC). he's a great rep of VT on and off the field and has had strong recruiting moments. But his track record here and previous stops does not show a star DL coach. his group has underwhelmed this year and struggled to create impact negative plays last year. J hope he gets his group improving, cause he is very easy to root for
    1. truhoky September 21, 2023 at 7:26 AM
      
      I agree - great player and great rep of VT doesn't mean he is a great coach. Most of the best coaches weren't stars in their careers.
2. pharlap_99 September 21, 2023 at 1:01 AM
  
  He's a former player, from a fun era for VTFB, well liked, etc.. that is more important at VT than most P5 schools, imo. There is a segment of the fanbase (and donors) who believe any former Hokie player is qualified to be a great coach, analyst, head coach. full disclosure, I definitely used to be guilty of this at times but realized that's not the best way to run a modern football program.
DCL September 20, 2023 at 10:19 PM

JC is drinking some optimistic kool-aid. The d-line best grade would be D- overall. Rushing defense an issue with no contributions from defensive tackle
vtgriff09 September 20, 2023 at 9:35 PM

If we aren't going to play Lane, why in the world would he practice and run routes? It is a hamstring
1. hokiepro September 20, 2023 at 9:39 PM
  
  Ummm because if he can’t practice how could he play? They’re just easing him back
  1. geoff.bowman September 21, 2023 at 12:55 AM
    
    Some people just don’t get it…unreal the criticism.
HokieJB September 20, 2023 at 9:28 PM

Drones scares me when he takes off running ... carrying the ball like a loaf of bread. Needs to be aware that the defense will be looking to knock that that thing loose.
1. VT_Consul September 20, 2023 at 9:56 PM
  
  I've never carried a loaf of bread like that in my life.
  1. MaroonMark September 21, 2023 at 1:48 AM
    
    I tried it once and some dude knocked the bread out of my hand and dove on top of it. Then he started jumping up and down and pointing in the opposite direction I was heading. Darn bread was pretty squished.
2. Atlee Hokie September 20, 2023 at 10:08 PM
  
  We should be used to that. Mike always carried the ball that way. And Mike never shifted the ball away from the direction of the tackle.
3. 134465Hokie September 20, 2023 at 10:34 PM
  
  You need send word to Coach Pry about this situation. Better hurry up-Saturday is coming!
jahokies88 September 20, 2023 at 9:23 PM

Going to assume we have to save face but would like a little more honest assessment of the D-line. Stats aren’t showing a C+ performance.
1. atlhokie1 September 21, 2023 at 9:51 AM
  
  Pretty much a failing grade after reading CC's article yesterday.
  1. NMB Hokie September 21, 2023 at 10:38 AM
    
    Funny that anyone would think CC knows more about it than JC.
    1. HokiePride September 21, 2023 at 11:02 AM
      
      Funny, yes. But that’s not what the OP is suggesting. Did you even read CC’s article?
TomTurkey September 20, 2023 at 9:17 PM

Good stuff. Bueno.
Nicov48 September 20, 2023 at 9:16 PM

What did Pop Watson do to get suspended?
1. tylerhokie September 20, 2023 at 9:24 PM
  
  It's in the article.....

Practice Report: Virginia Tech's Quarterback Room In Flux Again With Pop Watson's Suspension

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