Every preseason, the starting lineup gets the headlines. That’s the easy part.
The real story in Blacksburg is often the depth chart behind it, where Virginia Tech can find answers over the course of a season. With fall camp underway, the Hokies have several offensive reserves who could wind up mattering a lot even if they don’t open the year as starters.
Takye Heath is one of the clearest examples. He turned in the best season of his career in 2025, then slid into a second-string role after Virginia Tech brought in Que'Sean Brown from Duke. Heath still produced when given the chance, starting seven games and appearing in nine overall while finishing with 200 total yards on 22 catches and three touchdowns.
His biggest outing came against Cal, when he hauled in four passes for 64 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown, and scored two touchdowns in the Hokies’ double-overtime win. He also made an impact in Virginia Tech’s 35-20 loss to Georgia Tech, catching four passes for 58 yards.
Those two games accounted for 114 of his 200 yards, which says plenty about the way Virginia Tech’s passing game functioned last season. With the offense getting a full reset, the Hokies will be looking for more consistency, and Heath appears positioned to fit into that.
Tight end is another spot where Virginia Tech has real competition. The TE1 job is still open, but it’s likely to come down to one of two veterans, with the other right there behind him. Together, the pair has piled up 932 career yards, four touchdowns and more than 10 yards per catch.
Ja'Ricous Hairston is also in the mix, giving the Hokies a crowded and productive room at the position. Whoever comes out on top in the battle for the starting job will still leave Virginia Tech with a strong second option.
The fight for the second boundary receiver spot is just as crowded. Snook Peterkin, Keylan Adams and Chanz Wiggins are all in the mix, and all three are young four-star recruits looking to carve out bigger roles.
At least two of them will end up on the wrong side of the competition, but that won’t mean much is settled. The ones who miss out on the starting job will still be Nos. 3 and 4 on the boundary depth chart, and that kind of pressure can keep everyone pushing. For Virginia Tech, that internal battle may end up being one of the most useful things happening in camp.
In Other News...
Bryce Baker Gives Virginia Tech A Quarterback Question Worth Watching
Virginia Tech added a fresh layer to its quarterback competition by bringing in Bryce Baker through the transfer portal after his freshman season at North Carolina. Baker arrived in college with plenty of recruiting buzz, having been a highly ranked high school quarterback who enrolled early in Chapel Hill, and he now lands in Blacksburg with a clean slate and a reputation built more on promise than production.
For the Hokies, the appeal is obvious: Baker has yet to take a collegiate snap, but his high school rsum suggests there is real upside to explore. Even without game film at the college level, his arrival gives Virginia Tech another name to monitor as it sorts out the future of the position, and it adds intrigue to a room where every rep will matter. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Fall Camp Could Reshape Two Crucial Starting Jobs
Virginia Techs fall camp for the 2026 season is already drawing attention for the way it could shape a couple of key offensive jobs, and the second boundary receiver spot is among the biggest. With the Hokies trying to settle in around the quarterback and give the passing game more consistency, the competition at wideout has become one of the more important storylines to watch as camp unfolds.
Keylan Adams, Chanz Wiggins, and Snook Peterkin are all in the mix there, while the running back race is also worth keeping close tabs on. Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffery Overton are battling for carries, and the outcome of that fight could help define how Virginia Tech wants to lean on the ground game once the season gets moving. Defensive position breakdowns are still to come, but these two offensive battles already give camp a sharper edge. [Read more 🡒]