Virginia Tech’s plans at linebacker took a hit this week, and it’s a tough one to absorb.
Sophomore Gabe Williams, once viewed as the Hokies’ top recruit in the 2024 class and one of their most important future pieces on defense, has suffered a “long-term injury” and is out indefinitely. For a player who arrived with big expectations and even bigger upside, it’s another painful turn in a career that has already had too many of them.
Williams’ path has been bumpy from the start. He played in two games as a freshman in 2024 before a season-ending injury in a November loss to Clemson.
A month later, he lost his father, Chance. Then came a small rebound of sorts last season, when he appeared in four games as a redshirt freshman and looked headed for a much larger role in 2026.
That’s what makes this latest setback sting so much for Virginia Tech. Williams was expected to be a significant part of the Hokies’ plans for 2026, and the injury forces the staff to adjust sooner than expected.
On Friday, head coach James Franklin addressed the ripple effect.
“Obviously, you make plans on your roster numbers; you make plans based on everybody being healthy, so whenever you lose a guy, it obviously affects you,” Franklin said.
He also pointed to the need for younger players to accelerate their development and for the staff to shuffle some pieces around.
“We got some young guys that we gotta get ready sooner rather than later; we also are going to have to create some position flexibility. I think you guys already know that Covil has been moved.
As much nickel as we plan on playing, I think that also helps. But Covil has actually done a nice job.
He’s a physical guy. He’s a veteran guy.
I talk about it with the players all the time; everybody’s journey is different. And I think sometimes decisions on players are made too soon.
I’ve had players who haven’t started until their senior and played nine years in the NFL.”
Covil, a 5-foot-10, 196-pound native of Chesapeake, Virginia, is a former four-star recruit who started his college career at Clemson before transferring to Virginia Tech after the 2024 season.
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