Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech football wide receiver Jaylin Lane, a transfer from Middle Tennessee who just moved to Blacksburg two month ago, started the red zone 1-on-1 drills with some pop, you might say.
Facing off against cornerback Mansoor Delane, a freshman All-American last fall, Lane get off the ball fast and knocked Delane to his feet. When asked by media members in his post-practice media availability if it was offensive pass interference, Lane grinned and said he will never call an offensive pass interference on himself.
Though those two are going to be close teammates in the months to come, as they'll battle each other throughout the rest of spring ball and summer workouts, it was symbolic of the newcomers not backing down from competition.
Delane, who is obviously one of Tech's best returning players from a year ago, will look to lead a new-look Hokies squad that is still finding its way heading into Year 2 of the Brent Pry era. Pry explained after practice to the media how this new group of players – 19 in total that enrolled in January – are really coming along and pushing the old guard, if you will, and that competitive balance of both sides will pay dividends as iron sharpens iron.
"Absolutely," Pry said when asked if he liked the gusto from Lane on that play. "I wouldn't have changed that, even if [the referee] had thrown the flag."
That gusto is something that Pry and his staff have been preaching to the players so far throughout spring ball and, Saturday, in front of Hokie faithful on a sunny day at Lane Stadium, his players brought it.
The receiver room, which took a big influx heading into the spring semester with five additions, is off to a nice start in Pry's mind, as he hinted in his media availability that that room is better than a year ago. Wide receivers coach Fontel Mines also took the podium and has seen progress at that position group.
"I think the guy are slowly putting one foot in front of another," Mines said. "We're getting better."
A guy that led that position room once upon a time was in the house Saturday, as former Tech receiver (2014-16) Isaiah Ford came back to watch the open practice and connect with Mines. Ford reached out to Mines when he got the job roughly a year ago through social media, and the two have stayed in touch since.
Can't express how thankful I am for @IAF_1 coming back home and spending a few days with the #BadBoyz 🦃🦃 pic.twitter.com/nApIyMahjY
— Fontel Mines (@Coach_Mines) March 25, 2023
Earlier in the week, some other alums swung by to check out Tech's Pro Day, including the likes of the Carolina Panthers' Amaré Barno, Tennessee Titans' Caleb Farley and Green Bay Packers' Luke Tenuta.
It's been good having those alums back, as Pry and his staff continue to show interest in making sure that alumni connection stays strong, which is ever so vital for a college football program.
The next time fans and alums will be back in Lane Stadium will fall on Saturday, April 15 for Tech's spring game, presented by PMSI. More details on the game and what to expect will be released soon. Join the interest list and be the first to know when additional details are made available.
Gallery: (3-25-2023) FB: Spring Practice 3/25/2023