Backup quarterback Mark Leal has left the program in the middle of the season to pursue a professional opportunity, per Virginia Tech’s Football Twitter feed.
VT QB Mark Leal met with head coach Frank Beamer today and has decided to leave the football program to pursue a professional opportunity.
— VT Football (@VT_Football) November 5, 2014
Reading between the lines, Leal, who has already graduated, has received a job offer that might not otherwise be available if he decided to finish out the season.
For his career, Leal went 34-of-57 for 411 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He played in 11 total games for the Hokies.
With Leal leaving the program, r-sophomore Brenden Motley will move up to the #2 spot on the depth chart. He was the #1 quarterback following spring practice, but a back injury in August took him out of the quarterback competition.
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Mark, you have been the consummate team player and a true HOKIE in every sense of the word, and I wish you only the best now and in the future. And thanks so much for keeping our scoring streak alive with the great pass you threw in the Miami game- will never forget that play.
good wishes and thank you for you effort, time and leadership
Best wishes, Mark! You conducted yourself with dignity and pride, and you were an exemplary team player. I have no doubt you’ll be successful in your next adventure.
He’ll be remembered for keeping the “streak” alive. He came through when called upon. Glad he got the opportunity to start he’s career.
Best of luck to him. Hope he does well.
Best of luck to him. Thanks for all your hard work over the years. I would like it if he could come back for his senior day moment on senior day. Don’t know if he would be able to or not due to a job opportunity but would be nice to show him the recognition. Best of luck Mark and thanks for being a Hokie.
Good luck in the job! Thanks for helping out the team you will always be a Hokie!
Good Luck Mark Leal – Congrats on the Job Opportunity and Thanks for being a GREAT HOKIE!
Best of luck Mark. Thanks for all that you did in representing Hokie Nation.
Best of luck Mark. Thanks for becoming a Hokie and I wish you the best as you leave B’burg. When God closes a door, he opens a window for you! God bless you.
I could not agree with you more VT Rockie!!!
He’s much better off away from this coaching staff.
Do you feel better? I hope so because yours is such a toxic, cheap, ugly, self-righteous comment.
He (burchettjr) is proof an idiot is born every minute!
Amen
We’d all be better off with fans like you away from this program.
as are most students who graduate. (rolls eyes)
He has been a Team Player and I hope his Future is Bright and brings him Success . Amazing….
I don’t get the weirdness. He received a job offer with financial benefits and already has a degree. To be honest he had nothing left to gain by staying in the program, unless Brewer got even more hurt then the coaches were forced to play him
Agree, it’s entirely reasonable that job offers are now, not at your convenience, heck, it may have even the job of his dreams.
The funny thing is Brewer was in the same situation at TT, had his degree after three years and it would have been entirely reasonable if he had decided to move on to real life after football, just that his circumstances were unique w/ two years eligibility left He’s not going to the NFL so entirely a decision to be a kid for 2 more years against entering the real world (‘course he’s getting a graduate degree so maybe that’s a very practical decision too)
Best of luck Mark Leal.
More weirdness. Mark was a fantastic unselfish hokie for many years who gave great time and effort for the program. He likely recieved a job offer which was to good to refuse, etc. He also knows that the NFL opportunity left the building a long long time ago. Congrats to Mark. Dont look to cite problems with the program until the full story is told. Let congratulate Mark for coming to VT and leaving with the most important thing our university could give him…a kick ass degree. Che er s
Wow. It’s like deja vu all over again.
Mark you have been a great Hokie, a professional, and a leader. We wish you all the best in you new career and in life. God bless you! Go Hokies!
Eh, football’s over, time to move on, especially if he has a job offer lined up. OK, I don’t know what’s in his head either, but it certainly could be a mature decision. Good luck Leal.
Imagine that! I don’t blame Mark, victim of Beamer family stuff
???????
Well, he wasn’t ready for the Sun Bowl game probably assuming he’d never get in the game with rock solid Logan Thomas. That was a cardinal sin in any coaches eyes. Seems like he bucked up this past summer, I’m not too worried about it but not going to entirely go with Leal as hero. I wish him good luck.
Things are amiss it seems.
More weirdness in Hokieville…
More weirdness. Mark was a fantastic unselfish hokie for many years who gave great time and effort for the program. He likely recieved a job offer which was to good to refuse, etc. He also knows that the NFL opportunity left the building a long long time ago. Congrats to Mark. Dont look to cite problems with the program until the full story is told. Let congratulate Mark for coming to VT and leaving with the most important thing our university could give him…a kick ass degree. Che er s
Man, I feel bad for the guy in not getting enough opportunities to play, though.
Don’t feel bad. Not everybody’s college football career ends with fireworks. Most end pretty much with a whimper and then the real important stuff happens.
Nope. If he wants to go into something like a sports agency, that’s definitely not something he can do as a college athlete. This is just about him doing what’s best for his future, and good for him.