Everything changed for Virginia Tech linebacker Alan Tisdale on Thanksgiving in 2020 when his son, Alan Tisdale Jr., was born. He gained a new perspective on life.

Tisdale (6-3, 225) was in his third season in Blacksburg at that point, a member of the class of 2018 who redshirted his first year on campus. He had just over 500 snaps under his belt.

Fast forward to September 2023. Tisdale is in his sixth season with the Hokies, one of two players to be continuously on the roster since 2018 (safety Nasir Peoples is the other), and his son is two-and-a-half. He has over 1,700 career snaps for Tech, but more importantly, he approaches his daily activities differently now as a father.

“You have to mature faster [as a dad],” Tisdale said in an interview on Tuesday. “And basically your whole life changed, it’s not just you anymore. That little man is your priority.”

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