With spring practice concluded for Virginia Tech, it’s time to start our post-spring coverage. We’ll talk about how the Hokies look at each position later this week, but lets start with a basic scholarship count.

Like all programs, Virginia Tech must get back down to the 85-man scholarship limit by the time practice begins in August. Thanks to all athletes who played in 2020 getting an extra year due to COVID, many (most?) programs are currently projected to be above the 85-man limit at that time.

That means there will be more transfer portal action than ever. There will be a ton of guys entering the portal across the country, but most of them are unlikely to find landing spots at the FBS level. In fact, some won’t even find spots at the FCS level. Everybody is facing a scholarship crunch.

I said once, and I’ll say it again. If the NCAA insisted that all athletes who played in 2020 get a free COVID year, they should have allowed the schools to get back down to the 85-man limit gradually. Perhaps a 90-man limit in 2022 before dropping back to 85 in 2023. Instead, there’s a massive numbers crunch, and a lot of guys aren’t going to be playing football next year, or ever again.

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