When the Virginia Tech Hokies opened this season, their linebacker rotation appeared set. Caleb Woodson, Jaden Keller and Michael Short seemed to have the position locked up. However, everything changed after the Hokies were shocked by Old Dominion in Week 3. The next day, Virginia Tech fired head coach Brent Pry.
When Pry was fired, the transfer portal opened for 30 days, allowing players to explore transfer options. As a bonus, since Pry was fired so early, players with a redshirt year available could sit for the remainder of the season, take a redshirt year and enter the transfer portal after the season.
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Some players entered the portal, including Short. Woodson dealt with an injury, which allowed some young players an opportunity to see the field if they stayed. True freshman Noah Chambers stayed, making his debut in Week 5 at NC State and immediately making his presence felt. In three games since he received his first playing time, Chambers has recorded 16 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and one sack. While he’s not perfect, he is a freshman after all, and he’s playing linebacker as well as any Virginia Tech player has in recent years.
All he needed was an opportunity. Now, Chambers looks like he could be a building block for the next coach.
His current coach, defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes, praised Chambers on Tuesday ahead of this week’s game against Cal.
“Noah has very good instincts as a linebacker,” Siefkes said. “I think it’s a quality that you’re kind of born with, honestly. I think a lot of linebackers that have that quality are the best guys. He has that instinct about him. He understands where the ball’s going to fit. He knows where the crease is. They talk about a back understanding, where the hole is going to be. It’s the same thing as a linebacker. He understands those qualities.”
Siefkes explained that Chambers didn’t enroll until the summer, which probably limited his expectations for him this season. However, once called upon, Chambers has thrived.
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The Virginia Tech Hokies are going to look a lot different next year. The new head coach and his staff will need to retain some players, as it’s impossible to replace 100 players in one offseason. Chambers and some of Virginia Tech’s other freshmen, like safety Sheldon Robinson and JoJo Crim, are taking advantage of their opportunities and could be a big part of the future in Blacksburg.
