As we countdown to the opening day of Virginia Tech’s football season game against Vanderbilt, we got a chance to hear from the offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen today at media day. Here is everything the Hokies offensive coordinator had to say.
1. On adding depth to the receiver room…
“Well, I think before you even get to the depth, that’s a testament to coach mines, the whole program, what we’ve been able to do to turn around the room. I love the way that group works. They come to work every day. They have a very selfless approach. So within that, it does allow you to do more. It allows you the depth. Allows you to rotate a little bit more where a guy’s not playing as many snaps as in a game, right? Another thing you look for when you have depth at the receiver position is, how can we move guys around to create match-ups. Right? What does each guy do well? How can we put them in a position to do what they do? Well, while continuing the work on their weaknesses in practice.
2. How deeper the offensive line group is as a unit this year compared to a year ago…
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“Well, much deeper just from a standpoint right you got everyone back, right? So when you look out there, you know, guys are going into year two, year three, year four, of playing college football, which is a big deal at the line of scrimmage. I think we all know that’s a group that’s, you know, sometimes slower to develop, right? That’s a man’s game when you play up front. And those guys have done a really nice job I feel good about the depth of what we know schematically, we’ve still got a long way to go at every position to get to where want to go. But I’m very excited about that group and what they brought to practice so far this fall.”
3. Thoughts on quarterback room, Pop’s development and Collin Schlee…
“Yeah, I think all of those things that you said you took the words out of my mouth I think Pop’s developed really well. We’re excited to have Colin obviously you’re bringing in an experienced guy to compete with pop behind Kyron Drones that’s helped the room in general you got a guy that’s won a MAC championship and has played a lot of football. You see what he’s done even last year at UCLA. He’s a guy not only am I excited about competing for a backup role, being able to have packages in the offense to utilize a skill set with the potential of two quarterbacks on the field at a time.”
4. Kyron Drones workload last season running the football and how do you envision this season going for him…
“I’d probably say the sweet spot, right? If you’re asking me I think there’s times right now what you see from Kyron Drones is just how much more comfortable he is in the offense. He’s getting to the second, the third read he’s spitting balls into tight windows. So I’m excited about that. Maybe that changes some of those second-play opportunities. But you know, we’re going to utilize a dynamic quarterback with what we want to do offensively. And he certainly brings that skill set to the table as well. And when you provide all that to a defense, I think it makes it more difficult to defend so hard to say. I mean, we want to do whatever we need to do offensively to give ourselves an opportunity to win the football game.”
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5. Ali Jennings in game and practice performance, how he provides a good role model for younger players on the team...
“He’s having a heck of a camp right now as well. You know, the excitement is genuine, I think from everyone from our players, from the coaching staff on offense. I mean, we’re excited to have Ali back. I mean, you’re talking about a guy who’s played a lot of football who showed up in big-time moments, and he’s showing that right now in camp, we’re excited about his development, and also what he brings to the room from a maturity standpoint, right? you’re looking at a room that has some depth and older players. That’s so good for our younger guys to provide role models for them to aspire to be it’s expediting their development in practice, but Ali in general were excited to have him back, Vet guy, knows how to come to work, has improved his skill set in variety of areas and I’m excited to see what he does as well.”
6. How does the new NCAA rule allowing more coaches hands-on in practice help?
“It’s certainly a change and a change for those guys as well, in a very positive way. We’ve got a lot of experience on offense and defense, but in that offensive room to be able to provide insight and knowledge to our players. So I love it. It allows us to do more individual work. You may see more circuit work at practice, where we can really get hands-on and take an individual approach to the development of a player. So I’ve really enjoyed it I know those guys have. And you know, my thing is for us and just any organization, right, as long as we’re on the same page and we’re preaching the same message, it’s always great to have those resources for our players, especially on the field now.”
7. Montavious Cunningham Progression…
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“He’s in a battle right now. Right? I mean, I think you guys have always heard me say this before, and I’ll never change my tune. Everyone’s in a battle to provide our best five up front. So he’s in a battle for that. What I’ve seen him improve, obviously, he’s more comfortable just being here at Virginia Tech, being in the offense, understanding the system, you’re seeing his physicality show up more from that, just because he’s now not thinking as much. Now I can get back to playing ball, utilizing some of the experience I’ve had, but also some of the new techniques he’s learned. I think he’s a guy that’s in a battle right now for somewhere on the interior, but he’s also a guy that we look to swing out to tackle to get some reps as well. So you know he’s in the mix. Try to be one of the best five, and you know his role will depend on how that plays out through the next few mini camps.”
8. How has the runningback room progressed over the years and even with catching out the backfield…
“We want to be able to deploy those guys in a variety of areas. We want to be able to run the ball in the alley, run the ball inside, and get them involved in the passing game. I think what’s interesting about that room is you’ve got a variety of skill sets, right? And then a couple of guys that maybe are a little bit more complete so as we go through right now, in training camp, you’re saying okay, what is Tyler Mason’s strength? Right, what is Coney’s strength, right, what is Bhayshul’s strength? And then we’re trying to focus on attacking the weaknesses, right? Because you need to be able to do a variety of things. Well, so that’s how coach Brooks has taken the approach. See that group get a little bit better every day, but we’re excited about how they’re progressing. Obviously, you got a couple of experienced guys at the top then a battle underneath for, hey you know, where did the carriers go from there but excited about the group but excited about the group and we certainly want to be able to use them in a variety of ways.”
9. Excitement on another year of Kyron Drones and possibilities this year that weren’t possible last year?
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be comfortable, or we will, but, you know, it’s nice. It’s obviously nice having your starter coming back. I think number one from a leadership standpoint on offense, right? If you were to ask me, what’s his biggest area of growth, it’s going into year two, the returning starter. He’s really taking ownership of the offense, it’s a player’s offense. At the end of the day, it’s going to become the personality that he and the players decide to be. So that puts everyone at ease but you see that in the leadership, how we did our summer work, the command, the control, he has the understanding to be able to grab a guy, coach him on the field. Hey, I’d like to see this route, this way. This is what we’re looking for. This is when you show up in the progression, whatever that may be, that’s a variety of things that he can do. but that’s what I see most, which provides a comfort level for everyone.”
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10. How has training with Shedeur Sanders helped the development of Kyron Drones and how has Kyron gotten better throwing in tighter windows?
“It opens up a ton. I mean for us offensively, and our guys know this, we want to be able to establish the run game, but to be able to establish the run game, but within that, it opens up some really good play-action opportunities. So being able to throw the ball in the tight windows, watching him how he’s improved his deep ball accuracy, watching how he’s improved his release. The ball is coming out of his hand faster. So when teams want to play our box and we can whip out a perimeter screen. I think all of that, he’s really developed that toolbox, which he’s had before. But I think a variety of things, comforting the offense and going into it knowing exactly what’s needed within the offense for us to be successful. You’ve seen them take big steps, and it certainly opens up things we can do.”
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As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States and Virginia, we’re embarking on a journey to celebrate the rich history of the place we call home. (WSLS 10)
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About the Author
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Jazmine Otey
Jazmine Otey joined the 10 News team in February 2021.
A fatal collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Thursday evening has claimed a life and prompted a significant road closure in South Reno.
The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) responded to reports of the crash at approximately 5:29 p.m. on February 26. The incident occurred on northbound South Virginia Street, just north of Damonte Ranch Parkway.
According to the Nevada State Police, the rider of the motorcycle, an adult male, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The driver of the pickup truck remained on-site, though no further details regarding other injuries or the cause of the crash have been released. Northbound South Virginia Street: Completely shut down from Damonte Ranch Parkway to Bishop Manogue Drive.
Southbound South Virginia Street: Open, but expect “rubbernecking” delays as drivers pass the emergency vehicles. Officials expect the northbound lanes to remain closed until at least 11:30 p.m. as the NHP Highway Patrol Division completes their investigation.
A new effort is being led by Commonwealth Attorney Krystyn Reid, with support from Sen. Danny Diggs to help missing persons. (Ron Lach/Pexels.com)
HAMPTON ROADS— A proposed initiative known as The Guardian Network seeks to strengthen coordination and public access to verified information when children, seniors, and vulnerable adults go missing in Virginia.
The effort is being led by Commonwealth Attorney Krystyn Reid, with support from Sen. Danny Diggs through a budget amendment to SB30. If the amendment passes, development would move forward through the Virginia State Police.
Reid said the idea grew from her years of public service.
“The difference between politics and public service is simple,” Reid said. “One is what you say. The other is what you do.”
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Reid began her career representing domestic violence survivors and said she witnessed firsthand how quickly families can be thrown into crisis.
“When someone does not make it home, that is a family’s worst moment,” Reid said. “The Guardian Network comes from a belief that we can strengthen coordination in those first critical hours and better protect vulnerable communities.”
The network is designed to complement existing alert systems such as AMBER, Silver, Ashanti and CODI alerts. Participation would be voluntary for both families and the public.
“It does not replace them. It reinforces them,” Reid said. “What we lack is one centralized, accessible place to see verified information. This is about coordination and clarity.”
Currently, information can be fragmented, she said, making it harder for families and communities to respond effectively.
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“Families in crisis should not have to search multiple platforms,” Reid said. “Public safety requires structure. Our response should be organized and accessible.”
The United Way of the Virginia Peninsula has expressed support for the initiative, citing its alignment with the organization’s mission to improve lives by advancing education, financial stability and health.
“Children are the highest age demographic experiencing eviction and homelessness, which creates unique vulnerabilities including separation, exploitation and trafficking,” said Charvalla West of United Way of the Virginia Peninsula. “Seniors face increasing isolation, housing instability and caregiver strain in what many describe as the ‘Silver Tsunami’ of a rapidly aging population.”
She said the organization supports The Guardian Network because it strengthens coordination during the most critical moments when vulnerable individuals go missing.
“The Guardian Network aligns directly with our work to stabilize families and protect vulnerable communities,” West said. “When vulnerabilities are reduced, safety increases.”
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United Way collaborates with certified partner agencies across the Virginia Peninsula that focus on homelessness prevention, youth development, domestic violence response, aging services and housing repair. Those organizations would continue serving in their core roles, providing safe housing, trauma-informed care, mentorship, caregiver support and case management, while the network enhances coordination and awareness.
“The Guardian Network enhances coordination and awareness, while nonprofits provide the direct relational support that protects individuals before, during and after crisis events,” West said.
The concept also includes a second phase of development that would establish a standing advisory committee composed of survivors, impacted family members, nonprofit leaders, victim advocates and public safety professionals. A third phase would focus on identifying and allocating resources to support coordinated response efforts in collaboration with law enforcement, including ensuring necessary logistical supplies are available during active situations.
The immediate focus is Virginia. If successful, supporters say the model could be scalable to other states seeking to strengthen coordination in missing-person cases.
Reid said the goal is clear.
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“A stronger safety net. Better coordination. And helping bring loved ones home,” she said. “Everyone deserves to come home.”
