BLACKSBURG – As the Virginia Tech football team continues to inch closer towards the season opener against South Carolina, an intriguing part of the offense is lacing up their cleats: the running back room. Under new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery and running backs coach Elijah Brooks, the Hokies are welcoming a plethora of talent to Blacksburg this fall as they look to continue their success in the run game. In this week’s Position Preview we take a closer look at a running backs room that promises to excite later this fall.
This year’s running back corps will look slightly different than it did in years prior. Former Tech standout Bhayshul Tuten, whose 1,159 rushing yards ranked fourth in the ACC last season, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. As the consensus starter for the Hokies last fall, Tuten continually performed under the brightest lights, his 17 total touchdowns earning the New Jersey native All-ACC Second Team Honors.
To fill the vacancy left by Tuten’s departure, Head Coach Brent Pry and the Tech football staff were proactive in the transfer portal. Three of the eight members of the 2025 running back squad are standout athletes who have transferred to Blacksburg, aiming to expand their game under the watchful eye of both Brooks and Montgomery.
Terion Stewart is one of those transfers. A graduate student from Bowling Green University, Stewart arrives in Blacksburg with 2,367 career rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry over his time in Ohio. Stewart posted a team-high 898 rushing yards in 166 attempts with the Falcons last fall, earning All-MAC First Team honors over 11 appearances as the team’s running back. Standing at 5-foot-9, 222-pounds, Stewart has excelled as a yards-after-contact back throughout his career, often breaking tackles and making defenders miss en route to big gains.
Additional transfer athletes joining the Hokies are Braydon Bennett and Marcellous Hawkins. Bennett, who joins the Hokies with a year of eligibility left after playing in 44 games at Coastal Carolina, brings height and a long stride to the Hokies behind his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. As a Chanticleer in 2024, the South Carolina native had multiple games with 100 rushing yards or more, dashing over teams like Louisiana (13 attempts, 132 yards) and Georgia Southern (16 attempts, 138 yards). Comparatively, Hawkins joins Tech after spending the last three…
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