The Shadow
BLACKSBURG – With less than 35 days until the Hokies take the field for the first time this season, a pillar of the Lunch Pail Defense is beginning to prepare for action: The linebackers room. Behind outside linebackers coach Shawn Quinn and inside linebackers coach Xavier Adibi, members of the room have been working diligently under defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes and are looking to make a big impact throughout the season. As the Position Preview series continues into August, we take a deep dive into a linebacker position that Hokie fans are going to want to keep an eye on.
Returning to the Hokies’ defensive front this fall is linebacker Jaden Keller. After a wildly productive 2024 campaign that saw the Tennessee native lead the team in tackles (83), the redshirt senior is primed for yet another strong showing. Last season was Keller’s best to date as he played in all 13 games for the second straight year, more than tripling his tackle total from 2023. As a veteran presence in the locker room, expect Keller to blossom under the Siefkes defensive regime.
Slotting in next to Keller is junior Caleb Woodson, who will be returning for his third year in Blacksburg. Standing at a towering 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, the Haymarket, Va. native saw equally impressive production in 13 games last season. His 72 tackles were second on the roster while also tallying 7.5 TFLs, five quarterback hits, and an interception against Duke on Nov. 23.
Joining Keller and Woodson once again in the linebackers room is junior Kaleb Spencer. The Gloucester, Va. product tallied 32 tackles in 13 games (one start) last season and adapted well to a larger role than he had in his freshman year at Miami. Against his former team in 2024, Spencer showed up big, intercepting quarterback Cam Ward halfway through the third quarter and racing down the sidelines to put the Hokies in scoring position. His team-high eight tackles in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Jan. 3 can give fans an idea of what to expect from the junior this season. Also vying for the field are a pair of newly introduced Hokies: Temple transfer Antwone Santiago, UNC transfer Michael Short, and former safety Noah Jenkins. Head Coach Brent Pry and the Virginia Tech Hokies football staff have been diligent in recruiting and signing several players that promise to bolster the defense this fall.
Santiago saw an impressive leap in both production and development from 2023 to 2024. Last season’s campaign saw the Meriden, Conn. native post 25 tackles in 12 appearances as an Owl, over half of which were solo efforts, while also posting a career-high six tackles against East Carolina. His special teams work is also expected to be a positive for the Hokies, proven by his blocked-punt-turned-touchdown against UConn last fall.
Leaving ACC foe North Carolina and joining Virginia Tech is Michael Short. The junior posted 23 tackles (17 solo) in his second year with the Tar Heels, turning in solid efforts against Florida State (3 tackles, 2 solo) and Duke (5 tackles, 3 solo). A special teams captain last season, the junior will have plenty of opportunities to contribute on a different ACC squad with the Hokies.
The rest of the linebackers room is equipped with a variety of seasoned talent that provides the coaching staff with many options as the season inches closer. Graduate student Will Johnson, who has honored historic head coach Frank Beamer with the wearing of No. 25 twice in his career, will look to make continued contributions on the special teams side of the ball. Redshirt sophomores Brody Jones, George Ballance and Darius Taylor all return, as does redshirt freshman Gabe Williams after suffering an injury against Clemson. Brett Clatterbaugh and Noah Chambers join the room from the high school ranks, with the opportunity to hone their skills while learning from some of the conference’s best defensive athletes.
