When Virginia Tech fired football coach Brent Pry, it opened the Transfer Portal window for the current players. Since the firing happened within the first four weeks, it allowed players to redshirt and save a year of eligibility.
Some players took advantage of that and hit the portal right away. One player who took some time to continue playing before entering the portal was New Mexico transfer Christian Ellis. The talented defensive back played his final game as a Hokie in late September when Virginia Tech traveled to Raleigh to play North Carolina State to open conference play.