Virginia Tech football: Linebacker Alan Tisdale to return in 2023

Nov 17, 2022 - 11:00 AM

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The 2023 Virginia Tech Hokies received some good news on Wednesday when senior linebacker Alan Tisdale said he’d be returning for his extra “COVID” year of eligibility next season.

Tisdale, the 6-foot-3, 228-pound multi-year starter from Greenboro, missed the first six games of the 2022 season due to an eligibility issue. Andy Bitter of The Athletic confirmed what that issue was recently saying Tisdale self-reported some legal bets he made on the NBA Finals.

Head coach Brent Pry spoke of Tisdale earlier in the season and said the linebacker had his full support in the matter.

The Hokies are certainly happy Tisdale will return in 2023. He’s been outstanding since his return against Miami in mid-October. Through four games, Tisdale has recorded 35 tackles and solidified the outside linebacker position alongside starting middle linebacker Dax Hollifield.

In four years with the Hokies, Tisdale, who redshirted in 2018, has appeared in 36 games, recorded 230 tackles, including 18 for loss and 6.5 sacks. Tisdale is a terrific athlete who also plays well in coverage, a trait that makes him extremely valuable.

The Hokies will lose defensive stalwarts Hollifield, Chamarri Conner and TyJuan Garbutt after the season, so Tisdale’s return means Tech will have an experienced defensive leader back next year.

In other news, senior quarterback Jason Brown, a South Carolina transfer, has applied for a sixth season of eligibility. Brown initially signed with St. Francis in 2017 where he redshirted his first season after undergoing knee surgery. Brown has played in three games this season, completing seven of 13 passing attempts for 65 yards.

Brown announced his news on Twitter.

Brown is another respected veteran in the locker room and would bring leadership to another young roster in 2023. He could also compete for the starting quarterback position again.