Report: Virginia Tech LB, team captain Caleb Woodson charged with DWI

Virginia Tech linebacker and team captain Caleb Woodson was reportedly charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor DWI on Saturday, according to online court records reviewed by Tech Sideline’s Andy Bitter.

This is the second driving offense Woodson has had in the last month, following a reckless driving citation July 30 after reportedly going 96 mph in a 70 mph zone, according to Warren General District Court records reviewed by Roanoke Times reporter Damien Sordelett. The reckless driving citation is also listed as a misdemeanor, and Woodson has a court date of Sept. 16 for the incident, per Sordelett.

Virginia Tech athletics released a statement on Woodson’s DWI charge Tuesday morning.

“We are aware of an incident involving Caleb Woodson,” the Virginia Tech statement read, per Bitter. “We take this matter seriously and will handle it according to athletic department policy and university policy. As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment until the process is complete.”

Woodson is entering his junior season at Virginia Tech, where he’s started 12 of his 26 games across his first two seasons in Blacksburg. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Woodson finished second on the team with 72 total tackles last season, including 7 1/2 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry while making 11 starts in 2024.

Woodson signed with Virginia Tech as a three-start linebacker out of Battlefield High (Haymarket, Va.) in the 2023 recruiting class, where he was the No. 25 player in Virginia, No. 93 linebacker and No. 974 player overall according to Rivals Industry Ranking.

Woodson was named a fourth-team Preseason All-ACC selection according to longtime college football expert Phil Steele.

Brent Pry singles out depth as the aspect he likes in Virginia Tech linebackers

It’s been a disappointing past five seasons for the Virginia Tech Hokies, which have been held under eight wins in every season since 2019. Its defense has not been the deciding factor of the decline, however, as it ranked sixth in the ACC in yards allowed per game (363 YPG) and third in points allowed per game (22.8) last season.

This season, Virginia Tech returns its two leading tacklers from last season in linebackers Jaden Keller and Caleb Woodson. Head coach Brent Pry discussed the depth of the linebacker core this week at a media opportunity.

“I like our depth,” Pry said. “Those guys give us an opportunity to be a really good and athletic group that can run and move. They’re swimming a little bit. They’re picking it up in the classroom and they got out here with live bullets and I didn’t notice them like I noticed them in workouts and drills. But they’ll come.”

After firing former defensive coordinator Chris Marve this offseason, Pry and the Hokies brought on former Arizona Cardinals linebackers coach Sam Siefkes as their new defensive coordinator. Pry discussed his relationship with Siefkes (along with new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery) on Tuesday.

“I’m very pleased with Phil [Montgomery] and Sam [Siefkes],” Pry said. “Those guys have done a tremendous job because it’s not easy to come in new. Both of those guys came in with some fresh ideas and some structure changes with a staff that was pretty much already in place. You’ve got to coach the coaches before you can even dive into the players.”

— On3’s Daniel Hager contributed to this report.