Former Indian River football star Devon Hunter reinstated by Virginia Tech

Jami Frankenberry, The Virginian-Pilot
·2 min read

Devon Hunter, a former star at Indian River High in Chesapeake, has been cleared to rejoin the Virginia Tech football team, the school announced Tuesday.

Hunter, a safety, was suspended by Virginia Tech in September after he was arrested on charges of felony strangulation to cause wound or injury and misdemeanor assault of a family member.

The charges were amended to misdemeanors when Hunter accepted a plea agreement last month.

He was sentenced to 24 months in jail, but the sentence was suspended to one day of jail on each charge and a total of two years of probation.

Virginia Tech athletes who are charged with felonies are automatically suspended from all athletic activities until the charge is resolved, per the school’s athlete conduct policies. On Tuesday, with the charges behind him, Hunter was ready to rejoin the team.

“God Thank God for blessing me with another opportunity,” Hunter wrote on Twitter. “Will not let you down. Time go back to work.”

Before the arrest, Hunter appeared poised to start at safety last season. He played in 10 games in 2017 as a backup and special-teams contributor, moved to the outside linebacker/nickel back position in the 2018 season and played in just four games before redshirting.

Hunter, regarded by many analysts as one of the nation’s top three high school safeties in the Class of 2017, was slated to be a redshirt junior last season. Since the NCAA didn’t count last season against any football player’s eligibility clock as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, he still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

“In accordance with Virginia Tech student-conduct protocols and in conjunction with Virginia Tech Athletics administration, Devon Hunter has been cleared to return to the Virginia Tech football program effective immediately,” Tech coach Justin Fuente said, in a statement posted on Twitter. “Devon has demonstrated remorse for his actions and understands the expectations for him going forward. He recognizes and appreciates the opportunity to return to the program.”