McKenzie won’t use up eligibility at Virginia Tech
Shai McKenzie is transferring from Virginia Tech following his graduation this summer. McKenzie, a standout running back at Washington High School, still has eligibility remaining and could continue to play once he chooses a school for his master’s degree.
“After much thought and talking with my family, I have decided to graduate this summer from Virginia Tech, and finish my eligibility at another Division I university with high hopes of gaining a masters degree,” McKenzie wrote on his Twitter account Thursday night. “I believe this is the best decision for me and my family at this time.”
The 5-11, 215-pound McKenzie, who’ll have two years of eligibility left at his next school and be immediately eligible once he graduates, saw his role diminish over time at Virginia Tech, even after he’d recovered from a knee injury suffered during his freshman season in 2014.
His role had diminished and his playing time became more uncertain when Justin Fuente was hired as head coach. He had 20 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown last fall but didn’t have a carry after the Hokies’ Week 5 game against North Carolina. He spent the rest of the year on scout team, not dressing for any more games, according to Randy Bitter of the Roanoke Times.
“I would like to thank coach Fuente and his staff for helping me become a better man on and off the field,” McKenzie wrote. “I would also like to thank coach Beamer and his staff for blessing me with a second chance at football when things started to fall out of place. My experience at Virginia Tech has been unforgettable.”
McKenzie was arrested in winter 2015 for a consensual sex act with a teenage girl and was given 15 days of house arrest the following summer. He returned to the team in Game 2 but later took a medical redshirt for a knee injury.
The 2012 Observer-Reporter Player of the Year when he rushed for 2,689 yards, scored 41 touchdowns and helped the Prexies to the WPIAL Class AA championship game at Heinz Field, McKenzie had to watch most of his senior season from the sidelines with a knee injury. Before the injury, he was on pace for one of the best seasons in WPIAL history, rushing for 650 yards and 11 touchdowns in less than 10 quarters while averaging 18.1 yards per carry.