Sean Glennon has basked in the limelight, and felt the cold shroud of doubt.
Recently, however, Glennon has spent more game time on the bench than he has orchestrating the Hokie offense; the result of a mid-game personnel change replacing Glennon with true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
That kind of moment - losing your job to a less experienced and younger substitute - can be hard to swallow, especially after leading a team to a bowl game during a 'rebuilding season' and 10wins. And contrary to a recently reported article, that kind of moment can lead to you make irrational statements.
"I was disappointed at first," Glennon said, "But now I just have to keep the attitude to be ready when my number is called. It was tough, but it was something I just had to get over, and I had to get over myself."
Glennon had not been thinking about transferring to another program, nor had the idea occurred to him before he was asked if it would be an option at the end of the season.
"I think what we have to take into fact here is that he (Glennon) was asked," said quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain.
"He did not force it, he did not come out and say that he wanted to transfer. He was asked if the situation did not change would you consider transferring, and he said yes, like anybody would."
O'Cain also said Glennon was an integral part of the team, and his loss, if he did transfer, would be felt on the sidelines.
"Whatever decision Sean decides we're going to back him fully on that decision he makes," O'Cain said.
"But that (his transferring) would not be the best for this football team."
Senior linebacker Vince Hall, one of the leaders of the Tech defense, felt Glennon should seize every opportunity possible, but in the end, it's all about desire.
"You are always going to get tested," Hall said, "You can have adversity and try and run away from it, or you're going to try and be the better man about it. In his situation, with him being a senior next year, if he wants to try and fight for the spot, all the power to him, ain't nothing wrong with that, but it's going to be head to head."
The starting spot Hall described though, at least according to O'Cain, isn't up for grabs. He described the depth charts at the QB position as "concrete" unless Taylor played "poorly for a couple of weeks," then the current situation would be reevaluated. But even as Glennon said, that's the role of the back- up quarterback, to be ready for that kind of scenario.
"Whether Tyrod could get nicked up, or he's having a rough game, you never know," Glennon said. "And I don't want to not be prepared if that happens or use the excuse that I wasn't mentally prepared for that, so I have to approach each week like I'm going to go out there and play."
And so far this season, he has. Glennon has seen field action in every game. But beyond the games, and beyond a transfer to another school, the redshirt junior has another aspect of being college football quarterback to consider: the pros.
"There are still scouts out here at practice, and (the NFL) is the ultimate goal," Glennon said. "And it's going to be tougher now because I don't have as much game film, but that's why I have to come out and compete at practice, they (the scouts) look at the practice film almost as much as they look at the game film. I just (have to) make the most of the chances that I've got."
O'Cain says he's got what it takes to get there himself, despite this recent setback.
"He has the tools, no question," O'Cain said. "He's got a strong arm, he's accurate, he's smart, and no one is going to work any harder. He has all the tools to potentially play the next level."
Glennon said he has the attitude to stick out with the Hokies, despite his current underdog status. Even with the echoes of 'boos' in his ears, nasty messages in his inbox and Facebook wall, there's an enduring love for Tech that Glennon has that cannot be quelled or quenched. Even as a senior in high school, Tech, he said, was where he felt most at home.
"I'm definitely not regretting my decision to come here," Glennon said. "I'm going through a little bump in the road, but that happens in life, and that's going to happen at this level of football. But I wouldn't trade what has happened here. I would go back and choose Tech again if I had to go back in time."