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Devon Hunter accepts plea deal, hopes for return to Hokies

More than six months after a domestic-violence incident that saw him charged with a felony and a misdemeanor, former Hokies safety Devon Hunter has accepted a plea deal to put the legal portion of proceedings behind him.

His statuses with the University and athletic department - to say nothing of the football team, knowing that he'll have to work his way back into the good graces of the coaching staff even if he clears the other hurdles - are yet to be determined.

Hunter released a statement on the decision.

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While the expectation has long been that he'd have no opportunity to return to the Virginia Tech football program - and a year away from the program certainly makes that even tougher - his words indicate that's something he's striving for.

"I humbly ask for the forgiveness of Virginia Tech, the Athletics Department, my team, and the fans," he wrote in his statement. "I regret any disappointment that I may have caused you. To those following my journey and praying for me to return to football, I want to do nothing more than make you proud of me on and off the field."

Those words may indicate more a hope than an expectation of reuniting with the Hokies, and the nature of the charges - Hunter is alleged to have placed his hands on the throat of his then-girlfriend after a verbal dispute - may make it difficult to find his way back at Virginia Tech.

Hunter, a onetime top-50 recruit from Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River, signed with VT in 2017. He made minimal contributions as a true freshman before opting to redshirt as a sophomore to ease the difficulty of adapting to college ball. He returned to the field in 2019, but again played in mostly a depth role. The alleged offense took place in September as the ACC waited to resume its coronavirus-delayed 2020 season.

Nonetheless, certainly the university and athletics communities will be rooting for his success, even if it's not donning the Orange and Maroon (and even if it's not on a football field again).

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