HokieBird The HokieBird is the official mascot of Virginia Tech . It has been named as one of the top college football mascots in the United States , and spawned a series of children ' s books featuring college and pro sports mascots , including Hello , HokieBird , published by Mascot Books . Gobblers . Fans of Virginia Tech athletics have referred to the teams by the nickname Fighting Gobblers since the early 20th century . According the Virginia Tech university relations , the name originated in 1909 , when football Coach Branch Bocock initiated his players into the " Gobbler Club " , a name which appeared in print that same year . Another popular legend regarding the origin of the " Gobblers " moniker refers to when the university was a military college known as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College ( VAMC ) . As future military officers and gentlemen , cadets were not allowed to look at their plates as they ate . To do so was termed " gobbling " your food and was a cause for punishment . Athletes were given increased portions of food and in consideration of the limited meal time , were allowed to " gobble " their meals . Because of this , the sports teams for VAMC became known as " The Gobblers " . Regardless of the true origin , the " Gobbler " nickname had already been popularized by 1913 when local resident and VPI employee Floyd Meade trained a large turkey to perform various stunts , including pulling him in a decorated cart before a football game . Meade and other mascots to follow continued having a live turkey on the sidelines of games into the 1950s . Fighting Gobblers . The first permanent costumed Gobbler took the field in the fall of 1962 , when a civil engineering student raised $ 200 to create a costume which had a head resembling a cardinal and included real turkey feathers dyed in school colors . This mascot debuted at the then - annual Thanksgiving Day football game between military school rivals VPI and VMI . This costume was modified in 1971 to include a long neck , making it more than seven feet tall , and the name was changed to the " Fighting Gobbler " . HokieBird . In reaction to the earlier myths about students " gobbling " their meals , football coach and athletic director Bill Dooley spearheaded a campaign for a new look and name for the mascot , which debuted at the 1981 football game against Wake Forest . The turkey - like figure was referred to as " the Hokie mascot , " " the Hokie , " and " the Hokie bird " ( derived from the " Old Hokie " cheer ) , which resulted in changing the official designation of the Virginia Tech mascot to the Hokies . The costume worn by today ' s HokieBird made its first appearance in 1987 , when Frank Beamer returned as coach . Although he reinstated the Gobbler to the football team ' s scoreboard , by then the Hokies nickname had already become the most prominent . The current HokieBird debuted at that season ' s home opener against Clemson , arriving in a white limousine . HokieBird Curtis Dvorak ( 1995 – 96 ) won the National Cheerleading Association championship in 1996 and has appeared as Jaxson de Ville , mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars since 1996 . Todd Maroldo , Hokiebird in 1996 - 1997 , won the National Cheerleading Association championship in 1997 and was hired as the Carolina Panthers mascot , Sir Purr . HokieBird has been so popular that the mascot landed an appearance on Animal Planet ' s " Turkey Secrets , " shown annually around Thanksgiving . Now , when referring to Virginia Tech , the term " Hokie " generally refers to a Virginia Tech Student . In 2012 - 2013 , the HokieBird held an official banner signing for Newtown , Connecticut , where the Sandy Hook shooting happened . Recently becoming a campus icon and leader , the HokieBird also put together a vigil for three Hokies that passed over Spring Break . Constantly rollerblading through campus , the HokieBird has been known to respond to tweets and visit classes , dormitories , and dining halls . It is myth that there are 3 - 6 HokieBirds at one time , and entire try - out process remains a secret .