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Outside distractions didn鈥檛 faze him. The injuries that defined his two first seasons at Virginia Tech were distant memories. He proved over the spring he deserved to be on the roster.

Heath was in a position to focus on what was in front of him. His teammates, who were there through the trying times over the last two seasons, helped him along as he worked toward becoming a contributor instead of an observer.

鈥淎 lot of my teammates were there to comfort me through trying stuff or darkness or rough times,鈥� Heath said after Wednesday鈥檚 practice. 鈥淚t was like they just seen it in me, me being out here every day, ready to work, me being in the facility, me making sure my body (was) good to play, not always hurt. Just things like that. They saw it in me and I鈥檓 glad that they saw it in me and I鈥檓 trying to make a change and be a better person for this team.鈥�

Heath found his place with the Hokies as the starting slot receiver. He made his first career start last weekend against South Carolina in Atlanta and he鈥檚 projected to start again in Saturday鈥檚 home opener against Vanderbilt.

鈥淚鈥檓 in a great spot,鈥� Heath said. 鈥淚 feel free, like just ready to play some ball.鈥�

Heath had two catches for 10 yards in the first quarter against the Gamecocks. He also had a key dropped pass on third down early in the third quarter 鈥渢hat still lives with me,鈥� he told reporters.

It was a third-and-5 play where Heath turned his head upfield in anticipation of picking up extra yards before securing the catch, and the ball fell to the turf.

鈥淲e emphasize so much on those third-and-medium situations, 鈥楳an, we鈥檝e got to get north-south, make sure we hit them sticks,鈥欌�� Hokies coach Brent Pry said Wednesday, 鈥渁nd to be honest, I think that was a little bit of it. He was so anxious to turn up, because he hasn鈥檛 been fearful; I don鈥檛 think that was it. But we鈥檝e got to be sure-handed.鈥�

The 5-foot-10, 163-pound Heath is still expected to factor into the offense because he has a skill set that no other receiver on the roster possesses, according to position coach Fontel Mines. Mines said Heath has 鈥渆lite quickness, speed, break points, being able to get in and out of cuts,鈥� and it took time to finally unlock Heath鈥檚 full potential within the offense.

鈥淭akye went through some growing pains, he went through some adversity,鈥� Mines said in training camp. 鈥淗e had to find himself a little bit, man, and just had to figure out where he fit on the team, where he fit on the offense, and adversity will break the strongest man. I think he鈥檚 bounced back. And most improved in the spring. That鈥檚 continued throughout the summer and summer workouts, and he鈥檚 had a really good camp. And he鈥檚 one of the most different guys.鈥�

Heath entered the season with eight career appearances, one catch for 5 yards and one rush for 6 yards. The 6-yard run came in the 2024 opener at Vanderbilt, and the 5-yard catch came in the same season against Rutgers.

Pry spoke early in the 2023 season about Heath鈥檚 emergence and that the coaching staff was comfortable with not utilizing the redshirt year and getting him involved in the receiver rotation.

Heath finally got on the field against Rutgers. He 鈥渃hose a big guy鈥� to block on his first play and was pushed backward, tried to brace his fall to the ground and broke his wrist in the process.

Heath, a Highland Springs High product, admitted he knew immediately he had broken his wrist and had surgery.

That鈥檚 when the first outside distraction began to develop as he said he had a 鈥渞ough time coming back from that,鈥� and that spilled over into how he handled his approach to the 2024 season.

鈥淭here鈥檚 just greater challenges when they get here and it鈥檚 not just in Year 1, sometimes it鈥檚 in Year 2. It鈥檚 when things compound, and maybe it鈥檚 an injury or there鈥檚 a family issue or there鈥檚 a playing time issue or there鈥檚 some trouble or maybe it鈥檚 school and it鈥檚 a lot,鈥� Pry said. 鈥淔ortunately, he stuck with it, and Coach Mines has done a good job with him, and Coach (Cam) Phillips, and he comes from a good program. Loren (Johnson) did a good job with him in high school and good family. 鈥� I mean, for an 18-, 19-year-old kid, that is a lot. It鈥檚 hard to go through that stuff. Anyways, he鈥檚 in a good place and we need him. He can help us this year.鈥�

Pry admitted in the days leading up to the opener against South Carolina that Heath was 鈥渁 guy that, quite honestly, wasn鈥檛 sure he was going to make it. He felt that way, I felt that way.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not so much play at this level; it鈥檚 the sacrifice and investment and how hard it is and the adversity and sometimes it鈥檚 easy for guys to quit, as much as you encourage them and support them, and sometimes it gets away from them,鈥� Pry said Wednesday. 鈥淏ut he hung in there enough and trusted us enough. He鈥檚 one of those guys that as he got a little bit of success, he just gained confidence. With him, it was easy to see. Walks in the building, he鈥檚 got that great smile that鈥檚 on, you know he鈥檚 having a good day, and then sometimes when he鈥檚 down, you see it right away. So we (see) a lot more smiling these days than frowns.鈥�

Heath knew he wanted to contribute at this level. It was fighting through the doubts and realizing he had what it took to be a starting wide receiver on an ACC program.

Being named the most improved offensive player in the spring was a start in the right direction.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say like not really going to make it, but it was just like rough, right?鈥� Heath said. 鈥淎re you going to be able to play on this level? Can you block out all the outside stuff to be able to learn your plays, every play, not make a mistake? There was some stuff that was kind of going on, stuff would go on like outside and I would let it affect me on the field. I鈥檝e definitely overcome that, for sure.鈥�

Kelvin Gilliam, another Highland Springs product, bragged about Heath at ACC football media days about how Heath 鈥渟howed the guts that he had鈥� over the summer when the team went to Claytor Lake for a 24-hour bonding trip.

鈥淭akye just grew up. As you鈥檝e seen, we鈥檝e been waiting on him,鈥� quarterback Kyron Drones said last week. 鈥淲e already knew the type of player he could be. He just finally decided he wanted to be that player, and I鈥檝e been real excited about him.鈥�

Heath said Wednesday that Philip Montgomery鈥檚 offense fits him better than the previous offensive scheme, and that showed in the opener with Heath鈥檚 ability to win the initial matchup at the line of scrimmage and get open for Drones.

He鈥檚 also incorporating elements of what made Jaylin Lane successful into his game. Heath spent two seasons behind Lane on the depth chart at slot receiver and viewed Lane as 鈥渁n awesome mentor.鈥� Heath also looks up to pros Tank Dell, Jaylen Waddle and Greg Dortch in how he models running routes and being tough in the slot.

Heath feels free in the offense. He is improving on a daily basis. And his thoughts are now focused on how he can help the team on the field, not just from the sideline.

鈥淚 feel like the role that I鈥檝e been coming to, like the amount of snaps, I feel like I have a big chance to have a great year,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 all on me and me making plays, finishing plays, finishing snaps and all that type of stuff.鈥�