BLACKSBURG - Ethan Grunkemeyer didn’t need much time after Virginia Tech’s wet, ugly trip to Boston College to know the film had plenty to teach him.
He said there were still things in his bag that hadn’t dried out by the time the Hokies got back to campus late Saturday night. More important, he had already filled pages of notes after going back through the game and picking apart what needed work.
“I was able to learn from a lot of this stuff and make some of the corrections coming into this week,” Grunkemeyer said after Tuesday’s practice. “Obviously, we were able to get the win, so it was really more of an opportunity for me to come in here this week and kind of have 1-2 goals each day to get better and hone in on that stuff.”
The conditions in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, didn’t make life easy on anyone. Rain, wind and a messy field made passing the ball difficult, and Grunkemeyer finished with low numbers in a 125-yard, 42.8% completion effort. Two of his throws were nearly intercepted, and others were dropped.
Still, he said the game gave him a chance to see where his mechanics could tighten up.
“I think some of it was just my feet going into the throw,” Grunkemeyer said. “Me and Coach O’Brien sat down and talked about it, and it popped up today on one thing, made the correction and fixed it to have a big, explosive play in practice today. So just kind of small stuff with my feet and seeing some of our different concepts, but I think that we were able to get a good bead on those and get them fixed.”
That matters this week against a Pittsburgh defense that has allowed less than 300 passing yards to three of its four opponents.
Grunkemeyer said the Panthers disguise what they do well. They’ve been in the same system for a long time, which makes it harder for quarterbacks to diagnose what’s coming pre-snap.
“I think they disguise what they do really well. They’ve been in that system, running it for a long time, so just being able to kind of diagnose what they’re doing pre-snap - not only that, but post-snap,” Grunkemeyer said.
“They line up pretty similar on normal downs a good amount of the time, so they do a really good job of that. So being able to kind of decipher that and going through my reads and trusting my read keys and everything is very important.”
The Hokies also spent the week getting rookie receiver Brody Meadows and probable starting running back Montavious Cunningham back into the availability report. Head coach James Franklin revealed Cunningham suffered an injury over the summer that kept him out of competition for a starting job in training camp.
“The biggest thing is he’s smart, he’s consistent, he’s reliable and he’s got really good balance and body control for a 310-pound kid,” Franklin said.
Running back Jeffrey Overton Jr. has filled the home-run threat role for Tech’s offense. He has 30 carries for 165 yards and added a 34-yard receiving touchdown through four weeks. That 34-yarder came on a wheel route at Maryland, and the 50-yard touchdown run against Boston College was the go-ahead score.
“It’s really comforting for me as a quarterback, but not only that, it opens up everything for our receivers, for our O-line,” Grunkemeyer said. “They’re not getting some of these different crazy looks maybe just because they’re scared of a home-run threat like that in the running game. So I think it just opens up our offense really, really good.”
Grunkemeyer also praised Overton as “QB’s best friend.”
Virginia Tech’s newest college football show, Bussin’ Game Day on Campus, will air live on ESPN from 4-6 p.m. Friday from the Hokie Village area ahead of the game between the Hokies and Panthers at Lane Stadium.
The show is hosted by former NFL players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton, along with college football media personality Josh Pate. Students are welcome to attend the live taping.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Faces A Real Depth Test Ahead Of Pitt
Virginia Techs unbeaten start is about to meet a little uncertainty. The ACC released its first player availability report ahead of the Hokies Oct. 2 matchup with Pitt, and Virginia Tech showed up with a long list of 13 players carrying designations ranging from out to questionable to probable. For a team that has ridden a 4-0 start into the national spotlight, the report adds a layer of intrigue before a game that will air live on ESPN.
The Hokies have earned the right to feel good about where they stand, but the availability list is a reminder that depth can get tested quickly once conference play tightens up. Pitt brings a fresh challenge, and Virginia Tech will be watching closely to see which of those sidelined or limited players are available when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Faces Its First Real ACC Test Against Pitt
Virginia Techs unbeaten start gets a different kind of test this week, one that should tell the Hokies a lot more about where they really stand in the ACC race. Pitt arrives just as hot, with both teams sitting at 4-0 and 1-0 in league play, and the matchup brings together one of the conferences most productive offenses and one of its stingiest defenses. For Virginia Tech, the usual headliners are in the spotlight again, with Raheem Blackshear, Ethan Grunkemeyer and Caleb Harris each expected to have a major hand in how this one unfolds.
The contrast makes this more than just another early-season game. Virginia Tech has been piling up points at a 43.3-per-game clip, while Pitt has kept opponents in check at just 8.5 points per game, so something has to give when the two teams finally meet. For the Hokies, it is the first real chance to see whether their fast start can travel against a defense built to make life uncomfortable, and the result should say plenty about how sustainable this opening run really is. [Read more 🡒]