James Franklin settled the biggest question hanging over Virginia Tech’s Game Week Monday presser: Ethan Grunkemeyer will be the starting quarterback on Saturday, and he’s also been named team captain.
The move wasn’t exactly a shock. The starting quarterback job had been treated as an open competition, but plenty of people around Hokie Nation seemed to know where this was headed.
Last week, the 2026 squad captains were announced, and Grunkemeyer was listed as an offensive captain. Once that “C” went on his chest, there was only a sliver of uncertainty left about who would be taking snaps behind Kyle Altuner at center.
Franklin made the call early in his remarks, and the QB2 situation remains unresolved for now. That part isn’t a stunner either. The room has real talent, and as long as Grunkemeyer keeps producing, major changes at quarterback in 2026 look unlikely.
The bigger backup question is the one that comes with every season: injuries. That’s especially true at quarterback, where one hit can change everything. If the spread and projected score for the VMI game hold up, the reserves could also get a chance to work in garbage time.
A depth chart won’t be released until game day, and with this being an FCS opener, it might not have been especially useful anyway.
Franklin also gave a probable look at the offensive line, and it matches the expected group for the season:
Left Tackle: Aidan Lynch
Left Guard: Montavious Cunningham
Center: Kyle Altuner
Right Guard: Layth Ghannam
Right Tackle: Justin Terry
That’s a strong starting five on paper, but the real test is whether they can function as one unit and whether the drop-off stays minimal when the subs come in. Franklin made it clear that things can still shift.
On the other side, VMI brings a challenge that’s built to make life miserable for a defense. The Keydets are running Paul Johnson’s Triple-Option offense, with some Jeff Monken influence from Army mixed in.
That means Brent Pry and the defense are staring at a test that doesn’t feature many passes, but the ones that do show up can hurt. Paul Johnson’s Georgia Tech teams caused problems for Bud Foster’s defenses more than once.
There’s another wrinkle with the option, too: fourth down. If an offense is consistently grinding out three yards at a time, it’s far more willing to go for it when the field position is decent. That changes the whole math and forces a defense to defend all four downs instead of three.
For Virginia Tech, the formula is simple enough. Score, and keep scoring. If VMI can get the option run game going and chew clock, the game could turn into a fast-moving grind in a hurry.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Just Made A Late Defensive Addition Before The Opener
Virginia Tech is making one more late move on defense before opening the season against VMI, with South Carolina safety DQ Smith reportedly set to join the Hokies through the transfer portal. Smith spent four seasons at South Carolina and would be entering his fifth college season as he heads to Blacksburg, giving Virginia Tech another experienced body in the secondary just as game week arrives.
The timing makes the addition especially noteworthy, since it comes so close to kickoff and gives the Hokies a chance to deepen a unit that will be under the spotlight right away. The move has not been officially confirmed by the team, but it adds one more layer of intrigue to a roster still taking shape before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Efrem Johnson Hope May Be Over After Key Ruling
Efrem Butta Johnsons bid to squeeze one more season out of his college basketball career hit a wall this week when a South Carolina judge denied his attempt to gain additional eligibility. Johnson had just finished a senior season at Clemson and was seeking a fifth year, a move that would have kept his name in the mix for another college stop and given him another chance to extend his run at the college level.
For Virginia Tech fans following the broader ACC landscape, the ruling closes off a storyline that had lingered around Johnsons future and the possibility of one more chapter. Instead, the legal decision appears to leave his college career where it stood after Clemson, ending the hope of an extra season and putting the focus squarely on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Lands Veteran Help As Secondary Questions Still Linger
Virginia Tech added an experienced piece to its secondary when South Carolina defensive back D.Q. Smith committed after gaining eligibility through a temporary restraining order granted by a Louisiana court. Smith entered the transfer portal on Aug. 23 and was in Blacksburg nine days later, giving the Hokies a veteran option at a spot where every proven body matters.
Smith arrives with a long college resume, having spent four years at South Carolina before getting a look from the Minnesota Vikings this summer. The quick move gives Virginia Tech another defender with major-program experience, but it also leaves the broader questions around the secondary very much in play as the Hokies keep sorting out how the back end will settle in. [Read more 🡒]