Virginia Tech’s season opener against VMI figures to be a mismatch on paper, and a massive one at that. SP+ projects a 68-0 Hokies win and gives Virginia Tech a 100% chance to walk out with a victory.
With VMI sitting 376th in Bill Connelly’s ratings across all divisions, the final score may not reveal much. The snaps in between should.
James Franklin settled the biggest offseason question Monday by naming Ethan Grunkemeyer the starting quarterback. That decision came five days before kickoff and turns the focus to everything around him.
Grunkemeyer completed 69.1% of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions at Penn State last season, starting the final seven games and winning the last four. Virginia Tech’s staff knows what it has.
Everyone else is still getting acquainted.
One of the clearest early clues could come from personnel. Franklin offenses lean on the tight end, and offensive coordinator Ty Howle coached Tyler Warren to Penn State’s first John Mackey Award in 2024.
Virginia Tech has its own options there in Luke Reynolds and Benji Gosnell. If the Hokies come out in 12 and 13 personnel on the opening drive, that says plenty about Howle’s approach before halftime ever matters.
The offensive line is also worth watching, especially on the edges. The projected group from left to right is Justin Terry, Layth Ghannam, Kyle Altuner, Montavious Cunningham and Aidan Lynch.
The middle of that unit looks the most settled. Altuner started all 12 games at center as a redshirt freshman and played 793 snaps, while Ghannam made 10 starts at left guard.
The tackles bring more uncertainty. Terry comes over from Ohio State without a college start, and Lynch moves to right tackle after posting a 45.6 grade on PFF last season, the lowest mark among returning Hokie linemen.
VMI may not be the test that exposes them, but the first time they have to sort out a stunt will tell a story. If they struggle with an FCS twist, the problems won’t stay small for long.
There’s also the matchup on the other side of the ball, though even that comes with a warning label. VMI hired Ashley Ingram in December after 16 years at Navy and two seasons at Division II Carson-Newman, where he went 16-6 with the triple option. He brought that offense with him, and the Keydets used it in a 38-10 loss at Idaho State on Aug. 29, running 52 times for 229 yards.
That makes Saturday less about whether Brent Pry’s defense can handle the best offenses on the schedule and more about whether it can stay sharp on assignments. No other opponent Virginia Tech sees this season runs anything quite like this. The game is really about eye discipline and gap integrity.
Quarterback depth is another thing Franklin left open. He did not name a backup Monday, keeping North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker, Kelden Ryan and true freshman Troy Huhn in the mix. With a 68-point projection, all three could see the field.
The uncertainty doesn’t stop there. Linebacker Gabe Williams, Virginia Tech’s top signee in the 2024 class, is out with a long-term injury for the second time in three years.
Defensive tackle Emmett Laws has not practiced this fall. Franklin has already shifted Clemson transfer Sherrod Covil Jr. from safety to outside linebacker to help cover the loss.
“You make plans based on everybody being healthy,” Franklin said. Saturday should give the Hokies their first real look at Plan B.
SP+ has Virginia Tech’s offense at No. 38, the defense at No. 39 and the special teams at No. 89.
That last number is not a knock on John Love, who has made 54 of 64 career field goals and all 114 of his extra points. It is a reminder that coverage and return work can be evaluated cleanly in a game like this, because nobody is trying to protect a lead.
If Virginia Tech is still losing the field position battle late against the 376th-ranked team in the country, that will say something worth noting.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Just Made A Late Defensive Addition Before The Opener
Virginia Tech is making one more late roster move before its season opener against VMI, with reports saying the Hokies are adding South Carolina safety DQ Smith from the transfer portal. Smith, who spent four seasons with the Gamecocks, is expected to join Virginia Tech for his fifth college season, giving the defense another experienced option as the countdown to kickoff winds down.
The timing is notable because this kind of late addition can still matter in August, especially for a secondary that benefits from experienced depth and competition. The move has not been officially confirmed by the team yet, but if it goes through, it gives Virginia Tech another veteran piece to work into the mix right before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Lands Veteran Help As Secondary Questions Still Linger
Virginia Tech added an experienced piece to its defensive backfield with the commitment of South Carolina defensive back D.Q. Smith, giving the Hokies another veteran option as they continue sorting out the secondary. Smith arrives after spending four seasons at South Carolina and also had a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings, though he did not land an NFL contract.
Smiths path to Blacksburg moved quickly once he entered the transfer portal on Aug. 23 and then joined Virginia Tech nine days later, aided by eligibility obtained through a temporary restraining order granted by a Louisiana court. For a Hokies defense still looking for clarity in the back end, the addition brings experience and immediate help, even if the broader picture in the secondary is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Efrem Johnson Hope May Be Over After Key Ruling
Efrem Butta Johnsons bid to squeeze out one more season of college basketball hit a hard stop this week, when a South Carolina judge denied his request for additional eligibility. Johnson had already played out his senior year at Clemson last season, and the ruling leaves him without a path to extend his college career through the courts.
For Virginia Tech, the decision closes the door on a potential addition who would have brought another experienced guard into the mix. Johnson had been seeking a fifth season, but with the legal challenge turned away, the Hokies and everyone else watching the case are left with the same reality: his college run appears to be over. [Read more 🡒]