BLACKSBURG - Ethan Grunkemeyer’s play this season has been enough to keep him on the field, even when Virginia Tech had a backup ready.
That trust showed up late Friday night at SMU, when Grunkemeyer was allowed to stay in the game and wave off Bryce Baker in the fourth quarter. Coach Franklin said Monday that the decision came down to what Grunkemeyer had shown.
“I think he’s earned a little bit of that. He’s demonstrated that,” Franklin said.
“I think there’s also a difference with maybe a sprained ankle obviously compared maybe to a head injury. That’s a totally different discussion if a guy looks respected maybe to a head injury.
I also think it’s why the coaching staff has so much belief and confidence in him.”
Grunkemeyer finished the night completing eight of his final 12 passes for 102 yards. He also hit a 3-yard touchdown pass to Que’Sean Brown, ran in a two-point conversion and threw an interception.
The final play for the game was a 14-yard run by Grunkemeyer.
Brown, Virginia Tech’s leading receiver, had an uneven night after catches at SMU. He finished with a season-low 2.1 yards per reception, with 15 yards on nine catches. The Mustangs limited his ability to maximize yards after the catch.
The Hokies tried to set up Brown on several screen passes. The Mustangs were ready every time.
“They did a good job of just flowing to the ball. They play winning football all the way around, and the guys flew to the ball,” Brown said. “I’m pretty sure they saw on film that I’m really good with the ball in my hands, and they were well-coached that game and did what they were supposed to.”
Brown still leads the Hokies with 40 catches and 500 yards. He is the first Tech receiver to reach the 40-catch threshold since Cam Phillips in 2015, when Phillips had 51 catches for 784 yards.
Isaiah Ford holds the program record for catches in a season with 75 in 2016. He also owns the program record for yards in a season with 1,164 in 2015.
Third-quarter woes
Virginia Tech has been outscored 36-10 in the third quarter in its six ACC games.
The sluggish stretches coming out of the locker room have been addressed by Franklin with how practice is structured so players can focus on maximizing opportunities after halftime.
The recent changes haven’t made a dent with the Hokies being outscored 21-5 in the last three third quarters.
“I don’t have the answer to that, but Coach Franklin’s been doing his best to just change practice up so we can figure out how to come off a break and finish strong,” Brown said. “That’s been a big emphasis for us.
Just finishing strong. We’ll keep on working on it and it’ll get better.”
Settling in
Linebacker Curtis Jones Jr. had one of his more productive games playing both Mike and Will linebacker with four tackles, one solo, and 1.5 tackles for a loss at SMU.
Jones has worked at both inside linebacker positions after George Balance suffered an undisclosed injury against Pittsburgh.
The West Virginia transfer opened the season as the backup at Mike linebacker. Noah Chambers and Kaleb Spencer are the top two options at Mike linebacker.
“It’s not really a big difference,” Jones said of playing both positions. “There’s obviously differences in what your job responsibility is, but, honestly, I don’t really have a preference.”
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Suddenly Has A Bigger ACC Problem Than One Loss
Virginia Techs 51-28 loss to SMU was jarring enough on its own, the kind of defeat that exposes issues on both sides of the ball and leaves little room for comfort. Kevin Jennings carved up the Hokies for 350 yards and four touchdowns, and the result stood as Virginia Techs worst loss of the season in a conference race that already feels crowded and volatile.
But the bigger concern may be what the rest of the ACC is doing around them. Georgia Techs 44-17 loss to Louisville pushed the Yellow Jackets to four straight defeats, and the league continues to churn with other results and looming games that could reshape the standings again. Even NC States reported move to hire former quarterback Philip Rivers as head coach adds to the sense that the conference picture is shifting fast, and Virginia Tech cannot assume one bad night is the only problem it has to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Reynolds Has Virginia Tech Fans Watching A Bigger Race
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For Virginia Tech, the recognition is a reminder that Reynolds season has carried beyond the usual weekly box score chatter. Being in the semifinal field keeps him in the conversation at a position where production and impact can be hard to separate, and now the focus shifts to whether he can turn that nod into something even bigger as the award race tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Has A Real Chance To Reset The Tone Saturday Night
With bowl eligibility already in hand, Virginia Tech gets a chance Saturday night at Lane Stadium to do more than just keep the season moving forward. The Hokies have built enough momentum to make this one feel like a chance to reset the tone, with Ethan Grunkemeyer steering the offense and Jeffrey Overton Jr. providing balance on the ground as they prepare for Stanford.
Stanford brings its own familiar pieces into the matchup, with Davis Warren directing the passing game and Micah Ford leading the run game, but this is the kind of home date Virginia Tech should expect to control. ESPNs Football Power Index has the Hokies favored, and what happens under the lights will say plenty about whether they can turn a solid season checkpoint into something that feels like a stronger finish. [Read more 🡒]