James Franklin has been at Virginia Tech for nine months, but the part that matters most still hasn’t arrived: a game on the field, much less a win. The off-field pieces are already moving - pledged money, donations, renovations and the like - but the real test for the Hokies is what happens once the ball is snapped.
At the center of that test is quarterback, the position that shapes everything else in a program. Virginia Tech expects Ethan Grunkemeyer to be the starter for the next 2-3 years, but the bigger question is who comes next. For now, the likeliest answers are Troy Huhn or Bryce Baker, depending on how the next couple of weeks shake out in the battle for the backup job for 2026.
That kind of long-term planning at quarterback could give the staff some breathing room, even if the portal can always change the picture fast. Franklin’s track record at Penn State shows how much he values experience at the position. The Nittany Lions rarely opened a season with a true freshman or redshirt freshman under center during his run there.
Sean Clifford didn’t make his first start until his true junior season and went on to become a four-year starter, finishing with 46 and more than 10,000 career passing yards and 86 touchdowns. Trace McSorley was a three-year starter, though he did appear in seven games as a true freshman.
Drew Allar, too, saw action in 10 games as a true freshman before taking over. The pattern was clear: Franklin wanted quarterbacks who had already spent real time on the field before being handed the job.
That experience has mattered beyond college as well. Every quarterback who became a multi-year starter for Franklin ended up spending multiple seasons in the NFL, with the exception of Drew Allar, who is headed into his rookie year.
The other obvious ingredient is winning. It draws donors, and donors help fuel the next wave of investment.
Winning also pulls in recruits and transfers, which creates more winning, which brings in more donations. That cycle is how elite programs get built.
Franklin already has the infrastructure piece in place. Now the Hokies need the results to catch up. With a coach like Franklin, the belief is that it’s not a question of if the on-field side comes together - only when.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Has 2 Early NFL Storylines Fans Should Notice
Virginia Techs offseason buzz is already reaching beyond Blacksburg, with defensive tackle Kemari Copeland and tight end Luke Reynolds earning spots on the Senior Bowls Top 300 list. It is the kind of early recognition that tends to travel with NFL evaluators all summer, and it gives the Hokies a pair of names to track closely as they move through preseason buildup and into a 2026 schedule that opens against VMI.
Copelands profile has continued to rise after landing on the Nagurski and Outland Trophy watch lists, while Reynolds has added his own momentum with a place on the Mackey Award watch list. For Virginia Tech, the bigger picture is less about the individual honors than what they say about the roster the staff is trying to build, especially with both players positioned to remain central figures in the conversation as the season gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
PFT Commenters Virginia Ties Give Hokies Fans A New Reason To Care
As Pardon My Take marks its 10-year anniversary, PFT Commenter and Big Cat have turned the milestone into a new book, Pardon My Book, that traces the podcasts rise and folds in plenty of behind-the-scenes material. The project was heavily rewritten by the hosts so it would sound like them, which fits a show that built its audience by leaning into a distinct voice and a very specific kind of sports-world chaos.
For Virginia Tech fans, the local angle is what stands out. PFT Commenter is a James Madison alumnus with strong Virginia ties, and he has also voiced support for Hokies football while talking about his own career path and connection to the state. It is the kind of crossover that does not change the depth chart or the schedule, but it does give Virginia Tech supporters another reason to pay attention to a familiar name with roots a little closer to home. [Read more 🡒]
Kemari Copeland Is Giving Virginia Tech A Defensive Anchor Fans Can Trust
Kemari Copelands offseason recognition keeps piling up, and Virginia Tech has reason to feel good about where its defensive front is headed. The Hokies defensive lineman was named to the Bednarik Award Watch List, which spotlights the top defensive player in college football, adding another national nod to a rsum that has steadily grown as the summer has gone on.
This is the fourth major watch list Copeland has landed on, a sign of how much attention he has drawn before the season even gets underway. The Bednarik Award will narrow to semifinalists on November 10 before the winner is announced on December 10 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show, leaving Copeland with plenty of time to keep building on the momentum already surrounding his name. [Read more 🡒]