Virginia Tech’s Week 2 depth chart is worth watching closely, and the biggest movement may come in the spots that were quiet in the opener.
The Hokies are getting ready for Old Dominion on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 12 p.m. ET in Lane Stadium, and the early question is simple: who stays put, who returns from absence, and which positions could actually shift after the VMI game?
A few players who did not dress against VMI could be back in the mix. Wide receivers Luke Stuewe and Takye Heath were among the notable absences, along with defensive lineman Emmett Laws.
Laws, though, does not look likely to be ready after being in shells at the last practice seen on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Stuewe and Heath are more realistic possibilities, depending on how they’re progressing. The same goes for the nickels, where Isaiah Brown-Murray was the headliner in a group that did not play in the opener.
That felt more like a matchup decision than anything else, with a third linebacker better suited to an option offense that was run-heavy against VMI. Unless something changes with injury, Brown-Murray should be back in the starting picture against the Monarchs.
At quarterback and running back, a shakeup seems unlikely. Head coach James Franklin said Wednesday that the split between Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton Jr. will vary from week to week, and that fits the way the opener played out.
Hawkins should still be the main ball-carrier, but Overton’s nine carries for 104 yards against VMI were enough to suggest he could lead the team in rushing in some games. Behind center, Ethan Grunkemeyer stays the clear No. 1 after going 17-for-20 for 224 yards and two touchdowns against VMI, with Bryce Baker likely holding the backup job for Old Dominion.
The wide receiver room is where the most movement could happen, especially if availability remains fluid. Stuewe, Heath and Shamarius “Snook” Peterkin all sat out the opener, and that could affect where A.J.
Brand sits on the two-deep. The names at the top - Marlion Jackson, Tyseer Denmark and Davion “FatRat” Brown, who started in his first collegiate game - don’t appear in danger of losing ground.
Chanz Wiggins is one player who could climb after hauling in a 40-yard touchdown in the opener, but there may simply be too many receivers fighting for too few snaps.
Safety is another spot to monitor, though more for the future than for this week. D.Q.
Smith has now passed the mandatory NCAA acclimitization period and is eligible to play, but the real issue is when Virginia Tech feels he’s ready for the defensive scheme in Blacksburg. For now, it does not sound like that means more than a couple snaps, if he plays at all.
For Saturday, the most likely changes center on the nickels getting a real role against Old Dominion, with wide receiver possibly producing a move or two depending on who’s available. Beyond that, the depth chart looks set for now.
In Other News...
James Franklin Knows Exactly What Virginia Tech Is Up Against
James Franklin enters this matchup with a clear sense of the challenge ahead, and not just because Virginia Tech is trying to set a tone early. Franklin knows Old Dominion well through his close personal and professional relationship with Monarchs coach Ricky Rahne, a connection that goes back to Franklins time away from Penn State, when he visited Old Dominions sideline after being fired. Now he is preparing to face a coach he respects in a setting where familiarity only raises the level of urgency.
Franklin acknowledged Rahnes success at Old Dominion and the confidence the Monarchs will bring into the game, which only sharpens the stakes for Virginia Tech. It also adds an unusual layer to an already meaningful meeting, with the two coaches set to stand on opposite sidelines and each knowing the others background, habits and expectations. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Blowout Just Changed How The Rest Of The Schedule Looks
Virginia Tech opened the season with a rout of VMI that did more than fill up the scoreboard. The Hokies used the opener to make an early statement, and the result has reshaped the way the rest of their schedule looks from here. With Old Dominion next on the docket, the conversation around this team has already shifted from simply getting through September to how quickly a strong start can build.
ESPNs Football Power Index took notice, too, and the projections now look more favorable for Virginia Tech in the weeks ahead. There are still plenty of tests to navigate, and the margin for error will tighten once the schedule gets deeper, but the early read is clear enough: this kind of performance changes expectations, both inside the building and in the way the next few opponents are viewed. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Bowl Outlook Just Got A Lot More Complicated
Virginia Techs bowl picture is still very much in flux, and the range of national projections tells the story. Different outlets have the Hokies headed to different postseason destinations, a reflection of how hard it is to pin down this teams ceiling under new head coach James Franklin. The uncertainty is part of the appeal at this point, especially with the season still offering enough swing game potential to move the conversation in a hurry.
Recent results and Franklins track record have kept the Hokies in the mix, but not settled anywhere just yet. The broader read is that Virginia Tech has enough talent and coaching structure to stay bowl-bound, though the exact landing spot remains one of the more interesting unresolved questions around the program as the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]