Virginia Tech’s season may come down to one of the simplest calls in football: how often offensive coordinator Ty Howle leans on the tight end.
That sounds minor until you stack up the problem the Hokies are carrying into the year. Virginia Tech allowed 29 sacks in 2025 and spent the season struggling to protect the quarterback.
Now the offense belongs to Ethan Grunkemeyer, the presumptive starter, and he’s a pocket passer who is not going to make life easier with his legs. Put those two realities together, and the danger is obvious.
If the pocket breaks down again, the whole offense could go with it.
Howle’s answer is the one area where he has already shown a clear edge. At Penn State, he helped build a tight end pipeline that produced a John Mackey Award winner and a first-round pick in Tyler Warren.
In his offense, the tight end isn’t a luxury piece. It’s central to everything.
The position can help in protection, chip an edge rusher, stay in to block, or slip out as the quick outlet. For a quarterback like Grunkemeyer, that means the tight end can do the work of both a blocker and a pressure release.
Virginia Tech did not get much from the position a year ago. Its top three tight ends combined for 28 catches, 226 yards, and three touchdowns.
That changed quickly once Howle arrived. He brought Luke Reynolds with him from Penn State, and the junior - a former five-star and now a Mackey Award watch list player - gives the room a clear headliner.
Benji Gosnell also returns as a veteran presence.
The spring game offered an early hint of where this could go. Virginia Tech’s tight ends produced 205 of the team’s 428 receiving yards, a strong sign that the position is going to be much more involved than it was last season.
None of that works if the offensive line doesn’t do its part. Four starters are back, Matt Moore is in his second year coaching the group, and Oklahoma transfer Logan Howland is projected at left tackle. Even so, the margin for error is slim, especially with five road games and trips to Clemson, SMU, and Miami on the schedule.
That’s what makes this such a clean fit between scheme and roster. Virginia Tech went 3-9 last season and finished with a minus-8 turnover margin.
Pressure on the quarterback leads to sacks, rushed decisions, and giveaways. Clean pockets do the opposite.
Grunkemeyer’s reputation is built on efficiency and ball security, but that only matters if he has time to work.
So the Hokies’ year may hinge on a very specific question: how often, and how effectively, Howle uses his tight ends to keep a quarterback who can’t create for himself upright and on schedule. If that works, Virginia Tech has a chance to settle things down. If it doesn’t, the same problems that wrecked 2025 could be waiting again.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Fall Camp Battle Is Bringing New Names Into Focus
During Virginia Techs open practice on Aug. 13, the first thing that stood out was how many spots still felt up for grabs. James Franklin has made it clear that every position is open as the Hokies keep sorting through fall camp, and that has opened the door for several players to make their case with a strong showing in front of reporters. The team is using these sessions to evaluate not just the usual veterans, but also newcomers and younger players who have started to turn practice reps into real momentum.
Among the names drawing attention is Jaquez White, the Troy transfer who made his presence felt by breaking up three passes during the workout. Virginia Tech is also watching a handful of other players whose past production, recruiting profile, and camp progress suggest they could become meaningful pieces this season, with the final starting lineup set to be revealed before the VMI game. For a roster still taking shape, the next stretch of practice will help determine which of those emerging contributors are ready to move from intriguing options to everyday roles. [Read more 🡒]
Quentin Reddish Gives Virginia Tech A Needed Boost At Safety
Virginia Tech got a welcome sight in fall camp with Quentin Reddish back on the practice field, giving the secondary a boost at a position that has been important to sort out before the season opener against VMI. The safety is projected to step into a starting role, and his return adds some needed stability and experience to a defense that can use both as the Hokies work toward Week 1.
Reddishs comeback has been a long one after the shoulder injury sidelined him for a stretch, but his progress has clearly caught the attention of the staff. Safety coach Anthony Midget has been pleased with what he has seen so far, and Virginia Tech will keep watching how Reddish handles the final stages of camp as the opener gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Just Got An Early Measure Of Its ACC Standing
The first AP Top 25 preseason poll of 2026 offered a quick snapshot of where the ACC sits before the games start counting, and it gave Virginia Tech a little early measuring stick too. Miami, SMU and Louisville all landed in the top 25, while the Hokies were left outside the rankings but still collected votes, a sign that there is at least some national recognition around what they could bring into the fall.
For Brent Prys group, the real test is still ahead, beginning Sept. 5 against VMI at Lane Stadium on the ACC Network. Preseason votes do not decide anything, but they do hint at how close a team is to breaking through, and Virginia Tech will get its first chance to turn that outside respect into something more meaningful once the season kicks off. [Read more 🡒]