Five Players Who Will Define Virginia Tech's 2026 Season
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Virginia Tech enters 2026 with James Franklin on the sideline and more optimism than Blacksburg has felt in years. Here are the five players who will determine whether that optimism is earned.
1. Ethan Grunkemeyer, Quarterback
Penn State's season was basically over when Drew Allar broke his ankle against Northwestern in October. The Nittany Lions were 3-3, Franklin had just been fired and nobody outside of State College had heard much about the redshirt freshman from Ohio who was stepping in.
What Grunkemeyer did over the next two months was consistent improvement. He lost his first three starts, including a 25-24 gut-punch at Iowa and a 27-24 loss to Indiana that buried Penn State's season for good. Then he won four straight, capped by 262 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. His 69.1% completion rate for the season set a Penn State single-season record.
Virginia Tech lost every quarterback from last year's roster. There's no veteran in the room, no experienced backup who's seen ACC action. It's Grunkemeyer, a rebuilt line and a receiver group he's never played with before. If he can play the way he finished 2025, this team can surprise people. If he can't, no amount of good defense or special teams covers it.
2. Kemari Copeland, Defensive Line
Virginia Tech lost starter Kelvin Gilliam and key reserve Kody Huisman to graduation this offseason. Having Copeland back will be crucial to the success of the defense.
He was the best defensive player on the roster last year. Forty-eight tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, third-team All-ACC. In October against California, he had three sacks in a double-overtime win, the first Virginia Tech defensive tackle to do that since J.C. Price in 1995. NFL scouts started showing up after that. At least one school sent staffers to watch him play in person later in the season, hoping to pull him into the portal. He came back anyway.
He draws double teams every snap, which makes everyone around him better. The defense is young in many spots this fall. Having a veteran anchor on the inside covers for a lot of that.
3. Marcellous Hawkins, Running Back
Nobody saw Hawkins coming when he transferred from Division II Central Missouri last year. What he put together was one of the quieter standout seasons in the ACC.
He ran 118 times for 749 yards at 6.3 yards a carry across 11 games, earning an 86.0 PFF grade, highest on the roster. Virginia Tech ranked third in the ACC in rushing at 182.4 yards per game. Defenses knew he was getting the ball on almost every snap. Didn't matter.
Franklin's offense has always leaned on its running back when the passing game needs time to develop. With Grunkemeyer still learning the system, Hawkins is the guy who keeps third-and-manageable from becoming third-and-eight every drive. He's got a real shot at 1,000 yards, which hasn't happened in Blacksburg since Bhayshul Tuten in 2024.
4. John Love, Kicker
Franklin's first season will likely feature many close games in his first year at Virginia Tech. Those close games will likely be decided by the right foot of Love.
He hasn't missed a PAT in college. Not once, in 114 straight attempts. Last year he hit a 56-yarder against South Carolina, a 52-yarder against California and drained a 49-yarder to beat NC State with 6:31 left. His 276 career points sit seventh all-time at Virginia Tech. He went 16 of 18 on field goals in 2024 and 15 of 20 last year, a number he'd probably like back.
But the track record is real. When a first-year offense stalls in the red zone, having a reliable kicker will be crucial in one-score games.
5. Que'Sean Brown, Wide Receiver
Brown put up 64 catches for 846 yards and five touchdowns at Duke last year. Then the Sun Bowl happened: 178 yards, two touchdowns and the go-ahead score against Arizona State. He was one of the better receivers in the ACC, and Virginia Tech got him in January.
He's 5-foot-8, which looks like a limitation on paper. Watch him run routes and that stops being the conversation. He wins in tight windows, picks up yards after the catch and doesn't go down on first contact. ACC defensive coordinators also have no film on him in this offense. They don't know how Grunkemeyer targets him, which routes he'll run, where he lines up. That uncertainty is a real asset in a first year when the whole offense is new anyway.
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James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.