'I'd Like To Keep It Alive': Virginia Tech's Quarterback Battle Remains Open To Start April

Virginia Tech football is guaranteed to have a new signal-caller spearheading the ship for the 2026 season and potentially beyond. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech's signal-caller for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, is out, having graduated.

The day one starter will be a new option, no matter what — yet the presumable choice will be one familiar to the coaching staff that will welcome him in: Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer. The redshirt sophomore was luminous (eventually) when called upon to take the starting mantle with then-starter Drew Allar out for the season with an ankle injury.

It took time for Grunkemeyer to settle in — he threw one touchdown to four interceptions in his first three starts — but he eventually did. In his last three games, the 6-foot-2, 218-pound signal-caller threw for 777 passing yards and seven touchdowns, while not yielding a single interception. Across the season's totality, Grunkemeyer threw for 1,339 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns and four interceptions.

Had his quarterback rating (QBR) of 75.0 been extrapolated out to a full season, Grunkemeyer's total would have ranked No. 25. If based against the ACC (noting the caveat that Grunkemeyer's stats were accomplished against Big 10 opponents), his quarterback rating would have ranked fifth, behind Miami's Carson Beck (80.6), N.C. State's C.J. Bailey (78.1), Duke's Darian Mensah (78.0) and Georgia Tech's Hanyes King (77.7).

Thus far, while Grunkemeyer has not outright won the battle, he does have a leg up by osmosis of having more in-game reps — or to rephrase, any in-game reps. Kelden Ryan did not see game action for Virginia Tech as the team's fourth-string signal-caller, while Bryce Baker did not see any action in his true freshman year at North Carolina. Then, there's Troy Huhn, a three-star early enrollee who steps in as the lone true freshman of the group.

Added together, it's a rather green group that's combined for a total of seven starts, all of which are coming from Grunkemeyer. All of the snaps are coming from Grunkemeyer, too.

Still, Franklin isn't settled on Grunkemeyer as the day one option, though he has thought that Grunkemeyer has done solid, remarking that he is a "conscientious" player. However, most of Franklin's ruminations on quarterbacks was on the room, as a whole — in effort, drive, etc., etc.

"Little bit different style," Franklin said of the difference between Baker and Grunkemeyer. "But both [are] very conscientious. Both really want to do well. Both are willing to make the sacrifices and live the lifestyle to allow them to be successful. They both have similar bodies. They both can make all or most of the throws.

"They both can beat you with their feet. So, I've been impressed."

And as aforementioned, Franklin — though he would like to establish a pecking order by spring's end — recognizes that he wishes to keep competition rife in as many rooms as possible to produce the three-deep he aspires for at every position. Through seven spring practices, he thinks he's got that in the quarterback room.

"I think we got legitimately three or four quarterbacks that are battling."

That competition may carry through the spring, or it may not. Franklin isn't sure yet, saying that he "would like it" but that he didn't know if the team would have a defined order.

"I also want to keep competition at every position as long as we possibly can, going into the season," Franklin continued. "I just think that's in everybody's best interest. Once you make that decision, you say that the second-team and the third-team guys should still be preparing like the starter, but it usually takes some time to get over that and then move on. So I'd like to keep it alive as long as we possibly can, not just at the quarterback position, but really in every position. And the reality is, it's not like I have to say something, right?

"The guys see it, right? They kind of have an idea. I want multiple quarterbacks to take on a leadership role, but the players are going to listen to who they believe in, who they trust, and who they respect. So it's not like we got to crown somebody for everybody to see it and feel it. The players got a pretty good idea."

The Hokies' 2026 season starts on Saturday, Sept. 5, against VMI in Lane Stadium. Before that, though, the spring game — which will presumably feature Grunkemeyer — will take place on Saturday, April 18, at 3 p.m. ET.