Notes and Quotes from Virginia Tech Head Coach James Franklin's Nov. 9 Press Conference
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BLACKSBURG — After a 23-point drubbing in Dallas, Virginia Tech football is back in Blacksburg to take on Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 14 (7:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network). Ahead of the clash, Hokies head coach James Franklin spoke to the media in his weekly press conference. Here are the most noteworthy observations and quotes from the proceedings:
What went wrong defensively against SMU?
Virginia Tech's defense struggled to consistently disrupt SMU's offense Saturday. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings was 24-of-32 for 350 yards and four touchdowns; it is the third time in the last four games that the Hokies have allowed 300-plus yards through the air.
"I wouldn't say it's really been a last-week deal," Franklin said. "It's been a challenge for us for most of the season on a consistent basis. We've shown flashes of progress, but we just were never able to get them off schedule."
Franklin specifically pointed to the Hokies' struggles in zone coverage, where defenders have had difficulty maintaining proper positioning while accounting for multiple receiving threats.
"We got to be better, specifically in our zone coverages, in consistently getting depth to give some reinforcement to our safeties and our corners, and then be able to rally for the underneath throws," Franklin said.
Will Virginia Tech simplify its defensive scheme?
With the Hokies continuing to encounter defensive execution issues, Franklin indicated that the coaching staff has considered narrowing its approach to allow players to operate more confidently.
The discussions began shortly after Virginia Tech returned from Dallas, with Franklin and his staff meeting for several hours Saturday morning before reconvening Sunday. Rather than continually adding new concepts, Franklin wants the Hokies to become more proficient in a smaller number of schemes before expanding their responsibilities.
"One of the things that we've looked at is narrowing some things down, so we can become masters in a few things rather than being solid in a number of different things," Franklin said.
Franklin also acknowledged that the staff's approach during the bye week may have contributed to the team's difficulties against SMU. In retrospect, he believes Virginia Tech devoted too much attention to preparing for its upcoming opponent rather than correcting existing deficiencies.
"Looking back, we didn't spend enough time on getting things fixed and becoming masters on more things during bye week and maybe eliminating some things that we're not doing as well," Franklin said.
Still, Franklin stressed that simplifying the defense cannot come at the expense of presenting challenges.
"We got to have enough schemes in that we can still be challenging to the offense in what we're presenting, but not too much that the players can't go out and execute it at a high level," Franklin said.
How has running back Jeffrey Overton Jr. developed into a more complete offensive weapon?
Despite Virginia Tech's offensive struggles against SMU, Franklin praised running back Overton, who finished with a team-high 123 rushing yards.
Franklin explained that the coaching staff evaluates offensive playmakers partly by what they accomplish beyond the yardage created by the blocking scheme.
For Overton, that means consistently beating the first unblocked defender and turning ordinary opportunities into explosive plays.
"I thought he had his best game of consistently making that free hitter miss or breaking tackles and adding yards to it," Franklin said.
The Hokies have adjusted their running back rotation throughout the season, moving away from a more evenly distributed workload between Overton Jr. and fifth-year back Marcellous Hawkins to provide the sophomore with additional opportunities.
"We got to make sure that he continues to get enough touches in the run game and the pass game each game because he's a playmaker," Franklin said.
What did Franklin say about Ethan Grunkemeyer's toughness?
Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer's physical condition was another topic of discussion after he appeared to be hobbled during Saturday's game against SMU.
Franklin explained that he initially considered inserting backup quarterback Bryce Baker when Grunkemeyer began showing signs of discomfort, but the starter waved off the potential substitution.
The coaching staff ultimately allowed Grunkemeyer to remain in the game after determining that he could continue operating the offense and protecting himself.
"No one knows his body better than him," Franklin said. "When he was first hobbling, I'm like, 'Well, we need to get Bryce in there,' and then waved him off."
The decision also reflected the confidence Grunkemeyer has earned through his preparation and performances throughout the season. Grunkemeyer is 215-for-300 for 2,431 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions.
"I think he's earned a little bit of that," Franklin said. "He's demonstrated that."
What impact has the return of veteran offensive linemen had?
Virginia Tech also received contributions from veteran offensive linemen against SMU, including guard Brody Meadows, who saw his most significant playing time since his start against Boston College.
"He's played a ton of football. He's a big-body guy, and he uses that," Franklin said. "He plays with his size really well, and he's not seeing things, you know, for the first time as a first-time starter."
Franklin specifically mentioned the importance of continuing to develop the team's younger linemen while having veteran options available to address potential problems.
"All those pieces are critical at a position that is going to determine a lot of our success on the offensive side," Franklin said.
What challenges does Stanford present?
Virginia Tech's attention now turns to Stanford, whose passing attack presents another test for a Hokies secondary looking to rebound from its performance against SMU.
Franklin praised Stanford's veteran quarterback Davis Warren, highlighting his size, arm strength and ability to make throws across the field. This year, Warren is 186-of-308 for 2,203 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions.
He also pointed to the experience of Stanford's coaching staff and the influence of general manager Andrew Luck as factors contributing to the Cardinal's offensive development.
"They know how to cause conflict. They know how to attack zones. They know how to identify man and then man beaters," Franklin said. "They have a sophisticated system, and they got a high-level veteran quarterback who's had a lot of different experiences in his college career, putting it all together right now."
Franklin stressed that while Saturday's performance fell short of the program's standards, it should not overshadow the progress Virginia Tech has made throughout the season.
"Not going to allow one performance to overshadow the progress and the positive strides that we have taken," Franklin said. "But we need to continue to do that. We got to continue to take strides while also eliminating and fixing some of the issues and challenges that we've had all year, not just in that game."
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Hughes serves as Virginia Tech On SI's lead editor, a position that he has held since July 2025. Hughes is a junior at Virginia Tech majoring in sports media and analytics. He also serves as the open-wheel correspondent for the motorsports outlet Steering Wheel Nation, where he has written on Formula 1, the NTT IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Hughes has previously authored bylines in 3304 Sports, Virginia Tech's multimedia student journalism outlet.
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