Three Areas Virginia Tech Must Improve In To Win The ACC

At first glance, discussing Virginia Tech football as a legitimate ACC title contender just one year removed from a 3-9 season feels unrealistic. Programs rarely go from the bottom of the standings to the top overnight. But the modern ACC has become a conference defined as much by parity as by power, making that kind of leap far less far-fetched than it once seemed.

Last season, five teams finished tied atop the conference with 6-2 ACC records, while Virginia also finished 6-3 after playing an extra conference game that was officially designated as a non-conference matchup against NC State due to prior scheduling agreements. In a league where the gap between first and the middle of the pack has narrowed considerably, a dramatic turnaround no longer requires perfection. Here are three things I think that Virginia Tech needs to improve on to better its chances of being atop the ACC hunt at season's end.

No. 1: Late-game execution.

One thing Virginia Tech cannot change about its schedule is the caliber of teams it will face. It will draw five of the ACC's best: Pitt, Miami, SMU, Clemson and Virginia were either factors in last year's title race, or, in Clemson's case, have been a factor in the College Football Playoff (CFP) hunt before. It's exceedingly unlikely that Franklin will take the Hokies to the CFP, but given time, I do think it is possible that Franklin can get the Hokies into the top 12 at season's end. In the immediacy, Virginia Tech must do better in late-game execution.

If it can get to eight or nine wins, that could be enough to win the conference, depending on how the rest of the league shapes up this season. Expecting another five-way tie for second place in the ACC is a fool's errand, but that sort of record could be enough for the ACC title game. The road is steep for Virginia Tech, however. The Hokies can close out in late-game execution, and they'll likely be in more one-score situations than last year. In 2024, Virginia Tech lost five one-score games, and while that was two years ago, it's another hurdle that the Hokies haven't summited yet.

No. 2: Quarterback play.

Virginia Tech's quarterback play has been lackluster for the past half-decade, and it has likely been the defining point in why the Hokies have not won more than seven games in a season since the 2019 campaign. However, the Hokies have a presumably higher floor under center this year than they've had in seasons past.

Redshirt sophomore Ethan Grunkemeyer enters his first year with the Hokies after a 2025 campaign where he was forced into action midway through after a season-ending injury to Drew Allar. In seven starts, Grunkemeyer threw for 1,339 yards across the season, logging eight touchdowns and four interceptions. While he's a pure pocket passer and not a dual-threat quarterback — he rushed for a net minus-46 rushing yards on 35 carries, 13 of which came as a result of sacks — Grunkemeyer's 69.1% completion rate in 2025 would rank as the lone best completion mark in Virginia Tech single-season history if he can replicate it. Grunkemeyer got better as the season went on, too, throwing for six touchdowns to no picks in his final four games.

No. 3: The offensive line.

The offensive line can be the saving grace or a bugaboo for a team's offense. A great offensive line can mask a substandard quarterback, and vice versa. Virginia Tech has a presumably much stronger quarterback in Grunkemeyer, but as aforementioned, he is not a dual-threat quarterback. Grunkemeyer's offensive line keeping the pocket intact on as many snaps as possible, then, becomes critical. Grunkemeyer posted a 76.2 grade on Pro Football Focus when operating with a clean pocket and a 44.7 grade when placed under pressure. if Virginia Tech can keep that under-pressure total to under 30%, Grunkemeyer should be in place to have a stellar 2026 season in Year 1 with Tech.

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