Three Biggest Questions for Virginia Tech Ahead of Matchup vs Boston College

Ethan Grunkemeyer has thrown 101 passes this season. The other team hasn't caught one of them.

That streak faces its toughest test yet on Saturday. Boston College has intercepted six passes in its last two games, and a nor'easter is forecast for Chestnut Hill.

Virginia Tech (3-0) opens ACC play at noon ET Saturday against Boston College (2-1) at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on ACC Network. The Hokies are 3-0 for the first time since 2017, and a win would give them their first 4-0 start since that season. A year ago, they finished 3-9.

The Eagles lost their opener at Cincinnati 34-15, then beat Rutgers 28-21 and Maine 22-16. Virginia Tech has won the last three meetings. Its last loss in the series came in Chestnut Hill, 17-3 in 2021.

Here are three questions for Virginia Tech ahead of the game.

1. Can Grunkemeyer keep it clean in a nor'easter?

A slow-moving coastal storm is expected to push heavy rain and strong northeast winds into eastern Massachusetts starting Friday evening.

Head coach James Franklin kept his offense outside all day during a rainy practice Wednesday.

"If you wait till this week to do it, it's going to be too late," Franklin said.

The bad weather could reward whoever takes the ball away. The Eagles picked off four passes against Rutgers, then forced three more turnovers against Maine.

Virginia Tech's offense is built to limit those chances. Offensive coordinator Ty Howle leans on short and intermediate throws, and Grunkemeyer has completed 78.2% of his passes for 865 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite target, tight end Luke Reynolds, is coming home. The junior from Westford, Massachusetts, has 25 catches for 265 yards and four touchdowns.

If the wind takes the deep ball away, Jeffrey Overton Jr. and Marcellous Hawkins Jr. will need more than the 124 combined rushing yards they posted at Maryland.

2. Who plays left tackle?

Starting left tackle Justin Terry, an Ohio State transfer, was carted off in the first quarter at Maryland after his left leg was rolled up on. Franklin had nothing new Wednesday.

"I don't have any information for you that I can share with you at this point," he said.

Logan Howland, whom Franklin calls the team's "swing tackle," replaced Terry. The Oklahoma transfer made six starts at left tackle for the Sooners in 2024.

Howland may not be the only answer. Left guard Layth Ghannam also took left tackle snaps Wednesday. Franklin said the staff tried Ghannam and right guard Montavious Cunningham at tackle in camp for this exact scenario.

3. Did the coverage problems stay in College Park?

Maryland's Malik Washington completed 30 of 43 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns against the Hokies. Chris Durr Jr. caught 12 of them for 109 yards and two scores. One of those touchdowns came when cornerback Jaquez White and safety Quentin Reddish appeared to miscommunicate.

"There's some aspects of coverage that we need to work on," safety Tyson Flowers said Monday.

Over three weeks, Virginia Tech leads the FBS with 37 tackles for loss and is tied for the FBS lead with 14 sacks. But at Maryland, defensive coordinator Brent Pry's front sacked Washington only twice.

Boston College's Mason McKenzie brings a different problem. The redshirt junior was the 2025 GLIAC Player of the Year at Division II Saginaw Valley State. He has thrown for 648 yards and run for 225 yards through three games.

"He's an undersized guy, but he is gutsy and he is competitive as heck," Franklin said. "I think he's best outside of the pocket."

That puts containment ahead of sacks. If the Hokies keep him in the pocket, the picks may follow. McKenzie has thrown five interceptions in three games.

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