Three Players to Watch on on Virginia Tech's Offense Against Old Dominion

Virginia Tech gained 619 yards on Saturday and learned almost nothing about itself. VMI finished with 83 total yards and lost four yards on 43 rushing attempts. The Keydets had lost to Idaho State 38-10 the week before.

Old Dominion is the actual measurement. The Monarchs went 10-3 last season, won seven in a row, and walked into Lane Stadium last September to beat Virginia Tech 45-26, a result that cost then-coach Brent Pry his job the next day.

Kickoff is at noon on Saturday on The CW. These three players on offense will tell you most of what you need to know about where offensive coordinator Ty Howle's group actually is.

Ethan Grunkemeyer, Quarterback

Grunkemeyer went 17 of 20 for 224 yards and two touchdowns in his Hokies debut. The completion rate got the headlines. The more useful number is zero, as in interceptions, and backup Bryce Baker didn't throw one either after taking over midway through the third quarter and going 10 of 12 for 127 yards.

Ball security is the redshirt sophomore's calling card. Grunkemeyer started the final seven games at Penn State last season after starter Drew Allar got hurt, threw for 1,339 yards and eight touchdowns on 69.1% passing, and won his last four starts. Over that closing stretch, he had six touchdown passes and no interceptions. He followed head coach James Franklin from Penn State in January.

Old Dominion took the ball away three times in its opener, so protecting the football will play a crucial path to victory for Virginia Tech.

Jeffrey Overton Jr., Running Back

Overton needed nine carries to gain 104 yards and score twice, both touchdowns inside the first quarter. The first went 50 yards on Virginia Tech's opening drive. The second covered 23 yards and made it 21-0 with 4:56 left in the period. It was the first two-touchdown rushing game of his career.

He barely played a year ago. The sophomore missed the first eight games of 2025 with an injury, then ran 25 times for 146 yards and a touchdown across the final four.

Old Dominion held Norfolk State to 220 total yards in its opener, with three takeaways, three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Spartans back Jalyn Daniels still went for 84 yards on 11 carries. He also broke into the clear on Norfolk State's opening drive and had the ball ripped away at the 1, recovered in the end zone by Brandon Crutchfield.

If the Monarchs take the long ones away, Marcellous Hawkins is the counterweight. He ran 12 times for 69 yards and three scores against VMI after going for 749 yards at 6.3 a carry last season.

Que'Sean Brown, Wide Receiver

Brown caught six balls for 109 yards and turned a short throw into a 51-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, making multiple defenders miss on the way. It was Grunkemeyer's first touchdown pass as a Hokie, and Brown was named the team's offensive player of the game. Grunkemeyer had already missed him twice deep before halftime, one wide and one overthrown on a rep where Brown had beaten his man clean.

The 5-foot-8 senior came from Duke, where he caught 64 passes for 846 yards and five touchdowns in 2025 and shared the team's offensive skill player of the year award. He closed that season with 10 catches for 178 yards and two scores against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl, including the 17-yard game-winner with 2:10 to play. He's on the preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list.

Saturday was the third 100-yard game of his career and his second in a row.

He wasn't impressed.

"I feel like it was an OK performance," Brown said. "Still got work to do."

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