James Franklin has announced Penn State transfer Ethan Grunkemeyer will be Virginia Tech's starting quarterback this season. That's not a surprising result, but Franklin turning to a familiar face at that position could raise the Hokies' floor as they try to execute a quick turnaround in Blacksburg. When Grunkemeyer followed Franklin to Penn State, most assumed that this would be the outcome, but Franklin said Grunkemeyer becoming the starter was never a guarantee.
Grunkemeyer's primary competition was North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker, but the former Nittany Lion put together a better body of work in the offseason. "He's been the leader in the clubhouse for a number of practices -- any maybe weeks," Franklin said. "I don't think it was a foregone conclusion that this was gonna happen, or we would've told you guys and made an announcement.
I think it's been a real competitive room." A four-star recruit and the No. 8 quarterback in the 2024 signing class, Grunkemeyer played in 11 games for the Nittany Lions last fall, and he was able to stabilize the team after a rocky start resulted in Franklin's firing. The first-year Virginia Tech coach said that experience, as well as Grunkemeyer's mobility, played a big role in the decision. "He's got his teammates' respect," Franklin said.
"I think there's a level of consistency and maturity that he's shown to give the coaches and his teammates trust. I think you guys know his game experience, which we think is valuable, as well as his ability to distribute the ball and his decision-making. ... He's worked really hard on getting stronger and more explosive.
I think he has the ability to still be a threat in the running game or extend the play." When Drew Allar went down with a season-ending injury in Week 6, Grunkemeyer took over as the full-time starter for Penn State and flashed some real potential. He completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. There was plenty to like from Grunkemeyer, and now he will give Franklin a shot to push Virginia Tech up the ACC totem pole in short order.
Baker didn't bring any game experience with him to Blacksburg, and Grunkemeyer has 12 college appearances under his belt already. That means something in today's era of college football, where teams like to find more veteran quarterbacks who can command an offense rather than living with the volatility of an unproven option. According to 247Sports, Grunkemeyer's "consistency and grasp of the offense gave him the edge" over Baker in this competition.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
