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Virginia Tech officially named Ethan Grunkemeyer as its starting quarterback on Monday.
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Grunkemeyer is a transfer from Penn State, where he played for first-year Hokies head coach James Franklin.
“He’s been the leader in the clubhouse for a number of practices — and maybe weeks,” Franklin said of Grunkemeyer. “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.”
Grunkemeyer started the final seven games for the Nittany Lions last season after Drew Allar was injured. He helped to stabilize the team after Franklin’s midseason firing by winning his final four starts.
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He completed 69.1% of his passes for 1,339 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
“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.”
Grunkemeyer’s primary competition during the offseason in Blacksburg was North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker.
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Virginia Tech opens the season Saturday night at home against VMI.
–Field Level Media
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This story was originally published August 31, 2026 at 11:20 AM.