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When the Transfer Portal opened back in January, there was one major need for new Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin: a quarterback. Last year's starter, Kyron Drones, is out of eligibility and moved on to the NFL. Pop Watson hit the portal and is heading back home to play at UMass.
You had to figure that once Franklin was hired and brought quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien with him, there would be an addition or two from the portal. That was the case with Ethan Grunkemeyer, who followed Franklin and O'Brien from Penn State, and with Bryce Baker, who came in from North Carolina.
Grunkemeyer is expected to be the starter for the Hokies in 2026, and after finishing the season for the Nittany Lions last season after starter Drew Allar was injured, he got some valuable experience before likely becoming the top starter in Blacksburg. There remains some doubt about his ability.
Virginia Tech QB Ethan Grunkemeyer gets more motivation from an anonymous front office staffer
Grunkemeyer played a big role in Penn State turning things around in the second half of the 2025 season to become bowl-eligible and win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York. However, despite the experience, it wasn't enough for one front office staffer to question just how good Grunkemeyer can be, according to Antonio Morales and Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic.
“They seem to think he has a very high ceiling, and I don’t disagree with that, but I also kind of wonder if he can get it to that point,” a Power 4 front office staffer said.
Well, if that isn't motivation, I don't know what is. He played in 10 games for the Nittany Lions last season, not all starts, and threw for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Aside from Clemson in the bowl game, he had Big Ten matchups against Ohio State, Indiana and Iowa, all in a row after coming in against Northwestern. Talk about a gauntlet of Big Ten powerhouse programs to get your college career underway.
He saved his best game for last against Clemson. He threw for 260 yards against the Tigers and two touchdowns in a 22-10 victory to help the Nittany Lions close with four straight wins. He will get a fresh start at Virginia Tech, but he will be with familiar faces in Franklin and O'Brien. That should help him out as well as give him the motivation needed to erase any doubt in anyone's mind, even if anonymous.
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This article was originally published on fightinggobbler.com as Virginia Tech QB Ethan Grunkemeyer is hit with new motivation for the 2026 season.
