Category: Awards

Posted on

2026 Virginia Tech Midseason Review: From 4-0 to Reality Check

Six games into the James Franklin era, Virginia Tech sits at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. If you had told me before the season that the Hokies would be 4-2 at the halfway point, I probably would have taken it. After watching this team start 4-0, however, it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed.

Virginia Tech opened the season with four consecutive wins, including road victories over Maryland and Boston College. Lane Stadium was rocking, the offense was putting up ridiculous numbers, and for the first time in what feels like an eternity, Virginia Tech football was actually fun again.

Then Pitt happened. And then Cal happened.

In the span of eight days, Virginia Tech went from an undefeated team with legitimate ACC championship aspirations to a team searching for answers after consecutive losses. The frustrating part isn’t necessarily that the Hokies lost two games. It’s how they lost them.

Against Pitt, Virginia Tech produced 578 yards of offense and still managed to lose 35-33. Against Cal, the Hokies led with 75 seconds remaining before allowing the Golden Bears to march 75 yards in less than a minute for the winning touchdown.

Two games. Two losses by a combined seven points. Two games Virginia Tech had every opportunity to win.

Sound familiar?

The difference between this team and the Virginia Tech teams we’ve watched over the past several years is that the talent and offensive production are clearly improving. The problem is that the Hokies are still making the kinds of mistakes that have plagued the program for the better part of a decade.

Let’s take a look at where things stand halfway through the 2026 season.

The First Six Games

Opponent

Result

VMI

W 73-3

Old Dominion

W 44-21

at Maryland

W 35-26

at Boston College

W 21-14

Pittsburgh

L 33-35

at California

L 20-25

The first four games showed exactly why Virginia Tech hired James Franklin. The Hokies were more explosive offensively, looked better prepared, and demonstrated an ability to win games in different ways.

The VMI game was a glorified scrimmage, but scoring 73 points was a nice way to introduce the new coaching staff. Old Dominion provided a slightly better test, and Virginia Tech handled business.

The Maryland game was probably the first indication that this team might be ahead of schedule. Going on the road and beating a Big Ten opponent 35-26 was encouraging, particularly for a program that has struggled to consistently beat Power Four competition.

Then came Boston College.

Playing in absolutely miserable weather, Virginia Tech found itself trailing 14-6 in the fourth quarter. Jeffrey Overton Jr. proceeded to put the offense on his back, finishing with 209 rushing yards and breaking a 76-yard touchdown run that helped deliver a 21-14 victory.

At 4-0, there was legitimate reason to be excited.

Unfortunately, the next two weeks exposed some pretty significant problems.

Against Pitt, turnovers and missed opportunities erased an outstanding offensive performance. Against Cal, Virginia Tech failed to protect a late lead against a team it should have beaten.

Now, instead of talking about whether Virginia Tech can compete for an ACC championship, we’re talking about whether the Hokies can avoid another disappointing second half of the season. That’s quite a turnaround.

Offense: A Significant Improvement

The biggest positive from the first six games has been the offense.

Virginia Tech is averaging 37.7 points per game, and Ethan Grunkemeyer has been considerably better than I expected entering the season.

Grunkemeyer has shown he can distribute the football, push the ball downfield and put up big numbers against quality competition. His 434-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pitt was probably the most encouraging individual offensive performance of the season.

The problem is consistency. Virginia Tech scored 73 points against VMI and 44 against Old Dominion. Against Boston College and Cal, the Hokies managed just 21 and 20 points, respectively. That’s not particularly encouraging as the schedule gets tougher.

Jeffrey Overton Jr. has been a tremendous addition to the backfield. His performance against Boston College essentially saved Virginia Tech from an embarrassing loss, and he has demonstrated the ability to create explosive plays when the offense needs them.

Ayden Greene has also emerged as a legitimate receiving threat, while Que’Sean Brown and the other offensive weapons have given Grunkemeyer options in the passing game.

The offensive line has generally been better than what we’ve seen in recent years, although there’s still room for improvement.

Overall, I’m encouraged by the offense. This group is capable of scoring enough points to win eight or nine games. The question is whether it can consistently execute when it matters most.

Midseason Offensive Grade: B+

Defense: Still a Work in Progress

Brent Pry’s return to defensive coordinator was one of the most interesting developments of the offseason. Six games into the season, I think the results have been mixed.

Virginia Tech is allowing 20.7 points per game. On paper, that’s respectable. But those numbers are helped significantly by the VMI game.

The Hokies have surrendered 35 points to Pitt and 25 to Cal in consecutive weeks. More concerning than the actual point totals is how those points were scored.

Against Cal, Virginia Tech took a 20-19 lead with 1:15 remaining. The defense then allowed the Golden Bears to go 75 yards in six plays and score the winning touchdown with 18 seconds left. That’s unacceptable.

The secondary was supposed to be one of the strengths of this team, but Virginia Tech has struggled to prevent explosive passing plays and get critical stops.

The front seven has shown flashes of being disruptive, but the defense hasn’t consistently generated enough pressure to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable.

I don’t think the defense is terrible. It’s clearly capable of playing well for extended stretches. The problem is that it hasn’t demonstrated the ability to finish games.

If Virginia Tech wants to win some of these tougher ACC matchups, the defense needs to improve considerably over the next six games.

Midseason Defensive Grade: C+

Coaching Staff: The Honeymoon Is Over

I still believe James Franklin was an excellent hire for Virginia Tech. He’s brought credibility, improved the roster, upgraded the offense and made Virginia Tech football relevant again.

But the past two weeks have been a reminder that rebuilding a football program isn’t as simple as hiring a successful head coach.

The biggest disappointment has been the late-game execution. Virginia Tech had multiple opportunities to beat Pitt and couldn’t finish. Against Cal, the Hokies managed to take the lead late in the fourth quarter only to immediately surrender it. Those are the kinds of games Franklin was hired to win.

The good news is that Virginia Tech has been competitive in every game this season. Unlike previous years, there hasn’t been a game where the Hokies looked completely overmatched.

The bad news is that being competitive isn’t the standard. Franklin doesn’t need to win 10 games in Year 1, but Virginia Tech needs to stop finding ways to lose games it should win.

Midseason Coaching Grade: B-

Midseason Awards

MVP: Ethan Grunkemeyer

Grunkemeyer has exceeded my expectations through six games. He’s demonstrated that Virginia Tech can have a legitimate passing attack, and his performance against Pitt showed what this offense is capable of when he’s playing well.

Honorable Mention: Jeffrey Overton Jr.

Biggest Surprise: The Passing Game

I expected the offense to improve under Franklin, but I didn’t expect Grunkemeyer to produce a 434-yard passing performance against an undefeated Pitt team.

Biggest Disappointment: Late-Game Execution

Virginia Tech is a handful of plays away from being 6-0. Instead, the Hokies are 4-2. At some point, the program has to start making those plays.

The Remaining Schedule

Opponent

Midseason Prediction

Georgia Tech

Win

at Clemson

Loss

at SMU

Loss

Stanford

Win

at Miami

Loss

Virginia

Win

Tough Games (Less Than 40% Chance to Win)

at Clemson

Winning in Death Valley is difficult, and Virginia Tech hasn’t demonstrated the consistency needed to feel confident about going into Clemson and winning.

at Miami

Miami has more talent across the roster, and playing the Hurricanes on the road late in November is going to be a significant challenge.

at SMU

Another Friday night road game against a talented ACC opponent. This feels like exactly the kind of game Virginia Tech could win if everything comes together, but I’m not predicting it.

Toss-Up Games

Georgia Tech

This might be the most important remaining game on the schedule. Virginia Tech needs to end its two-game losing streak, and doing it at home against Georgia Tech would go a long way toward restoring confidence.

Virginia

I don’t care what the records are. This is a rivalry game, and Virginia Tech needs to win it. Losing to Virginia at home would put a significant damper on what should be an encouraging first season under Franklin.

Should Win Games (Greater Than 60% Chance to Win)

Stanford

Virginia Tech should have the talent advantage, and this is a game the Hokies need to win if they want to finish with a respectable record.

Keys to the Second Half

There are three things I’m looking for over the final six games.

First, Virginia Tech needs to play cleaner football. Turnovers, missed assignments and late-game mistakes have already cost this team two wins. That has to change.

Second, the defense needs to improve. The Hokies don’t need a Top 10 defense to win eight games, but they need to get stops when the game is on the line.

Third, Virginia Tech needs to show that it can bounce back from adversity. Starting 4-0 was great, but how this team responds to consecutive losses will tell us considerably more about the direction of the program.

Final Prediction: 7-5

Before the season, I predicted Virginia Tech would finish 8-4. I still think that’s possible, but the loss to Pitt makes getting there considerably more difficult.

Looking at the remaining schedule, I see three games Virginia Tech should be able to win and three games where the Hokies will probably be underdogs.

Beat Georgia Tech, Stanford and Virginia, and Virginia Tech finishes 7-5.

Steal one against Clemson, SMU or Miami, and the Hokies finish 8-4.

Lose another game they should win, and suddenly we’re talking about 6-6.

I think 7-5 is the most realistic outcome.

Would that be a successful first season under James Franklin? I think so.

Remember where this program was a year ago. Virginia Tech was 2-4 at the halfway point, had already fired Brent Pry and was staring down another losing season. Now the Hokies are 4-2 with a legitimate offense, a proven head coach and a much more encouraging outlook for the future.

That’s progress.

But the past two weeks have also been a reminder of how far this program still has to go.

Virginia Tech didn’t hire James Franklin to consistently win seven games. The goal is to compete for ACC championships, return to the Top 25 and eventually become a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.

That’s not happening overnight.

The good news is that Virginia Tech looks considerably closer to becoming a good football program than it did 12 months ago.

The bad news is that we’re still watching the Hokies lose games they should win.

Final Regular Season Prediction: 7-5 (4-4 ACC)

Expected ACC Finish: 7th-10th

Overall Midseason Grade: B-

Posted on

2025 Virginia Tech Midseason Review

If I told you before the season that the Hokies would be 2-4 after week 6, you would have thought the wheels had completely come off the wagon, and they have. Brent Pry was fired after Week 3. I don’t think even the biggest Pry haters would have predicted that. While the team looks more competitive under Phillip Montgomery, they look like they have a significant talent, experience and depth gap. I’m not sure that Virginia Tech will be favored in a single game the rest of the season.

Being realistic, I don’t think that the Hokies will go 0-6. More likely, they will win 1-2 games somewhere along the line. They don’t have the talent to beat Miami or Florida State on the road. But the other games should be winnable if they play their A or B+ game. We saw against NC State what it looks like when this team plays clean football. They look competitive. If they can play like that, they’ve got a chance in most of their remaining games. It’s a matter of the team and players staying locked in and wanting to compete.

Offensive MVP: Terion Stewart

301 rushing yards with a 8.6 yards per carry average. Give this guy the rock.

Defensive MVP: Kaleb Spencer

Leads the team in tackles and is always flying to the football. Also keep an eye on Noah Chambers who has only played in two games but has made a big impact in a small sample size.

Special Teams MVP: John Love

He is 12-of-14 on his field goals this year with a long of 56. This guy will be an NFL kicker next year.

The key for the next 6 games is to stay locked in and try to compete. Even though this is a lost season, players still want to put good film out there. You have seen in the past two weeks that there are young guys who are getting opportunities and taking advantage of them. Fans might think there is nothing to play for but for these players and coaches there is still a lot on the line. Players can get transfer opportunities or opportunities under a new coaching staff. Coaches are showing what they can put out on the field for their next gig. So while it feels bad for the fans, these guys are still out there trying. I don’t see a bowl game in their future, but I also don’t see an 0-6 finish. Somehow, they will find two wins along the way and finish 4-8. After the season, the reset button gets hit on every aspect of Virginia Tech football.

Posted on

2024 Virginia Tech Midseason Review

At this point, I thought the Hokies would be 5-1. Instead they are 3-3. It’s a disappointment but their three losses have been in one-score games. Good teams win close games. Virginia Tech feels close to getting over the hump where they start winning those one-score games. The expect-to-lose mentality is still present in this program and that’s one of the toughest things to overcome when you are building a program.

Virginia Tech is good enough to win all of their remaining games. Will they? Probably not. But they’ve got a good chance in every remaining game including Clemson. The biggest thing they need to do is to play a full 60 minutes like they did against Miami and Stanford. If they can do that, they can play with anyone. It makes me wonder why it takes this coaching staff a full month before this team is ready to play 60 minutes. But that’s an issue for next year I guess.

Let’s gauge the remaining slate against preseason expectations.

Final 6 Game RecordRegular Season RecordVs preseason expectations
2 wins or less5-7 or worseThis would be a catastrophe and fans would call for heads to roll including the head coach’s.
3-36-6This would match last year’s regular season win total and would be a big disappointment considering the returning starters and transfer additions in the offseason.
4-27-5Still a bit of a disappointment but a slight improvement over last season’s regular season record.
5-18-4Probably where most realistic fans would have set their expectations in the preseason. A 5-1 finish would make most VT fans feel good going into the offseason.
6-09-3Exceed preseason expectations. A win over Clemson and a 6-0 finish with a chance at an ACCCG appearance.

Offensive MVP: Bhayshul Tuten

One of the national leaders in rushing yards and touchdowns. Hard to have a better first half than he has. Feed him the rock.

Defensive MVP: Antwaun Powell-Ryland

APR is ranked 4th in the nation with seven sacks on the season. Safe bet that he’ll get to double-digit sacks his year. It’s been a long time since someone did that in Blacksburg.

Special Teams MVP: John Love

He is 9-of-10 on his field goals this year and has connected twice from over 50 yards. Reminds me of the kickers that Tech had during the Beamer era.

If the Hokies continue to play the brand of football they’ve played in the last two weeks, the second half slate looks very manageable. The first two games are at home against teams that look beatable in Boston College and Georgia Tech. Next is the trip to Syracuse. That looks like a REALLY tough game to me. Syracuse is playing well and they have a very good QB. And Tech never wins up there unless they have Michael Vick at QB. Then it’s Clemson. I think it’s a winnable game but Tech needs to bring their A-game. Anything less and that game is a loss. Duke and Virginia both look better than expected but those are both games Tech should win. A 4-2 record seems likely but the Hokies shouldn’t overlook any of their remaining opponents. It feels like the Hokies are starting to hit their stride this season.

Posted on

2023 Virginia Tech Midseason Review

Let’s take a look back at my preseason predictions for the first half of the season:

As you can see, I had Tech at 2-4 at this point in the season but I had Tech beating Purdue and losing to Pitt. Either way, so far the Hokies have met expectations. They need to finish the season strong to a) make a bowl or b) improve upon last year’s 3-win record.

The second half slate seems very manageable. Louisville is a tough road game. Syracuse may be a bit better than expected. But other than that, the rest of the games are winnable. The Hokies have to avoid shooting themselves in the foot — something they’ve been very good at in the first half of the season.

What will it take to get there? First, stop the run. The Hokies do not have a natural middle linebacker on the roster but they need to find something that works. Even if it means playing somebody out of position. Right now, it’s too easy to find running room against this defense. The Hokies are going to have to go trial-and-error until they find someone who can play that position.

Second, the Hokies need to embrace being a run-first team. That is their identity. The Hokies should be running 2/3rds of the time on offense. Tuten is a game-breaker. Thomas can get tough yards after contact. And Drones is an effective runner. An offense built around those three with Lane and Felton as deep threats can be effective. The Hokies offense needs to lean into this philosophy on offense.

Offensive MVP: Bhayshul Tuten

Defensive MVP: Antwaun Powell-Ryland / Pheldarius Payne

Special Teams MVP: Tucker Holloway / Bhayshul Tuten

I’m going to go ahead and stick with my second half preseason predictions. Wake and Syracuse are winnable at home. Louisville will be tough on the road. We never seem to play well up at Boston College. NC State is tough with a new QB but Tech can win that one at home and UVA is the worst team in the league this season. The Hokies finish the schedule either 3-3 or 4-2. That means either a bowl game or a 5-win season which is a 2-game improvement over last year. Get moving in the right direction, recruit and try again next year.

Posted on

Midseason Awards and Outlook

Offensive MVP: Kaleb Smith

Kaleb Smith leads the Hokies in all receiving categories. He is top-10 in the ACC in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game. He has a top 25 PFF ranking for wide receivers nationwide. He has been the Hokies most reliable receiver and Grant Wells’ #1 downfield receiving target.

Honorable mention: Keshawn King, Grant Wells

Defensive MVP: Dax Hollifield

Dax Hollifield is a tackling machine. He is a dependable tackler and his coverage ability has improved this season. He is one of the few guys on this defense who will get serious consideration for All-ACC at the end of the season. Pry’s defense has done wonders to improve Dax’s play this season.

Honorable mention: Mario Kendricks, Josh Fuga

Special Teams MVP: Will Ross

Will Ross is about as good as you can hope for out of a first-year kicker. He is hitting on 89% of his field goal attempts, which ranks 26th in the country. If the Hokies could play some close games, he would be a real asset.

2nd Half Outlook:

Bowl eligibility at this point seems like a lost cause. It wouldn’t be impossible for the Hokies to win four games down the stretch but it’s unlikely. The best thing for the Hokies to focus on in the second half of the season is improving their offense.

The run blocking so far this season has been poor. That needs that to be an area of focus in the 2nd half. It’s difficult to have an effective offense when you can’t run block. The Hokies need to find some receivers outside of Kaleb Smith. Dae’Quan Wright looks like he has a bright future. We’ve also seen some nice moments from Bryce Duke and Christian Moss as pass catchers.

This is a lost season and the Hokies need to focus on who can help them next year. Time to evaluate positions of need in the portal. The Hokies have to hit the portal hard in the offseason. They should spend the next 6 games evaluating positions of need and which positions need more depth. Will they solve all those problems in one offseason? Definitely not. But they need to start chipping away with recruiting and the transfer portal.

The Hokies will only win 2 or 3 more games down the stretch. 2 wins seems pretty safe. 3 wins might be a bit of a reach. They won’t win less than 2 games. The games where they have the best odds to win are Georgia Tech and Virginia. Even the Duke and Liberty games are looking a bit dicey at the moment. Either way, I wouldn’t focus too much on wins and losses this year. Focus more on improvement and who is going to help this team moving forward. A bowl game is unlikely so this team should be in full evaluation mode.

Posted on

Midseason Awards and Outlook

This season is weird. There are 11 regular season games. And if there is a bowl game, there will be 12 games total. I thought it would make sense to do midseason awards after 6 games. With the hopes that the Hokies will play 12 games total this season.

Offensive MVP: Khalil Herbert

This is the easiest call in all the years I’ve been doing this. Imagine this team without Herbert. It’s not the same powerful offense. I still think it would be good. But it wouldn’t be as explosive. You can tell Herbert gets a lot of attention when he’s on the field. That opens the game up for everyone else. We haven’t seen that around here since David Wilson.

Honorable mention: Hendon Hooker, James Mitchell

Defensive MVP: Amare Barno

This one is a lot harder. Like a lot harder. First, let’s start by saying the defensive performance in the first half of the season hasn’t been good. But Barno has jumped off the screen when watching the Hokies. You can tell he is still a raw player but the natural ability is definitely there. He leads the team with 8.5 TFLs and is 2nd on the team with 3.5 sacks. The one thing this defense has done well is get after the quarterback and Barno is one of the big reasons why.

Honorable mention: Justus Reed, Divine Deablo

Special Teams MVP: Khalil Herbert

It’s that man again. One of the things that has driven me crazy in recent years is that there was no threat on kickoff returns. Tech would either start at their own 25 yard line or worse in terms of field position. Herbert gives this team the potential to take it to the house every single kick return.

Honorable mention: Oscar Bradburn, Brian Johnson

2nd Half Outlook:

The schedule gets a lot harder in the 2nd half of the season. The defense will need to show up otherwise a 2-3 finish isn’t out of the question. We’ve already seen their floor but how much better can they get? They looked good against Louisville outside of two horrific plays. They need to build on what they did the rest of the game. That was a good offense they held down most of the day.

On offense, RUN KHALIL HERBERT. It’s that simple. If he’s not getting 20+ carries a game, you’re doing something wrong. Easier said than done, but you need to get your best player involved in the gameplan. He needs to be the center point of this offense. If he’s not getting the ball, your letting the defense your facing off the hook.

Folks have been hard on the defense but I give them a pass. They had no spring practice. They have a new coaching staff and a new scheme. Not to mention they had a TON of players out during fall practice. And that’s on top of having guys out due to suspension, a leave of absence or injuries. That’s A LOT to deal with. The defense is making progress but we need to see more from them in the last 6 games.

This team will be bowl eligible. I’m not exactly sure what the criteria is or what bowl games will be played. But the Hokies will be there. I’d like to see the Tech finish with at least 7 wins in the regular season. I could feel good about that. I’d also like to see them beat UVA and play Clemson close. This is the weirdest season I can ever remember. So dialing expectations too high may be unrealistic. But I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. This is an exciting offense and I hope we get to see a lot more offensive fireworks in the 2nd half of the season. And enjoy Khalil Herbert. We don’t get guys like him in Blacksburg very often.

Posted on

Midseason Awards and Outlook

Offensive MVP: Hendon Hooker

Hooker is the straw that stirs the drink. A dual-threat quarterback brings a new dynamic to this offense. Having a quarterback that can run allows the coaching staff to mix up their play calls. Having a running game has also opened up space in the passing game. Hooker’s presence on the field has given this offense more options and more space to work.

Honorable mention: Dalton Keene, Deshawn McClease

Defensive MVP: Chamarri Conner

The light has come on for Conner. He is all over the field. He leads the defense with 4 sacks, 6 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 22 solo tackles. It’s great to have a versatile player like him at the whip position. Having him there gives Bud Foster more options on defense.

Honorable mention: Rayshard Ashby, Caleb Farley

Special Teams MVP: Oscar Bradburn

This one isn’t even close. Bradburn would be the team MVP if I had to pick one. He’s fourth in the nation in yards per punt with a 48.0 yard average. He booms the ball every time he puts his foot on the ball. He’s a field position weapon that the team needs this year. He may end up as a finalist for the Ray Guy Award. He’s almost a lock for first team All-ACC.

Honorable mention: Brian Johnson, John Parker Romo

2nd half Outlook:

The Hokies didn’t have a great start to the season. They lost two games most expected them to win, and won a game that few expected them to win. I expected the Hokies to be 5-1 at this point in the season, but 4-2 isn’t terrible. The problem is that the Hokies are 90th in total offense and 59th in total defense. That’s not going to get it done in conference play.

The offense has the potential to look better in the 2nd half due to the emergence of Hendon Hooker. It operates more smoothly with him behind center. The coaches can also open up the playbook a bit more with his threat to run. We’ve already seen the last two weeks that the running game has emerged. This has made the Hokies offense more balanced and less one-dimensional.

The defense appears to have the pieces to be effective but the output is less than the sum of their parts. There is individual talent on this defense but they haven’t played well as a unit thus far. There are still far too many mental mistakes. Tackling has improved since last season, which is good to see. But there are still too many breakdowns from a defense that returned a lot of starters from last year.

The challenge for this team will be to get to seven wins to become bowl eligible. That will mean that they need to split wins and losses the rest of the way to get there. It’s possible. All the conference games look winnable. That Notre Dame game looks tough so I’m not expecting a win there. The remaining games represent opportunities to pick up wins. To make a bowl, this team will need to make strides on offense and defense. If we see the same team we saw in the first half, I’m afraid to say this team will not be bowling this season.