There was a lot of excitement in Blacksburg on Saturday for Virginia Tech’s annual spring football game. New head coach James Franklin wanted Hokie fans to pack out Lane Stadium for the intra-squad game. While it wasn’t a “sellout,” well, because it was free, not every seat was filled. Still, it was a large crowd of Virginia Tech faithful getting its first chance to see the 2026 Hokies.
Did we mention it was a beautiful day in the New River Valley? Just before the game began, disaster struck when
a skydiver crashed into the scoreboard. He was stuck there for around 30 minutes before being rescued by the local fire department. Fortunately, all reports were good on the skydiver after the game.
Here’s how it looked inside the stadium.
The accident led to an hour delay before things kicked off. Ultimately, the White Team won the game, defeating the Maroon Team, 30-21.
Ultimately, no one cares about the final result, as it was more about which players stood out. Good news, Hokie fans: redshirt sophomore quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer looked part on Saturday, taking most of the snaps for the Maroon squad, and completing 13 of 17 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception. On his first drive of the game, Grunkemeyer connected with wide receiver Que’Sean Brown for an eight-yard touchdown.
Brown, the Duke transfer, is expected to be one of Virginia Tech’s starting receivers this fall, alongside Ayden Greene, and has enjoyed an excellent spring.
As for Grunkemeyer, he looked in control and gave VT fans a glimpse of what life could be like with a competent quarterback who can make checks at the line of scrimmage and win from the pocket.
Freshman Troy Huhn served as Grunkemeyer’s backup for the Maroon Team, and he completed five of eight passes for 68 yards. Huhn, a true freshman, struggled at times and took six sacks. Franklin specifically praised Huhn for his scrimmage performance two weeks ago, so he’s had an up-and-down spring, but these reps were critical for his development.
Sophomore Bryce Baker started for the White Team and completed 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 32 yards. Redshirt freshman Kelden Ryan served as his backup and completed nine of 14 attempts for 88 yards and a touchdown. Baker and Ryan showed flashes.
The biggest takeaway, well, maybe not the biggest, but a notable one, was the tight ends. Between the two squads, Virginia Tech’s tight ends combined to catch 17 passes for 205 yards. In one year, the Hokies could go from completely ignoring the tight ends to having one of the best rooms in the country. That’s not surprising with offensive coordinator Ty Howle. Considered one of the top tight end coaches in the country, Howle’s offense focuses on the tight ends, so it should be a great year for that group.
Defensively, two players who stood out for me were redshirt sophomore cornerback Joshua Clarke and true freshman cornerback Amauri Polydor. I thought both looked outstanding, and it suddenly feels like the Hokies could be deep at corner again.
Unfortunately, projected starting cornerback Jaquez White, a transfer from Troy, went down with a knee injury. Coaches were concerned after the game, but White offered a positive update on X.
Let’s hope White is right. He’s expected to be a big part of this year’s team. Not only that, you hate to see anyone injured.
We’ll have more on the spring game Sunday, including some photos.
