There are a lot of questions for James Franklin when it comes to the roster for 2026. Which players are going to be retained and which will leave in the Transfer Portal? As far as the quarterback position goes, Kyron Drones played his final game as a Hokie at Virginia last weekend. The rest of the QB situation is a giant question mark, with Pop Watson having the most experience.
Franklin will likely have to hit the portal to find his first signal caller in Blacksburg. The next starter for the Hokies may be plucked from the portal. Franklin will have his work cut out for himself in doing it, but their next QB may be in-state already.
Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph to enter the Transfer Portal
If there is one quarterback that the Hokies saw up close and how good he was, it ws Colton Joseph at Old Dominion. In Week 3, the Monarchs came to Blacksburg and routed the Hokies, 45-26, which was the final game as head coach Brent Pry.
Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he tells ESPN. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining and is expected to be a prime target for power conference schools after a standout sophomore year. pic.twitter.com/t2lfSqwjvs
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 7, 2025
Joseph finished his Saturday night at Lane Stadium in September, going 16-for-22 for 276 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 63 yards and a touchdown. In 2025, Joseph averaged 302.6 yards a game with 34 total touchdowns, while rushing for over 1,000 yards.
A true dual-threat quarterback, Joseph will be highly sought after in the portal by a number of power conference schools. He has two years of eligibility remaining wherever he ends up.
Let's point out that three days before he was hired as head coach at Virginia Tech, Franklin attended the Monarchs' home game against Troy. He was there to see ODU coach Ricky Rahne, a former assistant, which created the question of whether Franklin was recruiting him to come to Blacksburg.
Joseph may not end up at Virginia Tech, but they could be and should be in the mix for him. There is no doubt that a QB from the portal is coming to Blacksburg, Joseph should certainly be an option.