For over a week, it had been rumored that new Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin was targeting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer from Penn State to be his signal caller next season in Blacksburg. Nothing official had been announced as of yet.
As other portal quarterbacks were coming off the board, it got a little worrisome that Grunkemeyer had yet to officially sign with the Hokies. Virginia Tech got a commitment from North Carolina quarterback Bryce Baker, but still nothing from Grunkemeyer. On Wednesday, what was rumored became reality when Matt Zentiz of CBS Sports reported that Grunkemeyer signed with Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech lands their QB for 2026
It was clear for about a week that it was Grunkemeyer or bust. The freshman from Lewis Center, Ohio, was recruited and committed to Franklin and quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien at Penn State. When starter Drew Allar went down with a season-ending injury in October, Frunkemeyer took over and led the Nittany Lions to a turnaround that saw them get to a bowl and beat Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl last month in New York.
In 2025, Grunkemeyer threw for 1,339 yards and eight touchdowns for Penn State. He threw for a season-high 260 yards and was 23-for-34 with two touchdown passes against Clemson. He threw for 219 yards and a touchdown against Indiana in a 27-24 loss in November. That was the last loss he suffered as he backboned three straight wins over Michigan State, Nebraska, and Rutgers to become bowl-eligible.
Grunkemeyer was a clear target for Franklin and O'Brien once he entered the portal. Adding him and Baker into the QB room resets it after Kyron Drones graduated, and backups Garret Rangel and Pop Watson both entered the portal. Incoming freshman Troy Huhn will join the two transfers, along with freshmen A.J. Brand and Kelden Ryan.