Virginia Tech football: 5 takeaways from Hokies’ 35-26 win over Maryland

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The Virginia Tech Hokies improved to 3-0 with a 35-26 win over the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday. It was another fast start for quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and the offense, as the Hokies jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back.

Next up for Tech is a road game at Boston College on Saturday to begin its ACC slate. For now, here are our five takeaways from Virginia Tech’s big road win.

Final score doesn’t tell the entire story

Yes, Maryland only lost by nine points. Yes, the Hokies covered. But when you look at the final score, you assume this was a close game that came down to the wire. It really wasn’t. The Hokies controlled this game from the start. Sure, there were some defensive hiccups (more on that later), but did you ever feel Virginia Tech was in danger of losing?

Virginia Tech went on the road, against a Power Four team, and smacked them around. Head coach James Franklin will have a few things to work on this week, but it feels so much better after a win. At times, this game felt a lot like last week’s win over ODU. That game wasn’t as close as the score indicated either.

Justin Terry’s injury

The worst news from this game was left tackle Justin Terry’s injury. Virginia Tech’s redshirt sophomore left tackle left the game in the first half with a lower-leg injury. It did not look good. A defender rolled up on him. He returned to the sideline later on crutches. It’s a tough blow for an offensive line that is still developing. Terry had played well through three weeks.

When Terry left, redshirt junior Logan Howland entered the game at left tackle. After a couple of early hiccups, Howland settled in and played well. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Oklahoma transfer dealt with a shoulder injury during his time with the Sooners, but he started six games at left tackle for them in 2024. Many believed he’d win the left tackle job this offseason, but Terry beat him out. The unfortunate part is that with Terry out and Howland at left tackle, VT’s offensive tackle depth is precariously thin. A lot of bodies have potential, but most are young and/or inexperienced.

A great quarterback battle

For the first time in a long time, we saw two very good quarterbacks on the field in a Virginia Tech game. Malik Washington has elite size. And he looked the part in Saturday’s game. I thought he missed some easy throws across the middle, and there are accuracy concerns in the intermediate-to-deep passing game, but he’s only a sophomore. He has a great feel in the pocket. You can bet the SEC goes after him in the offseason.

On the other side, Grunkemeyer was fantastic. Again. We saw some high-level quarterback play from him on Saturday. Early in the first half, facing a third-and-7 at the Maryland 32-yard line, Grunkemeyer avoids pressure, moving around in the pocket before firing a dart to Ayden Greene for the first down.

Another throw in the second half saw freshman wide receiver Fatrat Brown catch a 27-yard pass to set up a first-and-10 at the 15-yard line. It was a perfect back-shoulder fade: Grunkemeyer placed it outside the defender’s reach on the sideline, and Brown hauled it in.

It’s refreshing to see the Hokies with a quarterback more interested in throwing the ball downfield than taking off at every sign of trouble. Grunkemeyer has been phenomenal through three weeks.

Secondary concerns

Last week, the Hokies allowed a few big plays to ODU, and it was a bit concerning. We noted that it was something to watch. When it happens in back-to-back games, it becomes a concern. Both of Maryland’s first-half touchdowns on Saturday resulted from blown coverages. Washington was throwing to wide-open receivers. Those plays allowed the Terps back in the game, stalling some of Virginia Tech’s early momentum.

Coverage tightened up in the second half, but Washington kept making plays. Moving forward, defensive coordinator Brent Pry must figure out why these types of breakdowns keep happening. Maryland has some quality receivers, but VT’s problem hasn’t been just getting beat; it’s been leaving receivers wide open. The Hokies didn’t get enough pressure on Washington either.

Hokies have some dudes on offense

Virginia Tech has a quarterback. It has two standout running backs. The Hokies have a potential All-American at tight end and multiple quality receivers. Are we living in a dream?

Even during VT’s glory years, fans yearned for a more explosive offense. Sure, there were exceptions, such as the Michael Vick years and Tyrod Taylor’s tenure, but the Hokies’ bread and butter was defense and special teams. Since the early 2010s, Virginia Tech has struggled offensively. Hokie fans have PTSD from the Justin Fuente/Brad Cornelsen years. Remember what was promised? The Tyler Bowen years were equally as bad. It was jet sweep after jet sweep. The quarterbacks weren’t asked to go through their progressions, or they couldn’t.

That’s no longer the case. Offensive coordinator Ty Howle is creative. He has a quarterback who goes through his progressions and always keeps his eyes downfield. In Marcellous Hawkins, he has a guy who can run over defenders. He can run past them, too. In Jeff Overton, Virginia Tech has a player who can score from anywhere on the field, as a receiver or runner. Luke Reynolds may be the best tight end in America. Maryland knew the ball was going to Reynolds and had no answer. While teams will dedicate more resources to slowing him down in the coming weeks, that opens up more opportunities for Que’Sean Brown, Ayden Greene, Fatrat Brown, Tyseer Denmark and others. Tech also has other quality tight ends, like Ja’Ricous Hairston and Benji Gosnell.

It’s an exciting time in Blacksburg. James Franklin has changed everything. Not only are the Hokies winning, but they are also fun to watch. When was the last time you could say that?

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