With less than a month left for the next season, James Franklin is still refusing to let out the name of his QB1. The fall camp is underway, and Ethan Grunkemeyer remains the clear favorite to start. Yet, the Virginia Tech head coach has kept the competition open and assigned specific tasks to his QBs.

This year, it’s not just about completion percentage or touchdowns. Instead, James Franklin is focusing on several other key metrics to make his final evaluation. That approach is consistent with how he handled quarterback battles at Penn State.

“Right now they’re all getting reps, and it rotates by day in terms of what reps they’re getting, who they’re getting the reps with, and then we just track everything,” James Franklin said about the QB battle after his August 6 fall camp practice. “Really, at every position, but at the quarterback position specifically, whether it’s touchdown interception ratio, whether it’s explosive plays, percentage of explosive plays per completion, whether it’s completion percentage, all those things.

“We track it all because you need that. QBR. You know, we’re doing QBR as well, so all those things are part of the evaluation process, and then just watching how the guys respond. It’s funny because sometimes, like you guys need us to name the starter. A lot of times, the guys already know who the starter is, right? A lot of times, you want to know who the captains are. It doesn’t really matter who we list as the captains. The locker room knows who the captains are, right?”

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The leading two candidates are Grunkemeyer and Bryce Baker. Grunkemeyer has the biggest advantage because he already has Power-4 experience. He started seven games for Penn State in 2025, completing 69.1% of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions. His final five games were especially encouraging. He threw seven touchdowns against only one interception and finished the season with 260 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson.

Baker, though, is a unique asset. As a former North Carolina quarterback, he started at Virginia Tech with little experience. In the spring game, he completed 15 out of 27 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown. However, Baker’s running ability stood out. That’s what impressed programs when he was in high school.

Back in the spring camp, the two QBs performed well. They finished spring practice with a collective 70% completion rate and produced a consistent number of explosive plays. Sophomore Kelden Ryan and Troy Huhn also had strong moments, although the battle has increasingly centered on Grunkemeyer and Baker.

There are signs about who could be the QB1

To figure out who will be the starter at Virginia Tech, a look at Franklin’s record at Penn State will be enough. He had a choice between Trace McSorley and Tommy Stevens in 2016. McSorley had thrown for 142 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl and then produced 281 yards and four touchdowns in the spring game. In 2019, Franklin again went with the quarterback who had more experience, naming Sean Clifford the starter over Will Levis after a long training-camp competition.

“It’s Practice 2, right? We’re not gonna really name anybody at any position for a while, because I want them competing up till almost game week. I think a lot of times, the fans and the media want you to name the starting quarterback,” Franklin said. “Once again, the locker room, they know, right? So it’s not as big of a deal as it is for us as it is for everybody else.”

The offense also makes this battle important. Offensive coordinator Ty Howle is calling plays full-time for the first time at the Power-4 level. He has emphasized building around the team’s best players instead of forcing a fixed system.

Virginia Tech is expected to use multiple tight ends, with Luke Reynolds capable of lining up in-line, in the slot, or in the backfield. The spring game produced 17 catches and 205 yards from the tight-end group. That favors Grunkemeyer’s accuracy and decision-making.