Can James Franklin Fix Virginia Tech Immediately?

Virginia Tech football, James Franklin, Ethan Grunkemeyer, Kemari Copeland, 2026 ACC predictions, Hokies football, and Virginia Tech’s rebuild are all in focus as Joe DeLeone and Blake Ruffino share their full Virginia Tech 2026 preview. Joe and Blake break down whether James Franklin can immediately turn around Virginia Tech in his first season in Blacksburg. Franklin has already created major momentum for the Hokies after arriving from Penn State, putting together a strong 2026 recruiting class and a transfer portal group led by former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. The biggest question is whether Grunkemeyer can stabilize the Virginia Tech offense right away. He appeared in 11 games with seven starts at Penn State last season, completing 69% of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions, and was recently ranked among ESPN’s top 100 newcomers for 2026. Virginia Tech’s spring game also showed flashes, with Grunkemeyer going 13-for-17 for 136 yards and a touchdown, though Franklin has kept the quarterback competition open heading into fall camp. The guys also discuss why Kemari Copeland is one of the most important players on the roster. Copeland started all 12 games last season, recorded 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks, and has been viewed as a potential All-ACC defensive anchor for the Hokies. Can James Franklin make Virginia Tech an ACC threat right away, or is 2026 still just the first step in a longer Hokies rebuild? #CollegeFootball #VirginiaTechFootball #JamesFranklin #EthanGrunkemeyer #KemariCopeland #ACCFootball #CFBNews Sign up for our newsletter! https://ruffinoandjoeshow.beehiiv.com/ Be sure to hit like and subscribe to this channel. Don't miss out on the latest college football news, college football playoff predictions, and college football rankings.