Roth Report: Spring Game Primer

By Bill Roth

Pack the cooler, fire up the grills and get ready for a big weekend in Blacksburg.

Our first look at the 2026 Hokies is just around the corner. Virginia Tech’s Spring Football Game, presented by Eagle Construction kicks off at 3 p.m. on April 18 and ordinarily there would be a few key areas to watch in a typical spring game for all of us. But this year? Well, we need to watch everything.

Not only are there dozens of new players, coaches, analysts and advisors in Tech’s program, but the returning players who have redefined and reshaped their bodies since Tech’s last game back in November have a renewed hunger.

Yes, the Hokies have a new look to their program in every facet, and some players will be making their Lane Stadium debuts. But Tech’s returning players have been energized and reinvigorated. You can see it in the weight room and the results of four months of off-season conditioning.

The energy level of the entire program is up a notch. The hours this new coaching and support staff have invested since arriving in November is remarkable, and you can feel the energy just by walking into the Jamerson Center.

But what about the players? They’re juiced and re-invigorated for ’26. Who are some guys to watch when the Hokies return to Lane Stadium? Here’s a handful that I’m excited to see:

WR Ayden Greene was Tech’s top receiver last year, leading the Hokies with 31 receptions for 516 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 16.6 yards per catch as well. See some of his best plays. Against the ACC’s best defense (Miami) last November, Ayden had five catches for 95 yards. But what you don’t see in those stats are his leadership qualities and his dynamic off-field contributions to this team. When he’s not on the field at the spring game and again this fall, keep your eye on No. 0 on the sideline and watch how he engages and supports his teammates. Even more so: watch how they keep their eyes on him. Good player, terrific teammate, and the type of player every championship team needs and any veteran coach wants in his locker room and practice field. “I've been a big AG fan, really from the beginning,” head coach James Franklin said. “He was part of last year's leadership council. I also think it is awesome in today's college football when you see a guy that his entire career has been at one institution. That guy has made a commitment to this place. He has bled, sweat and cried for this program.”

WR Que'Sean Brown Much was made over this past off season when Duke QB Darian Mensah and WR Cooper Barkate transferred to Miami, but in Brown, the Hokies secured the third guy who was a key man in the Blue Devil’s ACC Championship run. Brown caught 64 passes for 864 yards and five touchdowns last year for Duke and excelled as a returner. He ranked third in the ACC in punt returns including one return for a touchdown. He shared the Duke Offensive Skill Player of the Year Award with Barkate and I’m excited to see what he can do trading a Duke blue for Tech orange and maroon.

Big plays are a deal to watch because keep this is mind: Last year, Virginia Tech receivers combined for a grand total of three receptions of 40+ yards.

Three. For the entire season.

That’s not exactly “stretching the defense,” so to speak. Without that big play threat, it was hard to keep defenses honest and the Hokies, at times, were easy to defend.

TE Luke Reynolds joins his former Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle, who’s now the Hokies offensive coordinator. Luke played in every game during his two years at Penn State where he caught 35 passes for 368 yards and one touchdown. He had a huge fake punt conversion in 2024 in the Nittany Lions’ win over Minnesota that clinched a berth in the college football playoff. He’s 6-4 and 240 pounds, He’s athletic and is that typical Penn State tight end.

In fact, I asked Howle about Reynolds and why PSU had such tremendous success developing tight ends on a recent edition of the Level Seven podcast.

“I think it was kind of one of those positions at Penn State. They did a really good job identifying and developing it for a long time, you know, regardless of who the coaches were. I do believe in the things that we were doing,” Howle said

“Developing the tight ends from run game, pass game protection and building them into all around players. So, I think there was the development piece. I think there was a tradition piece. I think it was really cool for the current players to meet, you know, some of the former greats and carry that tradition and pass it along.

“And then I think the recruiting piece, finding the right guys, you know, guys who are willing to be gritty and tough and do all the dirty work, but also have the athletic ability to do some special things in other areas.”

Want to hear more from Coach Howle? Take a listen here to Level Seven.

QBs Ethan Grunkemeyer and Bryce Baker: A lot has already been written about these two QBs who transferred to Tech in the last 90 days. Grunkemeyer started PSU’s final seven games throwing for 1,338 yards and 8 TDs including a terrific outing against Indiana (22-31, 219 yds, 1 TD 1 INT.) He completed 69-percent of his passes in his starts, winning the final four. Baker has not appeared in a college game yet after redshirting at UNC last year. But he was a highly recruited QB from Kernersville, NC.

As you may recall, Tech finished 2025 last in the ACC in passing offense, 17^th in the league after finishing 16^th in the same statistical category in 2024. Tech averaged 166.3 passing yards per game last year, its lowest total since 2008.

DL Kemari Copeland was named third-team all ACC last year, but 2026 could be even better. He has the experience, he has the motor, and the personal drive to be one of the best linemen in the ACC this fall. The Virginia Beach product also has a commitment to Virginia Tech that is most welcome in today’s portal-jumping culture. Remember his game against Cal last year? Whoa, was he something special that night? (7 tackles and 3 sacks). Tech coaches hope that was just a preview of his ’26 season.

DL Javion Hilson is a 20-year-old freshmen who transferred to Tech from Missouri. Originally from Cocoa, Fl, Hilson was one of the most highly rated players nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. He redshirted last year at Mizzou but a glance at his high school tape, where he had 18 sacks, 30 tackles for loss, and 77 QB hurries as a senior, shows his length and explosiveness. You can see why teams from throughout the SEC and ACC offered him and why Tech coaches Brent Pry and Sean Spencer are excited about his potential. In high school, he ran track and competed in the high jump which shows his explosiveness and quick first step. Jon Santucci, recruiting expert for the USA Today Florida Network wrote why Hilson was one of the premier recruits in Cocoa history for Florida Today.

CB Cam Chadwick was a team captain for a very good team at UConn last year and appeared in 25 games the last two seasons for Jim Mora’s Huskies. Mora left for Colorado State and Chadwick came to Blacksburg. As ya know, Tech suffered losses in the secondary via the portal, so Chadwick, who has two years of eligibility remaining, will be a key guy to watch. Also, there’s a half dozen young corners in the Hokies’ program who are either freshmen or sophomores and some will emerge this spring as well.

P Nathan Totten could be one of the most impactful newcomers to the ’26 Hokies. After setting Marshall’s all-time punting record last year (45.6 yds/punt), the Kentucky native transferred to Tech. He can punt, he can kick off, and he has a terrific attitude. “What's really impressive about the kid is, he's here in these winter workouts. He's got his head down working like anybody,” Tech special teams coordinator Doug Shearer told us.

“He's here to earn everything that comes his way, and we're just really excited to work with him. He's really a special player, and we’re looking forward to seeing him develop.

“He's one of eight in his family, which is impressive,” Shearer said. “His parents are engineers. They live on this 23-acre compound, we're calling it, in Russell, Kentucky. His parents are incredible people. Nathan's a really special kid.”

Want to learn more about Nathan Totten and the Hokies’ 2026 special teams units? Coach Shearer joined us for a recent edition of Level Seven. Catch it here.

Offensive Line: At the end of the day, this is where is starts and ends for the ’26 Hokies. OL coach Matt Moore is back along with a bunch of familiar names up front. But make no mistake, offensive line was focus number one for Franklin in both the recruiting and transfer portal cycles. The Hokies signed seven high school linemen and added four more in the portal. 

If you recall, Tech ran the ball well in 2025, finishing third in the ACC in rushing, which was a positive. But overall grades up front were a concern. Getting this group to improve will be the most important metric for the 2026 Hokies. Moore’s job this spring is to evaluate and develop his guys, then identify which ones work together in a way that gives Tech the best chance. One thing is clear: Tech’s never had this many big bodies on the OL. Ever. In fact, the overall size of the team is dramatically bigger than ’25. The chemistry of this group seems impressive so far as well, and that’s really encouraging.

Broadcast info: We will have live coverage of the Hokies 2026 Spring game, presented by Eagle Construction beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 18. Mike Burnop and Zach Mackey will join me for our broadcast which you can hear the game on your hometown Virginia Tech Sports Network radio affiliate, worldwide on the Hokie Sports Mobile App and on Hokiesports.com.

Bill,
Thank you so much for recognizing Wes Worsham in your recent report. He was a true unsung hero in the growth of VT’s football program. You know he was a loving husband, he ran several successful businesses, was a charter boat, captain, who knew his way on the water as well as anyone. But yes, he loved the Hokies. We will really miss him. Thank you for recognizing him again. William Darling, White Stone, Va.

We all will miss Wes! Here’s another picture to share. This was taken in the Hokies’ locker room on December 26, 2015 after coach Frank Beamer’s final game, a 55-52 win over Tulsa in the Independence Bowl.

Bill,
For SMA students entering a world where players can communicate directly to fans via social media, is the traditional 'beat reporter' role dying, or is it just becoming more about data analytics and less about locker room access? Jordan H, Raeligh, NC

Jordan,
The best way to describe reporters in today’s quickly evolving media landscape is ‘content creators.’ We’re working hard at Tech to make sure all our Sports Media & Analytic students understand the skillsets they need are varied. They need to be to write a terrific game story or column but also be comfortable in front of a camera. They need to edit video. They need a toolbox full of skills based on journalistic principles that makes than attractive to media outlets, teams, conferences and rights holders. We had 16 young men and women at the 2026 ACC tournament who spent their spring break vacation at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte working on those skills. They did great work covering all the games and creating terrific content. And yes, there is still locker room access which is vital. 

Bill,
I know it’s early, but where do you think the Hokies will be picked to finish in the ACC football standings? And is Miami the big favorite? What do ya think? Doug, Fairfax.

Doug,
It’s impossible to get a feel for all the ACC rosters because of the transfer portal. For example, I honestly don’t have a sense of UVa’s team. Or Cal’s. College Football News picks the Hokies fourth in its pre-season predictions. CBS Sports pegs the Hokies at No. 5 in the ACC. Overall, it’s just too early since we haven’t even seen the Hokies in action yet to get a feel for the group. Overall, SMU never gets pre-season love and Pitt could be good in ‘26. But yes, it appears Miami will be the pre-season pick to win the ACC.

Bill,
Can coach Franklin bring the Hokies back to national prominence as a perennial contender or will it be a longer process to restore our storied past (under Beamer)? Kit, Naples, Fl.

Kit,
There’s nobody better to help re-establish Tech’s program than James Franklin. He’s proven that at Vanderbilt and Penn State. After observing him and his staff for a few months, it’s clear that he knows what he’s doing. He brings not only big-time experience, but the perspective and knowledge to turn this around in Blacksburg. As James has said several times, the University’s commitment to athletics – specifically financially – is the genesis of this turnaround. The financial model of collegiate athletics is much different than when you played, or even five years ago. Changing the financial model in Blacksburg was step one. Now, armed with that support, Coach Franklin is changing the culture, the focus, the energy and of course the talent level. Come visit and see for yourself! Ya know, I asked him specifically “The ACC is there for the taking, do you agree?” His response. “I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t.” 

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That’s it for this week. Have a question, comment, or observation? This is the place to be heard, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.

Submit your question.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you and we’ll see you at the spring game in a few weeks.