Virginia Tech, Marcellous Hawkins
Virginia Tech running back Marcellous Hawkins was very impressive down the stretch in 2026. (Ivan Morozov)

Virginia Tech wants to have a strong running game to set up a tight end-heavy passing game, and with likely starter Ethan Grunkemeyer not being an option quarterback, the Hokies are going to have to lean on a more traditional running game in 2026. That puts a lot of pressure on the running backs to produce, but on paper, this group has the ability to do exactly that.