BEAU WAS BEATIFUL IN ONE-SIDED AGAINST WOLFPACK
Some opinion, Mostly fact ...
… like … a show of hands, please … if you weren’t surprised by
Virginia football’s domination of North Carolina State Friday
night. The final was 34-8, and it could/should have been even
more embarrassing for the Wolfpack … in particular CJ
BAILEY, preseason All-American who was made to look like
just another quarterback by a Cavalier defense missing its
best player … while counterpart, courtesy of the transfer portal,
BEAU PRIBULA, played like all-world in his Hoos’ debut.
Even without linebacker KAM ROBINSON, Virginia
handled State with such ease you might have thought this one of
thos payoff games of old … in which some poor I-AA or D2
team
warmup. The game’s first series was indicative of what was in
store for Bailey, 6-6, 218-pound junior in his third season as
starter.
On 3d and 5 from the Pack 30, he couldn’t locate an open
receiver … the Cavaliers disguising coverages while keeping
enough pressure on Bailey … who opted to run, was hit by LB
CALEB HARDY and fumbled the ball away … although he
was ruled, generously perhaps, to have made contact with the
ground before losing possession.
By halftime Virginia led 17-0 … and State, in seven
possessions, had earned a total of three first downs … that
included a pass interference infraction on a toss by Bailey from
midfield that was wildly overthrown and appeared uncatchable.
In UVA territory for the only time in the first half, the Wolfpack
reached the Cavalier 19 where, on 2d and six, Bailey, unable to
find an open receiver, tried to run, was hit by BRANDON
HILLMAN and fumbled the ball away.
Meanwhile, Pribula was having his way running the ball. On
his first snap he turned a QB draw into 11 yards. He started
the Cavs’ next possession (running right again) for 18 yards. In
all, Pribula accounted for 265 yards of the Hoos’ 413. He ran 15
times for 165 (of the team’s 258), completing nine of 11 for 100
more.
A Scott Stadium sea-of-orange sellout crowd of 62,779 al
so enjoyed what U.V a. did to the Pack on defense. A slight
underdog, State got only 79 yards from Bailey who had never
been held under 100.
“The defense came out like their hair was on fire,” said Hillman,
linebacker transfer from Michigan.
NON-SURPRISE of week ... the entire college football
preseason, for that matter … when transfer ETHAN
GRUNKEMEYER Monday was named Virginia Tech starting
QB – officially, that is -- for Saturday night’s season-opener
with VMI at Lane Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.
From Penn State, where he played for new Hokie coach
JAMES FRANKLIN (until he was fired four games into the
2025 campaign), Grunkemeyer signed with Tech Jan. 14 after
appearing in 11 games, starting seven, a season ago in Happy
Valley … where he served as backup to DREW ALLAR
(third-round choice of the Steelers in the 2026 NFL draft)
before Allar was lost for the season with an ankle injury..
Grunkemeyer replaced him and led the Nittany Lions to
victories over Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers and
closed out his two-year career there with a defeat of Clemson in
the Pinstripe Bowl. In all, he completed just shy of 70 percent
of his passes for 1,339 yards and eight touchdowns, with four
interceptions.
From Ohio, the 6-2, 218-pounder was not highly recruited in
high school until his senior season. He played (briefly) in one
game for Penn State in 2024 while taking a redshirt as a true
freshman when one of his teammates … talk about a small
world
… was Pribula.
At one point, Grunkemeyer planned to transfer from State after
Pribula was named No. 2 to Allar. However, when Pribula left
for Missouri, where he performed with some distinction in
2025, Grunkemeyer changed his mind, convinced by Franklin to stick around.
Now, they’re together again in Blacksburg … where
Grunkemeyer is the only quarterback with college game
experience … and was selected one of six co-captains.
According to an on-line service that keeps track of such things
… estimated value of Tech’s NIL account is $29.9 million … of
which Grunkemeyer gets $2 million, most (by far) of any Hokie
athlete. Tech ranks 47th overall nationally, ninth in the ACC.
… TO THINK Manchester United listened to offers for BRUNO
FERNANDEZ before the veteran midfielder and team captain
assured management he didn’t want to go anywhere. Sunday,
he scored three goals, including a PK, and added an assist as
ManU ripped visiting Ipswich Town 5-2.
… QUOTING NBC SOCCER studio second-teamer DANNY
HIGGINBOTHAM --
-- on new Manchester City manager (coach) ENZO
MARESCA:
“He’s always been methodical … who says he would stop
training sessions if a player is a yard from where he’s supposed
to be. But you’ve got to give him credit. He’s gone from a very
structured coach to a manager, saying, ‘I’m going to give you
the freedom … within this framework … you need.
-- on defending champion Arsenal, which had just edged
homestanding Aston Villa 1-0 Monday on BUKAYO SAKA’s
goal, second in as many games, this one in the 59th minute:
“They are one of the few teams that actually enjoy defending.”
Gunners (2-0) opened the season 3-0 over promoted Coventry
City … Aston Villa, which lost five key players from last year’s
all-time-best fourth-place finish, became the first EPL team in
nine years to fail to get a shot on goal in the first two games …
It was MIKEL ARTETA’s 250thgame in charge of Arsenal,
making him the ninth in EPL history to reach that milestone
with one team.
Until next time ...
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