BLACKSBURG (Release via Virginia Tech Athletics – With fall camp for Virginia Tech football well underway, let’s take a look at the quarterbacks under the direction of quarterbacks coach Brad Glenn.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
One of the biggest question marks for a first-time head coach is who will be under center? For Brent Pry, offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen and Glenn – with them inheriting a team with no entrenched starter – their first few months in Blacksburg have centered around finding that answer. All roads through fall camp point to a two-man battle for the starting job between transfers Grant Wells and Jason Brown, who have each shown flashes of success and athleticism.
Wells, a Marshall transfer, completed 66.3% of his passes last season for 3,532 yards and 16 touchdowns. Additionally, the Charleston, West Virginia native demonstrated his dual-threat ability by finding the end zone seven times on the ground. A two-year starter during his time in Huntington, Wells comes to Virginia Tech having been named the 2020 Conference USA Freshman of the Year – a crowning title for the 6-foot-2, 203-pound rookie who led the league with 2,091 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. Wells also owns eight career 300-yard passing games to his name. A welcome addition to the Hokies’ quarterback room, Wells brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and accolades to Blacksburg after his successful stint with the Thundering Herd.
Brown is a Fredericksburg, Virginia native who comes to the New River Valley having started four games a season ago at South Carolina, where he quickly became a key component in helping the Gamecocks reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. A 6-foot-2 athlete, Brown connected on 60-of-108 passes for 721 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2021 season for Shane Beamer’s side that ultimately won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. After leading the garnet and black to two big-time victories against Florida and Auburn, he was viewed as a fan favorite during his brief stint in Columbia. Prior to South Carolina, Brown was a 2019 FCS All-America selection at St. Francis (Pa.) after leading the Northeast Conference with 3,084 passing yards, completing 62.3% of his passes while delivering 28 touchdowns against six interceptions.
NOTES
– Wells went 14-9 as a starter at Marshall.
– Wells earned Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades in 2021 after ranking 15th in the nation with 3,532 passing yards.
– Wells became the first freshman quarterback to earn First Team All-Conference USA honors in the league’s history.
– Brown went 2-2 as a starter at South Carolina, leading the Gamecocks to wins over Florida and Auburn.
– Brown completed 60 of 108 passes (55.6%) for eight TDs with six INTs at South Carolina.
– Brown was a 2019 FCS All-America selection at St. Francis (Pa.) after leading the Northeast Conference with 3,084 passing yards.
POSITION OUTLOOK
Whether it’s Wells or Brown who leads the Hokies onto the field on Sept. 2, Tech will be in good hands with an experienced quarterback who is eager to attack the next challenge.
