Virginia Tech’s Connor Blumrick has always had immense versatility. Nobody needs to tell him that.
Transferring in from Texas A&M just a little over a year and a half ago, though, it seemed as if Blumrick’s merry-go-round around the offensive side of the ball had finally been put to rest.
A quarterback, tight end, running back and member of the special teams unit during his time in College Station, the Pearland, Texas native is now set to return to the receiving game after a brief stint in the quarterbacks room for the Hokies a season ago back in 2021.
The transition seems to be going smoothly.
“Connor’s got a unique skill set,” said offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen. “I’m excited about him. He’s been working at receiver, tight end, in the backfield, a lot of different places. It’s been fun to figure out how to use him and package him in different personnel groupings.”
Completing 16 passes on 31 attempts and throwing for 152 yards with two touchdowns, Blumrick certainly showed some flashes as a reserve signal-caller for Virginia Tech a season ago.
But with the recent additions of transfers Grant Wells and Jason Brown, the 6-foot-5, 222-pounder’s talents seemed to be better utilized elsewhere, something Tech coaches seemed to pick up on fairly quickly.
“Coach Bowen and Coach [Brent] Pry both called me into their office and were honest with me,” Blumrick explained. “They said, ‘we think you’re an incredible athlete, but we think you would be more valuable at this position,’ so I just trusted my coaches and I’m going with it.”
As mentioned, the sixth-year senior is certainly no stranger to being a jack of all trades. Which, according to Blumrick, has made the adjustment across the hall just that much smoother.
“Having that background at A&M has certainly helped with the transition. It’s been really fun getting to move around and do lots of different things. Just learning different techniques and trying to honestly learn how to do everything I was always trying to tell people what to do," Blumrick said with a smile. “But it’s been really fun, it’s been a good experience.”
There seems to be no limitations on what Blumrick can do, too. Rushing for 242 yards a year ago, the converted quarterback certainly can be a threat with his legs. Combine that with the fact he’s added a significant amount of weight to his already jam-packed body frame, there’s a lot of reason for optimism surrounding Blumrick’s capabilities in 2022.
“I’ll be able to move around a whole lot more,” he added when describing his versatility. “It’ll be hard for the defense to identify me and know exactly what I’m doing. So that gives me the upper hand, which is going to be exciting.”
Adding on a chunk of weight may give him the upper hand, too. Something that both Blumrick and Bowen were sure to note.
“I think I’ve made a good amount of growth starting in the spring all the way through the summer, especially in the weight room, I put on some weight. I was a little skinny last year,” he said with a chuckle. “[I just am] wanting to try to do some different things. Gain some speed, some strength.”
“He [had to get bigger],” Bowen admitted when talking about the move back to tight end. “He looks different physically then he did at quarterback, so he’s done a nice job with his body so far.”
Even with all the tea leaves dropped by Virginia Tech’s staff on Blumrick’s role in 2022, the way he’ll be utilized, still remains one of the more intriguing mysteries as we inch closer and closer to the Hokies’ opener on September 2nd.
A gifted, talented and well-traveled athlete, Blumrick seems poised to help the maroon and orange out in some capacity in the upcoming season.
Though the amount, the extent and the utility, still ignites a bit of a question mark in the midst in a fall camp full of them prior to Brent Pry’s inaugural campaign leading the Hokies.
