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Virginia Tech has landed James Franklin as its new head coach, the school announced Monday. Franklin, who was recently fired by Penn State during a disappointing 3-3 start to the 2025 season, brings an impressive résumé to Blacksburg. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz first reported the hiring earlier in the day.
The Hokies made their own coaching change back in September when they parted ways with Brent Pry after an 0-3 start. Ironically, Pry had previously served as Franklin’s assistant at Penn State and managed just one winning season in his four years at Virginia Tech.
Franklin’s track record speaks for itself.
During his 12 seasons in Happy Valley, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to double-digit wins six times and finished below .500 just once — during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. His teams reached 10 bowl games and finished in the AP top 10 five times.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a statement. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”
Penn State’s 2024 season was particularly memorable as Franklin guided the team to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, where they narrowly lost to Notre Dame 27-24 in the semifinal round. That success created sky-high expectations for 2025.
From Preseason Darling to Unemployment
The Nittany Lions entered this season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll — their highest preseason ranking since 1997 — and were widely considered favorites to win their first Big Ten title since 2016. After starting 3-0 in non-conference play, things unraveled quickly.
A 30-24 overtime loss to Oregon in the conference opener was just the beginning. The real shock came the following week when Penn State fell to a previously winless UCLA team that entered the game 0-4.
The final straw? A second consecutive loss to unranked Northwestern on October 11. Franklin was fired shortly after that defeat, which also saw star quarterback Drew Allar suffer a season-ending ankle injury.
Before his Penn State tenure, Franklin made history at Vanderbilt, becoming the first coach to win back-to-back bowl games with the Commodores during his three-year stint. His coaching journey also includes assistant roles at Maryland (2000-04; 2008-10) and serving as offensive coordinator at Kansas State (2006-07).
Why Franklin Makes Sense for Virginia Tech
Despite his sudden fall at Penn State, Franklin brings a pedigree that’s been missing in Blacksburg. He immediately becomes the first Virginia Tech coach since Frank Beamer to have won 11 games at a Power Four school. For perspective, the Hokies haven’t appeared in a New Year’s Six bowl since 2011 and haven’t even cracked the AP Top 25 rankings since early in the 2021 season.
Franklin’s 5-3 record in New Year’s Six and College Football Playoff games at Penn State also counters the narrative that he couldn’t win big games — something that should excite a Hokies fanbase starving for national relevance.
The recruiting implications are massive. As a Pennsylvania native who coached at James Madison, Franklin has deep Mid-Atlantic connections. His Maryland experience gives him strong ties to the talent-rich DMV area — a pipeline Virginia Tech desperately needs to tap.
He’s already proven he can recruit Virginia successfully. At Penn State, Franklin landed two of Virginia’s top three prospects in 2023, including current starting linebacker Tony Rojas.
Perfect Timing for ACC Ascension
Franklin’s arrival comes at an opportune moment for Virginia Tech to climb the ACC ladder. Traditional powerhouses are struggling — Clemson and Florida State have combined for a miserable 5-9 conference record this season. While Clemson did win last year’s ACC title, the Seminoles have gone just 1-10 in their last 11 conference games.
This power vacuum has allowed programs like Georgia Tech and Virginia to surprisingly top the current ACC standings. SMU, Pittsburgh, and Duke are also in the thick of the conference race.
Franklin immediately becomes one of the ACC’s most accomplished coaches. His success in both the SEC (at Vanderbilt) and Big Ten positions him perfectly to help Virginia Tech capitalize on this moment of conference flux.
The university appears ready to back Franklin financially. Shortly after dismissing Pry, Virginia Tech’s board of visitors approved a plan adding $229 million to the athletic budget in coming years.
This investment raises Virginia Tech’s current fiscal year budget to $190.1 million — a figure that will grow to $212.1 million by 2029-30. That’s a significant jump from the $132.8 million spent on athletics last year, according to the Knight Commission. These resources bring the Hokies closer to Clemson and Florida State, both of whom spent over $160 million in 2024-25.
With Franklin’s proven track record and Virginia Tech’s increased financial commitment, Hokies fans have legitimate reason to believe their program might finally return to national prominence.
