Virginia Tech Hires James Franklin To Be Its Next Head Coach
After getting let go by Penn State earlier this season, James Franklin is headed to Virginia Tech. The Hokies fired Head Coach Brent Pry the day after they lost 45-26 to Old Dominion, falling to 0-3 on the season. It was reported just a few days ago that the two sides were in early talks, and Virginia Tech now gets one of the hottest names on the market in Franklin.
Franklin Is A Home Run Hire For Virginia Tech
There were talks that both sides had mutual interest, and now the deal is done. Getting Franklin will immediately turn their entire program around. He will raise the floor tremendously and bring in lots of high-end talent. Virginia Tech now has one of the best coaches in the ACC, who will be able to lure talent from the transfer portal to contribute as early as next season. Franklin has had success everywhere he’s gone, and he’ll be heading to a weaker conference where there will be much less pressure than when he was at Penn State.
The expectations will also be different for Franklin than in years past. Virginia Tech doesn’t have the championship-or-bust aspirations that Penn State has every season. If Franklin is able to lead them to the top of the conference and win bowl games along the way, that would be considered successful. It should also be noted that he has deep ties to the Virginia area, which should help with recruiting and put the Hokies on a fast track to winning.
Why The Program Can Turnaround Fast
Everywhere Franklin has gone, he has won. Many are critical because he didn’t win the big games at Penn State, but those games simply won’t exist in his early years at Virginia Tech. In his tenure with the Nittany Lions, he had a .706 winning percentage, with an overall record of 104-45, and a Big Ten record of 64-36. The reality is that Penn State was always a top team under Franklin, and he was a proven winner.
The ACC and Big Ten are on two completely different levels. The Big Ten currently has three teams in the top 10 of the AP Poll and six ranked in the top 25. Compare that to the ACC, which has just five teams ranked in the top 25, with Miami at the top at 15. Not to mention, the top teams over the last decade in Clemson and Florida State sit at the bottom of the conference.
If Franklin can have a strong recruiting class, I see no reason why Virginia Tech can’t be one of the top teams in the conference and back to competing in 2026.
