Sources confirmed to CBS Sports Matt Zenitz that Virginia Tech has hired James Franklin as its new coach. The two sides are currently finalizing a deal. Franklin, one of the top names on the open market, was fired by Penn State amid a 3-3 start to the 2025 season. Brent Pry, the Hokies’ midseason coach, was fired on Sept. 14 after a 3-3 season. Pry, an assistant to Franklin at Penn State who had only one winning season at Virginia Tech in four years, began the 2025 season with a 0-3 record. Franklin played 12 seasons for Penn State. Franklin’s tenure at Penn State saw the Nittany Lions finish below.500 only once, and that was during COVID-shortened season 2020. Penn State won at minimum 10 games per year from 2022-24, and the program made its first appearance in College Football Playoff last year. The team reached the semifinals, but lost to Notre Dame 27-24.
The Nittany Lions began the 2025 campaign with high expectations and finished at No. In the AP Top 25 poll they were ranked No.2, their highest preseason position since 1997. The Big Ten was also a favorite for the first year since 2016 to win. Penn State had a 3-0 start to the year in non-conference play, but its first defeat came in its Big Ten debut when it lost 30-24 in overtime to Oregon. A week later, Penn State’s wheels came off when UCLA upset the Nittany Lions. UCLA was 0-4 before its match against Penn State. Franklin was fired soon after Penn State’s second consecutive loss to Northwestern. Starting quarterback Drew Allar also suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Wildcats.
Franklin, who was hired by Penn State in 2011, spent three years at Vanderbilt. During that time, he won consecutive bowl games for the first time in Vanderbilt’s history. Franklin has also served as an assistant coach at Maryland for two periods (2000-04 and 2008-10), and as the offensive coordinator of Kansas State in 2006-07. Franklin an immediate upgrade Though Franklin’s tenure at Penn State rapidly fell apart, few coaches can flaunt his résumé. Franklin won at least ten games in six of his 12 years with the Nittany Lions, and led them to a total of 10 postseasons appearances between 2014-24. Penn State also placed in the top ten of the AP Poll five times in Franklin’s tenure. Franklin was known for his tendency to falter in the big moments. However, he had a 5-3 record at New Year’s 6 and College Football Penn State hosts playoff games.
He becomes the first Virginia Tech head coach to win 11 games in a Power Four school since Frank Beamer. Hokies have not played in a New Year’s Six Bowl in 2011 and haven’t been ranked by the AP Top 25 in Week 3 of 2021. Franklin has also deep ties with some of Virginia Tech’s most important recruiting grounds. He is from Pennsylvania, and he was a coach at James Madison. This gives him a strong connection to the Mid Atlantic region. As an assistant at Maryland, he gained valuable experience in the DMV. Franklin recruited at Penn State with Virginia as his top priority. Two of Virginia’s top three prospects signed with the Nittany Lions for 2023. This included current linebacker Tony Rojas.
Virginia Tech poised to capitalize Depending on how Franklin manages his roster, he could have Virginia Tech ready to compete early in the ACC. Now is the time for teams to make a move up. It’s due in large part to the struggles of established powers like Clemson or Florida State. Both are 5-9 this season. Clemson won the ACC championship last year, but Florida State has lost 11 of its last 12 ACC games. Georgia Tech and Virginia are currently atop of the ACC standings. SMU and Duke, as well as Pittsburgh are in the middle of the race for the conference.
Franklin becomes an immediate top coach in the ACC, with a successful track record both in the SEC as well as the Big Ten. He may be the perfect coach for the Hokies to take advantage of the ACC’s decline and finally break through the ceiling. Franklin and the Hokies seem to be getting the support they need from the university. Virginia Tech’s board of visitors approved a plan to add $229 millions to the athletic budget over the next few years, not long after Virginia Tech had moved on from Pry. Virginia Tech now has a budget of $190.1 for the current fiscal period. By 2029-30, the budget will increase to $2121,1 million.
Knight Commission reports that Virginia Tech spent 132.8 million dollars on athletics in the last year. The new budget brings Virginia Tech closer to Clemson, which will spend $160 million more in 2024-25 than Florida State.
2025-11-17 21:07:15
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