James Franklin Declares Virginia Tech Has 'Won' College Football's Offseason
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James Franklin isn't lacking confidence as he heads into his first season as Virginia Tech's football coach.
Penn State moved on from Franklin during the 2025 season after suffering upset losses to UCLA and Northwestern. Roughly a month later, he was hired to fix Virginia Tech's program. That seemed like a no-brainer considering the job he had over 120 combined wins during his time at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
After being hired in late November, Franklin stressed the importance of prioritizing player development over NIL. However, that didn't stop him from landing notable transfers in quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds.
Grunkemeyer, a former four-star recruit, had 1,339 passing yards and eight touchdowns for Penn State last season. Reynolds, meanwhile, hauled in 26 passes for 257 yards during his second season with the Nittany Lions.
While at ACC Media Days this Thursday afternoon, Franklin declared that Virginia Tech "won" the offseason.
"We are bigger, we are stronger, we are faster than we have been. There's no doubt about that," Franklin said. "We've won the offseason. That's a great soundbite. The reality is we've got to make sure those things translate to the season."
High expectations for Virginia Tech?
Franklin is expected to improve the Hokies from their 3-8 record in 2025. Their win total is currently set at 6.5.
Virginia Tech will begin its season on Sept. 5 against the Virginia Military Institute. The following matchup will be against Old Dominion on Sept. 12.
Fans should expect to see Virginia Tech tested in late September when it faces off against Maryland and Boston College.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Jul 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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