CFB Analyst says James Franklin followed a bunch of losers at Virginia Tech

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The college football head coaching carousel saw several high-profile coaches land in unfamiliar places. Some schools hired highly coveted coaches to lead their programs, while others turned to rising stars. The Virginia Tech Hokies made one of the more surprising moves by hiring former Penn State head coach James Franklin.

Franklin heads to the ACC looking to turn Virginia Tech into a College Football Playoff contender. He came within one game of the national championship during Penn State’s 2024 season before a disappointing 2025 campaign led to his dismissal. However, not everyone believes Franklin is the right coach to elevate the Hokies. One prominent college football analyst argued that the move puts Franklin in a much easier situation.

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Paul Finebaum responded to a question about Franklin on his show, and he didn’t hold back.

“Well, he’s not,” Finebaum said. “You’ve got to remember the media is not overly analytical when it comes to people they like. Franklin got out. Nobody remembered he was fired by the end of the year. He’s doing ‘GameDay,’ sucking up to everybody … He’s got an easier job. It’s a better fit for him. He’s followed a bunch of losers at Virginia Tech, so it shouldn’t be very difficult for him.”

Franklin has built a solid resume as a head coach, leading programs in both the SEC and the Big Ten. His greatest success came at Penn State, but before the 2024 season, his teams consistently fell short in marquee matchups.

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Franklin owns a 4-21 record against Top 10 opponents during his head coaching career. At Penn State, that mark was even worse at 1-18, despite consistently recruiting high-end talent. One particularly notable example was quarterback Drew Allar.

Allar entered college as one of the nation’s most highly touted quarterback prospects, but his development under Franklin never fully matched expectations. Once projected as a potential first-round pick, Allar ultimately fell to the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

While Franklin has proven he can recruit elite talent, the Allar example illustrates that he has not always maximized that talent’s potential. That inconsistency played a significant role in his struggles against elite competition.

With the season set to begin in just over a month, Franklin will have a bit more breathing room at Virginia Tech than he did at a Big Ten powerhouse like Penn State. Can he turn the Hokies into a legitimate ACC contender?

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