Virginia Tech officially announces hiring of James Franklin

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For weeks now, there had been much speculation surrounding where former Penn State head coach James Franklin could end up for his next job. Those questions have officially been answered.

Moments ago, the Virginia Tech Hokies announced that James Franklin would be their new head coach heading into the 2026-27 college football season. This comes after Franklin’s firing after a 3-3 start with the Nittany Lions in a season filled with hope. The Nittany Lions were the preseason No. 2 team in the AP Poll and after winning their first three non-conference games, lost three straight, resulting in Franklin’s firing on October 11th after losing to Northwestern.

Virginia Tech also had a midseason firing as well, firing coach Brent Pry on September 14th after an 0-3 start to the season. Pry only had one winning season in his four-year tenure with the Hokies.

With him, Franklin brings loads of experience. Prior to his 12 year tenure with the Nittany Lions, he served as head coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores, where he was the first coach in their history to win consecutive bowl games. He also served as an assistant at both Maryland and as an offensive coordinator with Kansas State. His best years though, came with the Nittany Lions, where he only finished below .500 once in his tenure, during the COVID-shortened year of 2020. Other than that, Penn State had a successful period from 2022-2024 where they won at least 10 games. They were rewarded with a program first appearance in the College Football Playoff last year, where they reached the semifinal, losing to Notre Dame.

Franklin brings with him an elite resume and feels like an immediate upgrade over Pry. He becomes the first Virginia Tech coach since Frank Beamer to have won 11 games at a Power 4 school. For a team like the Hokies, who have not appeared in a New Year’s Six bowl since 2011, he brings the expertise necessary to lead them back. He also has elite recruiting ties in the tri-state area, as well as the DMV. One of his recruiting highlights was current Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas in the 2023 class, who hails from Virginia.

This seems like an astute hire for a program looking to capitalize on the weakness of their conference. With former powerhouses faltering, the Hokies are looking to take advantage and boost their chances of returning to ACC supremacy. James Franklin may still have questions about him, but Virginia Tech are certain he can start delivering the answers he wants.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Former Penn State head coach James Franklin hired by Virginia Tech

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