BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia Tech announced Monday that it has hired James Franklin as its new head football coach, just a little over a month after his departure from Penn State ended a 12-year run in Happy Valley.
With the move, the Hokies became the first Power Four program to fill a head-coaching vacancy this season. Franklin will be officially introduced at a Wednesday morning press conference.
Franklin’s dismissal at Penn State came on Oct. 12, one day after the Nittany Lions fell to Northwestern at home and slipped to a 3–3 record. Over the course of his tenure, the 53-year-old coach compiled a 104–45 record, highlighted by a Big Ten title in 2016, a Fiesta Bowl win in 2017, and a Rose Bowl victory in 2022. Just last season, he guided Penn State to its first-ever College Football Playoff win in the opening round.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a statement. He emphasized that his goal is to “restore unmatched excellence, build something that lasts, and serve this university, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion.” He added that he was eager to start working with the players, staff, and broader Hokie community.
Contract details were not made public. Prior to taking the Virginia Tech job, Penn State would have owed him nearly $50 million in buyout money.
Adding in his three seasons leading Vanderbilt, Franklin brings a 128–60 career record to Blacksburg. He replaces Brent Pry, his former defensive coordinator at Penn State, who was dismissed on Sept. 14 after a disastrous 0–3 start in which the Hokies lost by an average margin of 18.7 points. The program hadn’t opened a season with three straight losses since 1987.
Pry’s overall record at Virginia Tech was 16–24, including a 10–13 mark in ACC competition. Since Pry’s firing, the team (now 3–7, 2–4 in the ACC) has been overseen by interim coach Philip Montgomery.
Although Franklin’s critics at Penn State often pointed to his struggles in major matchups—he was 4–21 against AP top-10 opponents—his résumé still carries considerable weight for a Virginia Tech program searching for stability and national relevance. The Hokies have struggled since Frank Beamer’s retirement in 2015, a period marked by inconsistency despite athletic director Whit Babcock hiring two different head coaches in Justin Fuente and Pry.
The program’s downturn sparked university president Tim Sands to create a search committee that would take the lead on hiring the next coach and reduce Babcock’s involvement. Since Beamer stepped down, Virginia Tech has had only four winning seasons, and only six winning campaigns since Babcock became athletic director in 2014.
The committee ultimately chose Franklin, partly due to his consistent success at Penn State—his teams won 10 or more games six times—and his proven ability to recruit in Virginia. In 2023, he signed six of the state’s top 10 prospects, according to multiple recruiting services. One of his standout players from Virginia was Tyler Warren, a Richmond-area tight end who became a first-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts and is excelling as an NFL rookie.
Sands praised the hire, noting that Franklin’s “experience, passion, and record of success” fit Virginia Tech’s vision of competing at the highest levels. He said Franklin’s selection reflected extensive collaboration among university leadership, influential alumni—including former NFL coaches and players—and major donors.
“James will provide the leadership and inspiration our student-athletes need,” Sands said, “along with the level of on-field performance that our university community, alumni, and fans expect and deserve.”
To support Franklin, Virginia Tech has pledged significant investment into the football program. In late September, the Board of Visitors approved a $229 million increase to the athletic department budget over the next four years, largely dedicated to football. Roughly half of that sum will rely on philanthropic fundraising.
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