Virginia Tech announced Monday that James Franklin will be its next head football coach and will be formally introduced at a Wednesday news conference.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a statement. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”
Sources told ESPN that part of Franklin’s deal with Virginia Tech includes a $9 million settlement from Penn State; Franklin had originally been owed a $49 million buyout after his Oct. 12 firing. The Centre Daily Times first reported the settlement.
Franklin went 128-60 over 12 seasons at Penn State and three at Vanderbilt. His résumé includes a 2016 Big Ten championship and an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinals, and he won more than 68% of his games at the Power Five level. Still, his tenure at Penn State included limited success against the highest-ranked opponents — he was 4-21 against AP top-10 teams — even as he guided the Nittany Lions to six double-digit win seasons, including three straight from 2022-24.
He replaces former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Brent Pry, who was fired in September after an 0-3 start and finished 16-24 over four seasons with the Hokies. Franklin’s arrival is being billed as the most accomplished hire Virginia Tech has made since Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, who retired in 2015 after 29 seasons. The program struggled under Justin Fuente and Pry amid broader shifts in college football.
After Pry’s dismissal, Tech’s Board of Visitors approved a plan to add $229 million to the athletics budget over four years to help lure a candidate capable of restoring the program. “James Franklin embodies the spirit, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence that will elevate Virginia Tech Football back on the national stage where it belongs,” athletic director Whit Babcock said. “This is a landmark moment for our program. … James is a dynamic leader, a relentless recruiter, and a coach who has proven he can build and sustain elite, championship-caliber programs. We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Blacksburg and to entrust him with the future of VT Football.”
Franklin’s availability was unexpected when the 2025 season began — Penn State opened at No. 2 nationally — but the Nittany Lions lost three straight to start the year, including a double-overtime defeat to No. 6 Oregon while Penn State was ranked No. 3, followed by losses to UCLA and Northwestern that preceded his firing.
Franklin took over Penn State in 2014 amid lingering NCAA sanctions from the Jerry Sandusky scandal and helped stabilize the program, leading it to the Rose Bowl and the 2016 Big Ten title. Virginia Tech has not reached double-digit wins since Fuente’s first season in 2016; under Beamer from 2004-11, the Hokies had double-digit wins every year.
A recruiting asset for Tech, Franklin has strong ties to the I-95 corridor and the talent-rich DMV area. He previously coached at Maryland (two stints as an assistant) and spent a year at James Madison, along with his time at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
