James Franklin has landed a prominent new head coach job roughly a month after he was fired by Penn State.
Franklin on Monday agreed to a deal to become the next head coach at Virginia Tech, according to multiple reports. News surfaced over the weekend that Franklin was Virginia Tech’s top target but that the 53-year-old had not yet committed to the school.
Virginia Tech fired former head coach Brent Pry in September. He finished with an overall record of 16-24 in three-plus seasons at the helm. The Hokies had just one winning season under Pry, which was their 7-6 campaign in 2023.
Virginia Tech has not had a 10-win season since 2016. While Franklin had a reputation for not being able to win the big game at Penn State, he had six 10-win seasons in 11-plus years with the program. Franklin had an overall record of 104-45 and led the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff last year, so it is easy to understand the appeal for Virginia Tech.
Franklin is owed a massive buyout from Penn State, which may factor into the deal he signs with Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech is just 3-7 this season with games remaining against nationally ranked opponents Miami and Virginia. Franklin will look to restore the reputation that Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer built with the Hokies during his tenure with the program from 1987-2015.
