The James Franklin era is rolling along in Blacksburg. The new Virginia Tech football coach has been on the job for three months, and he overseen major roster turnover, put together his coaching staff, and made major strides in recruiting.
It is going to be interesting to see how spring practices go leading into camp over the summer in what is going be one of the more highly anticipated football seasons for the Hokies in some time. It's never too early to think about next season, and here are three way-too-early bold predictions for Virginia Tech.
Ayden Greene leads Virginia Tech wide receivers in receiving yards
The Hokies' wide receiver room is going to look a lot different in 2026. There are some young receivers returning, but some have left in the portal, and some are additions through the portal. Franklin got retention from Ayden Greene, who is overdue for a big season. Next year could be the year.
Greene is going to be one of the targets that Penn State transfer QB Ethan Grunkemeyer will have at his disposal. Que'Sean Brown from Duke is going to be a playmaker for the Hokies, but Greene is primed to have a big season sooner or later.
Virginia Tech wins nine games
I know, I predicted an 8-4 record for the Hokies after their schedule was released last month, but one can dream, no? Going 9-3 is something that could actually happen if things go the right way next season. The three non-conference games are all very winnable, and then winning five out of eight ACC games is not a tall ask. Road games at SMU, Clemson, and Miami are going to be tough, but would it surprise you if they won one of those games? A trip to Cal is no picnic, but hey, stranger things have happened.
Brent Pry's defense finishes Top 3 in the ACC
The weirdest hire this offseason was Franklin bringing Brent Pry back as his DC. I mean, if Pry can get the awkwardness of the move, then this has the potential to be a massive move for the program after the success they had at Penn State before Pry was hired in Blacksburg.
This is a risky prediction given how many good defenses there could be in the ACC, but it feels like with the addition of Sean Spencer as the defensive line coach, the Hokies are going to get after on defense in 2026.