When James Franklin was hired at Virginia Tech, it sent shockwaves through the ACC. Many fanbases wouldn't admit that it was a scary move for the conference, but it is one that can move along the Hokies' rebuild that sputtered under Brent Pry.
Franklin's track record in the SEC at Vanderbilt and in the Big Ten at Penn State speaks for itself. If he can have success at those programs in two of the better power conferences, what's he going to do in the ACC?
There is nowhere to go but up for Virginia Tech in 2026, and when Franklin came aboard, you knew the school was serious about investing in the football program; if they weren't, he wouldn't have come. He has hit the ground running in recruiting both in high school and the Transfer Portal, as well as putting his staff together. One anonymous coach said what all Virginia Tech fans have been saying for a long time.
Anonymous ACC coach said what all Virginia Tech fans have been saying for years
When Virginia Tech is rolling, it should be near the top of the ACC. When Virginia Tech is up there, then it's great for college football. One ACC coach basically said that to Athlon Sports.
“Virginia Tech should be one of the top three programs in the ACC when done right. I’m excited to see what they do because I’ve got a ton of belief in the recruits they brought in and the infrastructure that’s in place for them to be successful.”
Would it be surprising to see Franklin turn things around so quickly that they make the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2026? Yes, however, how surprised would many people be if they won eight or nine games? Virginia Tech fans have been waiting too long for a season with this much hype entering it. There is more than there was two years ago, when the 2024 team completely disappointed to the point they needed to beat Virginia Thanksgiving Weekend just to become bowl-eligible.
It has been said before and should be said again, Virginia Tech is one of those programs that is seen as a sleeping giant waiting to be woken up. If there is anyone who can wake it up, it's James Franklin. Not only is Franklin making moves, but he's making gambling moves by bringing Pry back to Blacksburg a couple of months after being fired as head coach to be Franklin's defensive coordinator. They thrived together at Penn State in the same roles before Pry was hired as the head coach at Virginia Tech, replacing Justin Fuente.
Franklin's landing in Blacksburg is a nightmare for the rest of the ACC. Virginia Tech has been a .500 program or worse for years, but those years could be behind them with Franklin in town. There are going to be some big obstacles each year for Franklin, which includes difficult ACC road games in his first season, with trips to California, SMU, Miami, and Clemson. Win two or three of those games, and the Hokies fans will be thrilled that things are going in the right direction.
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