When Virginia Tech fired former football coach Brent Pry, it was the second head coach that the school has moved on from since the legendary Frank Beamer retired. First, it was Justin Fuente, then Pry, after four years of trying to turn the program around in Blacksburg.
A month after Pry was fired, little did the Virginia Tech search committee know that their dream hire would become available. In mid-October, after a loss at home to Northwestern, Penn State fired the highly successful James Franklin. After just over a month of speculation and rumors, Virginia Tech's search committee hired Franklin to replace his former defensive coordinator.
A few weeks after being hired, it was reported that Franklin is reuniting with Pry and bringing him back as the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. It was odd, but if it works out, then there won't be any Hokies fans complaining. Brad Shepard of Bleacher Report listed the top 13 transfers to watch in 2026, and when it came to Virginia Tech transfer quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, Shepard said what a lot of Hokies' fans have been thinking for a long, long time.
Bleacher Report says what Virginia Tech fans have been saying about James Franklin
Not surprisingly, Grunkemeyer was on the list of some of the top transfers to watch in 2026 by Bleacher Report. He is the projected starter for the Hokies after following Franklin and former Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien to Blacksburg. However, when discussing Grunkemeyer's addition to the program, Shepard said the quiet part out loud about what fans have been saying when it comes to Franklin.
"It didn't take long for Franklin to resurface at Virginia Tech, where he'll be a massive upgrade from anything the Hokies have put on the sideline since the Frank Beamer era,'' wrote Shepard.
That is a bit of an understatement, but it's the truth. Franklin is a massive upgrade from anything the Hokies have put on the sideline since Frank Beamer. Nothing against Pry, but he is a very good DC, but he just wasn't head coaching material. That's just the truth, not a shot at him. Some guys are cut out to be head coaches, and some aren't. He just wasn't. However, if he can replicate the success he had as the DC at Virginia Tech, which he had under Franklin at Penn State, then all will be forgotten.
Despite what some people say, like Craig Carton, who is completely out of touch with his takes about Virginia Tech hiring Franklin, this is the hire the program needed. Who knows, maybe Carton is a frustrated Penn State fan who can't seem to let the James Franklin obsession go like the rest of the fanbase. For Virginia Tech, this was a no-brainer.