On Sunday, Penn State shocked the college football world and fired James Franklin. It's not surprising that they fired Franklin, but they paid the buyout. However, in a results business, three straight losses to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern are not going to cut it in this day and age.
Franklin instantly becomes the biggest target for this coaching cycle window. Currently, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, and Oklahoma State are open, with many more to follow. Who knows, maybe Penn State's replacement for Franklin will create another opening at a big program.
Virginia Tech has formed a committee to find its next head coach, and with the Board of Visitors approving more money to be invested in athletics, there is suddenly something for the next coach to work with. Would Franklin be interested in coming to Blacksburg? It feels like a long shot, but one college football writer gave a very good reason as to why Virginia Tech needs him.
Chris Hummer explains why James Franklin to Virginia Tech benefits the program
Chris Hummer of CBS Sports listed some schools, such as Arkansas, UCLA, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech, as schools that would love for Franklin to consider them. Here is why Virginia Tech would love to land Franklin.
"Virginia Tech is worried about getting left behind in football as the ACC changes its revenue-sharing structure to reward teams that get the best TV ratings. Franklin is exactly the type of splash hire -- not to mention a regional fit -- who can raise the floor and ceiling of a Hokies program that's largely floundered since Frank Beamer's departure,'' Hummer wrote.
There is a lot of truth to everything Hummer wrote. ACC revenue-sharing is somewhere where Virginia Tech would certainly get left behind when it comes to TV ratings. There's no doubting it. The two hires since Frank Beamer left, Justin Fuente and Brent Pry, have not been the answer. Under Pry, the program has hit a rock bottom that Fuente never hit.
Franklin will get his choice of jobs to choose from, and you have to think that the committee is going to at least kick the tires. After that, who knows what happens?