When Penn State fired James Franklin back in October, he shot up to the top of the school's board as a potential replacement at their school. When the dust settled, he was hired as the replacement for his former defensive coordinator, Brent Pry, at Virginia Tech.
To say that this is the type of hire that the fanbase has been waiting for would be an understatement. After struggling under Justin Fuente and Pry to live up to the standard set by Frank Beamer, there is a very good chance Franklin will wake up a sleeping giant in Blacksburg.
Hired in mid-November, Franklin hit the ground running in recruiting and putting together his coaching staff, and working through the Transfer Portal to add to his roster for 2026 and beyond. There is nowhere to go but up for the Hokies after a disappointing 3-9 season. Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports had one question for each ACC football team as spring practice began. His for Virginia Tech surrounded Franklin, of course.
CBS Sports asks the question everyone has: How quickly can James Franklin turn things around?
Again, there is nowhere to go but up for the Hokies next season, but just how far up can they go? A new-look roster and a new coaching staff led by Franklin, it could be quick.
"The Hokies had one of the best offseasons in the sport as new coach James Franklin was able to flip a tremendous amount of his former Penn State roster. Twelve players transferred with him from State College, while several more high school recruits joined as well. Franklin may have struggled to win the Big Ten, but there are big expectations in Blacksburg right from the start. The foundation for his success will be set this spring,'' wrote Jeyarajah.
Is it surprising that Franklin was able to get so many recruits in the Class of 2026 to flip to Virginia Tech to follow Franklin? It shouldn't be. Nor should it be surprising that Franklin got some key transfers from Penn State to follow him as well. In this day and age of NIL and everything else, it's not surprising.
The early-season schedule sets up well for success and confidence for everyone before things get daunting on the backend. It wouldn't be surprising if an upset or two is pulled, but the question is, just how quickly does it take Franklin to turn things around, given the success he's had at his previous stops? Hokies fans are hoping not too long.