Big changes are happening at Virginia Tech around the football program. James Franklin has been hired as the next head coach after he was fired from Penn State in October, and talk about hitting the ground running.
Franklin is expected to have dozens of recruits on campus in Blacksburg this weekend for the Hokies' final home game of the 2025 season when Miami visits. He has several Penn State commits he got before being fired coming to take a visit to Virginia Tech. He is also hosting a recruiting weekend next weekend when the Hokies close out the 2025 season at Virginia in the annual Commonwealth Cup.
When the dust settles and the complete transition is made, recruits and front office personnel might not be the only people brought from State College to Blacksburg. Interim Nittany Lions coach Terry Smith was asked about Franklin getting the Virginia Tech job and whether he could consider joining him. He didn't shut the door.
Could James Franklin bring Terry Smith from Penn State to Virginia Tech?
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft tabbed Smith to replace Franklin for the rest of the year. After that, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen, but Smith didn't close the door on heading to Blacksburg to join Franklin.
“Anything’s a possibility,'' said Smith. “I love the game of football. I will be coaching the game of football on Saturday … God willing, next Saturday. And then after that, we'll let business take care of business.”
This certainly leaves the door open for anything. It is highly unlikely that Kraft names Smith the next head coach at Penn State, which would open the door for him to bolt for Virginia Tech. If he were to come to the Hokies with Franklin, what an addition he would be.
Penn State picked up its first win under Smith last weekend when it beat Michigan State, and he won over the players in the locker room. Will that be enough to name him the next head coach? Probably not, and if not, making the jump to Virginia Tech is the logical move for him. He would be welcomed with open arms, and it sounds like it has at least been something he has been thinking about.