FOX Sports analyst puts Virginia Tech on blast as a destination for top coaches

Virginia Tech has been without a full-time head coach for well over a month now. After moving on from the ineffective Brent Pry following an 0-3 start, the Hokies have opted to go with offensive coordinator and former Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery in the interim. While Virginia Tech has gone 3-2 in its five most recent games, those three wins were over Wofford, NC State and California.

With three ranked opponents left on the schedule in Louisville, Miami and arch rival Virginia, it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Hokies will not be going to a bowl game this holiday season. Montgomery has provided some level of stability to the position. However, we all know that Virginia Tech is big-game hunting to find the right suitable replacement for Pry in Blacksburg this offseason.

While it may be Shane Beamer at South Carolina, it may not be James Franklin formerly of Penn State.

Craig Carton rips the idea of James Franklin to Virginia Tech to shreds

On a recent episode of The Craig Carton Show, Carton did not have any time to consider Franklin.

"There are rumors yesterday that James Franklin, the former head coach at Penn State, who's gonna get the job of his choosing more or less because he was very successful without the championship there at Penn State, was rumored to be going to I think, West Virginia? Virginia Tech! That's a step down, no? Michael Vick ain't there no more, right? But you're not winning at Virginia Tech?!"

He claims Frank Beamer did not win at Virginia Tech to the degree that everyone seems to remember.

"Frank Beamer didn't win at Virginia Tech, right? Let's keep it real! If you're James Franklin, and for the last how many years, you were the head coach at Penn State, a power school in a power conference, and a legitimate shot to be eligible for the playoff, now that we have a playoff, right? And a major New Year's Day bowl game and all that nonsense that comes with it. Are you going to Virginia Tech?!"

Carton then talked about how Franklin will have options beyond just Virginia Tech in this hiring cycle.

"You're getting paid no matter what. You're making the eight-or-nine million bucks this year, and for the next seven years whether you go anywhere or sit on your ass at home. I wait for something better. And no disrespect to the Hokies and the folks down at Virginia Tech, you're good people. But Virginia Tech is not Penn State, it ain't Michigan. It's not one of those types of schools."

He believes that a struggling Big Ten school would be the best fit for Franklin to come aboard now.

"If I'm a Big Ten school that has struggled, and I could go get James Franklin, I'm considering it."

Carton then finished by saying that Franklin should only consider goinig to a blue-blood program.

"I think that we view Virginia Tech with the wrong lens. I think we're using the lens of the 1980s and 90s. We're not looking at the lens of Virginia Tech in today's landscape. If I'm James Franklin, I ain't going to no Virginia Tech, I'll tell you that ... I am only going to a blue-blood school."

Here is everything Carton said about the ideas surrounding Franklin possibly coming to Virginia Tech.

Regardless of if Franklin ends up leading Virginia Tech, what is the best Big Ten he will get, Wisconsin?

Craig Carton is totally overlooking one key part of the Virginia Tech job

Are Carton's comments about the Hokies totally justified? While he is right that Virginia Tech has not had the best go of it, Franklin has plenty of working knowledge that could serve him if he were to be the one to take over for Pry full-time. Keep in mind Pry was Franklin's defensive coordinator at Penn State before taking over in Blacksburg. Pry took this job because he could recruit in the Tidewater.

The Tidewater Region had been a bit of a honeyhole for Penn State in recent years. Prior to taking over at Penn State, Frankin cut his teeth as the former head coach at Vanderbilt, as well as the long-time top assistant to Ralph Friedgen at Maryland. Regardless of what Penn State wants to do, Franklin can be the coach to turn the Hokies around, based on recruitment and being in an easier conference.

Overall, the type of slander that Carton is throwing in Virginia Tech's direction can be turned back around on him on the idea of who he thinks Franklin really is. He was the Mark Richt of Penn State. You can win a lot of games with him, but never the ones you needed to be a champion. That might be good enough at a place like Wisconsin, but moving over the ACC could do wonders for his trajectory.

No matter if he comes to Blacksburg or not, Franklin would make the Virginia Tech program feel big.