When the Virginia Tech football team takes the field on Saturday night at Lane Stadium for James Franklin's first game as head coach against VMI, they will be doing so as a heavy favorite of over 50 points. Yes, I know, that's insane.
Let's not beat around the bush: if the Hokies are going to turn things around under the former Vanderbilt and Penn State head coach, then rolling over the FCS Keydets is a must. VMI will have one game under their belt after they kicked off the 2026 season last Saturday afternoon with a 38-10 loss at Idaho State.
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Since Franklin was hired last November, fans have been waiting too long for this game to finally kick off, and it will be under the lights at Lane Stadium. The lights will be bright, and according to Franklin, VMI poses a tough challenge in one area.
James Franklin reveals one obstacle against VMI
Franklin and new defensive coordinator Brent Pry have had months to scout and work on a game plan for VMI's triple option offense. Against Idaho State, the Keydets rushed for 229 yards on 52 carries. They love to control the game by running the ball, and nearly all drives are going to be four-down drives. So, how have the Hokies prepared for it?
"Yeah, it's a challenge,'' said Franklin. "It always is a challenge. If you've got a background in defending the option, I think that is helpful. You have to spend time on it; we spent time on it all summer, we spent time on it all training camp, but it's a challenge; there's no doubt about it. That's why people run it.''
You might remember the triple option when Paul Johnson ran it at Georgia Tech, and it gave former Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster problems at times. That won't stop Franklin and Pry from picking Foster's brain about defending it on Saturday night.
As high as expectations are for 2026, there are still questions surrounding the Virginia Tech defense and just how much depth there is. The defensive line has a lot of promise and will get a stern test on Saturday night with the VMI triple option. That might seem like an overreaction, but defending the triple option is certainly a challenge.
Not many coaches or staff have been able to pull off what Franklin did in terms of bringing Pry back to the same school that he was fired from three months earlier. If there is someone who can pull it off, it's Franklin. However, Pry is going to be thrown right into the fire in terms of preparing a defense for the complicated triple option. The Hokies just might shut it down, but expect some growing pains early in the game. In the end, talent should win out over scheme.
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