When Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as their next football coach, it signaled a change in the direction of the program. It was a change that many fans hoped would become significant.
The former Penn State coach hit the ground running in all aspects of the job. He flipped nearly a dozen Penn State commits to Blacksburg from the Class of 2026 and then went to work on his coaching staff. Maybe the biggest out-of-nowhere surprise came when it was announced that Brent Pry was returning as Franklin's defensive coordinator just three months after being fired as head coach.
Franklin then remade the roster and added some big players from the Transfer Portal who are going to come in and help right away. There is a lot to like about not only the 2026 season, but beyond. We are still four months away from seeing what the results are going to be on the field, but if there is one thing the ACC is learning off the field, it's that Franklin's landing in the ACC is going to be bad news down the line.
ACC finding out James Franklin at Virginia Tech is going to create nightmares
Sure, the results need to happen on the field, and they will. It might take a little longer than some hope, but there is nowhere to go but up. However, one area where Franklin is going to make big strides for the Hokies is in recruiting. The conference is already seeing that with the recent heater he's been on.
He picked up his 11th commitment on Friday with three-star safety Elijah Butler from Baltimore committing to the Hokies. That came 12 hours after he secured a commitment from four-star cornerback Chase Johnson from Georgia. According to 247Sports, Virginia Tech's ranking has surged into the Top 15, which is not a spot they have been used to.
Miami landed a commitment over the Hokies on Friday afternoon from four-star defensive tackle Ezekiel Ayangbile from Texas, but for the most part, Virginia Tech is going to win more of those recruiting battles than they have in the past. Just as Virginia saw Franklin flip one of their Class of 2027 commits, wide receiver Demarcus Brown, last weekend. Franklin is just beginning in Blacksburg.
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