When it was announced that Michigan was firing Sherrone Moore as football coach on Wednesday night, it sent shock waves throughout college football. It immediately becomes a highly coveted job, and it'll have a ripple effect over the next couple of weeks when they hire Moore's replacement.
The firing came just seven days after Early Signing Day was completed. What happens with their Class of 2026 recruiting class remains to be seen. But one thing that can happen is that when a head coach leaves a program, any player can hit the transfer portal or opt out of their NLI, so long as it happens within a certain timeframe. That's where James Franklin and Virginia Tech come in.
Virginia Tech should keep an eye on Michigan Class of 2026 commits
If there is one school that can benefit from this, it's James Franklin and Virginia Tech. Five-star running back Savion Hiter from Virginia, as of now, is keeping his commitment to the Wolverines. As far as the rest of the class goes, there are some players whom Franklin should target if they request to be released.
Four-star cornerback Andre Clarke was someone Franklin tried to flip at the last second, but wasn't successful. The Richmond native would be high on the list of players to target. Another one would be interior offensive lineman Adrian Hamilton, who flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to Michigan after attending the Ohio State game.
The St.John's College three-star in Washington, D.C., would be a huge addition to the Hokies' class if he reopened his recruitment. Franklin has already landed a tremendous Class of 2026 that has signed, including a lot of slips from Penn State to Virginia Tech. Moore's firing will be watched closely in terms of Michigan's next hire and what happens to the class.