When Virginia Tech decided to cut ties with former head football coach Brent Pry, there was no real backup plan in place. The school formed a search committee, and little did they know what was about to come their way.
Penn State fired James Franklin, and given the success he had, he was going to be the most coveted coach this cycle. In mid-November, it was announced after what seemed like a ton of rumors that Franklin was hired as the next head coach in Blacksburg.
It was a hiring that made too much sense and was a win for both Franklin and the school. The program has been looking to return to the glory days under Frank Beamer and Justin Fuente, and Pry was not able to do that. Franklin has a shot to do that. However, how long will he be at Virginia Tech for? Ralph Russo of The Athletic predicted the head coach of every Power 4 program in 2030. Who did he have at the helm of Virginia Tech?
James Franklin predicted to be the head coach at Virginia Tech in 2030
Just a few months on the job, and Franklin has hit the ground running. He has his staff in place, which includes Pry coming back as his defensive coordinator, as well as an overhauled roster. The turnaround isn't going to happen overnight, but steps in the right direction should happen as soon as 2026. As for 2030, Russo predicted that Franklin will still be in charge of the Hokies.
"Whether the former Penn State head coach can bring Frank Beamer-level success back to Blacksburg remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet he gets at least five years to make it work,'' wrote Russo.
Five years feels like the right timeframe for Franklin in Blacksburg. Could someone come calling from a bigger program before 2030? Sure, but given the opportunity to turn things around at Virginia Tech, it feels that unless something goes off the rails behind the scenes, he'll stick it out until the job is complete. If he doesn't think that he can do it, then that's a different story. For now, the right guy is in place in Blacksburg.