After settling in for the past three months as the head coach at Virginia Tech, James Franklin is about to begin his first spring as head coach in Blacksburg. The Hokies have been holding workouts and conditioning as they get ready to transition to the field before the spring game in April.
This is going to be an important spring for the Hokies under Franklin. Not only was there an overhaul with the roster, but there are new coaches at key positions. That includes defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Brent Pry. That's right, the same Brent Pry that Franklin is replacing as the head coach in Blacksburg. Franklin is bringing him as his DC after they had a ton of success at Penn State together.
There are going to be several players to keep an eye on, incuding quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, a Penn State transfer. Virginia Tech also had a ton of retention from last year's team at key positions, with wide receiver Ayden Greene returning, as are running backs Jeffrey Overton, Jr., and Marcellous Hawkins. There is a lot to watch this spring, to say the least.
Recruiting begins to heat up
Recruiting in the Class of 2027 is about to heat up in March with on-campus visits. As far as Virginia Tech goes, things are heating up when it comes to recruiting for Franklin. One area where the Hokies are looking to make some progress is with some quarterbacks.
Earlier last month, Peter Bourque de-committed from the University of Michigan, and the Hokies quickly entered the mix again under Franklin. Virginia Tech is also in the mix for a pair of QBs from Florida, one in the Class of 2026 and another in the Class of 2027.
Virginia Tech/Miami game continues to generate some love
The 2026 schedule for Franklin at Virginia Tech is going to be a tough one. However, one game keeps getting some interest, and that's the late-November matchup at Miami. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports was the latest to circle that gaem on the 2026 schedule.
"Anyone else buying stock in James Franklin's first season with the Hokies? There's a small chanceVirginia Tech is 7-0 going to Clemson at the end of October, thanks to a favorable early slate. By then, the Hokies will no longer be disguised under the cloak of anonymity as a team in the ACC driver's seat. And for Miami to match last season's success under Mario Cristobal, it may take a league championship to get there before the final CFP reveal,'' wrote Crawford.
This is the second straight year that the matchup will be played the weekend before Thanksgiving.