When James Franklin was hired as the football coach at Virginia Tech back in November, there were several reasons to be excited about the hire. At the top of the list was recruiting, both with high school recruits and players in the Transfer Portal.
The current state of college football is all about relationships rather than the names of schools. Gone are the days, for the most part, of committing to a school because of the name of the school. It's all about playing for coaches, head or assistants, and NIL. That could play right into the hands of Franklin, if there is anything that history tells us.
This past weekend was a huge recruiting weekend for the Class of 2027, and Franklin hosted a slew of recruits this weekend. One of the visitors was the No. 1 player in Virginia, Chris Whitehead Jr., along with several other top targets. One recruit didn't beat around the bush on his visit, and what impressed him.
Virginia Tech football recruit doesn't beat around the bush about potentially playing for James Franklin
Richmond native Zayvon Miller, a safety, was on campus in Blacksburg this past weekend. He liked his visit and had an honest take that shows the hiring of Franklin is going to pay big dividends before long in Blacksburg.
“Every coach showed love. It felt like I was at home. Playing for a guy like Coach Franklin would be great,'' said Miller.
There is nowhere to go up in terms of results on the field for Virginia Tech under Franklin after a dreadful 3-9 2025 season. In fact, the results of the last couple of seasons have been underwhelming. However, the hiring of Franklin signals a change in direction of recruiting, which is huge. Who knew Virginia Tech would be hitting the ground with the top recruits visiting and a potential landing spot so quickly? The James Franklin effect is already rolling.