James Franklin is stepping into his role as head coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies this season. He is optimistic about where his program is heading.
Franklin has brought along 12 former players from his previous team, Penn State, to join the Hokies in Blacksburg. This addition has contributed to Virginia Tech’s impressive rank of No. 7 in the transfer portal class. In addition, the team benefits from a considerable amount of returning talent, aided by former head coach Brent Pry returning to serve as the defensive coordinator.
During the ACC Media Days on Thursday, Franklin shared his confidence following his first offseason with the team. “We have won the offseason. We have had a great offseason,” he stated, as reported by college football insider Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports. He emphasized the team’s progress by saying, “We are bigger, we are stronger, we are faster than we have been. There’s no doubt about that. We’ve won the offseason. That’s a great soundbite. The reality is we’ve got to make sure those things translate to the season.”
Franklin’s previous tenure at Penn State ended after a 3-3 start to the 2025 season. This decision came despite his success in leading the Nittany Lions to at least 10 victories in each of the prior three seasons. Virginia Tech seeks to improve from a tough three-win season in 2025.
Franklin and the Hokies are set to begin their 2026 season with a game against VMI on September 5.