James Franklin is Virginia Tech's next head football coach.
Virginia Tech announced the hiring of Franklin on Monday, concluding what The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Ralph D. Russo described as a "weekslong courtship" of Franklin by the Hokies.
Hokie Nation, we got our guy
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 17, 2025
Coach Franklins here to win
https://t.co/qFtXyikfDR
https://t.co/dA4VWjes9z pic.twitter.com/J2MTYyAILt
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a statement released by the university. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 following an 0–3 start to the 2025 season. Penn State fired Franklin four weeks later amid a three-game losing streak that dropped the Nittany Lions to 3–3 in what was supposed to be a championship-or-bust campaign in State College.
Virginia Tech owes Pry a $6 million buyout. Penn State initially owed Franklin $48 million, but will now owe Franklin only $9 million after a settlement agreement, according to Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times.
Across three years at Vanderbilt and nearly 12 at Penn State, Franklin compiled a 128–60 record and led the Nittany Lions to six double-digit-win seasons. Virginia Tech hasn’t reached double digits since Justin Fuente’s first year in 2016. From 2004 to 2011, the Hokies hit the 10-win mark every season under Frank Beamer.
