Virginia Tech is nearing the completion of an agreement to appoint James Franklin as the new head coach of the school, sources informed ESPN on Monday.
The arrangement is anticipated to be finalized shortly.
Franklin previously served as head coach at both Penn State and Vanderbilt, achieving a record of 128-60 over 15 years. His credentials include winning over 68% of his games, reaching the semifinals of the 2024 College Football Playoff, and securing a Big Ten Championship in 2016.
He will take over from his former defensive coordinator, Brent Pry, who was dismissed in September following an 0-3 start and a 16-24 overall record with the Hokies across four seasons.
Franklin’s entry into Blacksburg will provide the Hokies with their most accomplished coach since Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, who stepped down in 2015 after 29 seasons at the helm. Since Beamer’s retirement, the program has experienced the less-than-stellar tenures of Justin Fuente and Pry as the school struggled to adapt to contemporary college football.
Following Pry’s termination, Tech’s Board of Visitors approved a plan to increase the athletics budget by $229 million over the next four years. This initiative aims to enhance Tech’s appeal as a job opportunity and draw in a candidate capable of revitalizing the school’s struggling football program.
With Franklin, they acquire a seasoned coach whose presence on the open market was not anticipated at the beginning of the 2025 season. Penn State commenced the season ranked No. 2 nationally.
Franklin’s teams faced three consecutive losses to start the season, including a double-overtime defeat against No. 6 Oregon while they were ranked No. 3 in September.
After subsequent losses to UCLA and Northwestern, Penn State terminated Franklin. They faced an initial obligation of $49 million for his contract, but that amount is likely to decrease significantly depending on the terms of his contract with Virginia Tech.
Franklin joined Penn State in 2014 amidst NCAA penalties stemming from the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. He guided the program through a challenging era, leading them to the Rose Bowl and Big Ten title in 2016.
His period at Penn State was largely characterized by overall success that did not culminate in victories at the highest levels, as he concluded with a 4-21 record against AP Top 10 teams. During his 12 seasons, he directed Penn State to six seasons with double-digit wins, including three consecutive from 2022 to 2024.
Virginia Tech has not achieved double-digit victories since Fuente’s inaugural season in 2016. From 2004 to 2011, Tech secured double-digit wins each year under Beamer.
Franklin possesses strong connections to the I-95 corridor, especially within the talent-rich DMV region. In addition to heavily recruiting this area during his time at Penn State, Franklin had two coaching stints at Maryland as an assistant and one season at James Madison.
