James Franklin Begins New Era with Virginia Tech Hokies

James Franklin begins his first season as the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies, expressing enthusiasm about the team’s trajectory. He has managed to bring in 12 former players from Penn State, enhancing the Hokies’ transfer portal class, which now ranks No. 7 nationally.

Franklin benefits from a strong lineup of returning talent. Notably, Brent Pry, the former head coach, has been reinstated as the team’s defensive coordinator. This move aims to solidify the defensive strategies for the upcoming season.

During the ACC Media Days, Franklin shared his optimism about the team’s progress after his initial offseason with Virginia Tech. Via college football insider Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports, Franklin stated, “We have won the offseason. We have had a great offseason. We are bigger, we are stronger, we are faster than we have been. There’s no doubt about that.” He continued by emphasizing that these improvements need to translate effectively into the regular season.

Previously, Franklin faced dismissal from Penn State following a difficult 3-3 start to the 2025 season, despite achieving at least 10 wins in each of the prior three years. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is aiming to recover from a 2025 season where they only secured three victories.

The Hokies commence their 2026 schedule with a game against VMI on September 5, setting the stage for Franklin’s new leadership era.