Breaking Down James Franklin as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Head Coach

Background/Resume:

Franklin has been the head coach of Penn State from 2014 to his recent dismissal. Over that time, he had a record of 104-42, achieving a .712 winning percentage. He went to two Big Ten Championship games, winning one of them in 2016 against Wisconsin.

Before being at Penn State, Franklin made his head coaching debut in 2011, where he coached Vanderbilt until 2013.

Franklin has spent most of his coaching career in college, making stops at schools like James Madison, Washington State, Idaho State, Maryland and Kansas State.

Pluses:

• Proven Winner: Though Penn State fans have been frustrated with Franklin during his tenure there, there is no doubt that Franklin knows how to win games. Penn State won over 10 games six times in his 12 seasons there. The Nittany Lions were bowl ineligible just once during his time as head coach.
• Recruiting Success: Penn State has consistently been able to get top recruits, whether it be right out of high school or through the transfer portal during Franklin’s time there. Some of the best recruits Franklin coached were Saquon Barkley, Micah Parsons and Pat Friermuth. He can attract elite players to a program, which is going to be crucial for Virginia Tech this upcoming offseason.
• Plenty of Head Coaching Experience: Franklin is one of the most experienced coaches Virginia Tech could look at to become the next head coach. He knows the importance of NIL funding and how to build a championship-level team. If Virginia Tech were to hire him, he would be able to hit the ground running, with little to no growing pains of being a new head coach.

Minuses:

• Big Game Struggles: If someone asked any Penn State fan what their biggest grievance with Franklin would be, it would be his struggles in high-stakes matchups. In bowl games, Franklin is only 8-7 in his career. Winning in the regular season is rarely an issue for Franklin, it is winning when the lights are brightest is the biggest struggle for him.
• Recent Decline at Penn State: The 2025 Penn State season started off great for Franklin and his team. They started off the year ranked as the number two team in the nation and won its first game. But after that, Penn State hosted No. 6 Oregon at home and lost a close game in double overtime. Losing to a great team like Oregon is not the end of the world, but Franklin followed that up with a loss to UCLA, a team that did not have a lead at any point prior to that game this season. To make matters worse, Penn State dropped its third straight game, losing to Northwestern.
• Limited Conference Success: While winning in the Big 10 is difficult with teams like Ohio State and Michigan consistently being towards the top of the AP poll, it is of note and concern that Franklin has only been to two Big 10 Championships in his career. While Virginia Tech is just looking for someone to revive a struggling program, it is something to think about for the hiring committee if they want to take a big financial burden on someone like Franklin.

Is he a realistic option?

Franklin would be an ambitious but intriguing option for Virginia Tech. His track record speaks for itself as he is one of the most proven names currently available and his reputation of recruiting would be a massive boost for Virginia Tech. Some of the biggest hurdles for Franklin coming to Blacksburg would be his salary. He will likely be demanding top of the ACC like money, but with the new athletics budget, that hurdle just got a whole lot shorter. There is also the question of whether Franklin even wants to coach anymore. His buyout at Penn State was almost $50 million, so he has more than enough money to just retire. He would definitely bring excitement to Blacksburg, but it is more likely than not that he will not be the next coach of Virginia Tech.