James Franklin hasn’t even walked into his official Virginia Tech presser yet, and he’s already making his first hire. Even before the ink dries, he’s assembling a staff. That tells you everything about his preparation mindset. He didn’t come to Blacksburg for a slow rebuild, he came to flip the switch. And the first switch he flipped is a big one.

On November 18, Penn State reporter Patrick Poerbler confirmed On3’s scoop on X, revealing James Franklin’s first major move. “James Franklin is targeting Sandy Barbour as General Manager of Personnel and Recruitment. Barbour previously worked closely with James at Penn State on a number of initiatives. Big get for the Hokies.”  Sandy Barbour isn’t just any random administrator. She’s one of the most respected athletic leaders in the country. So if you think that’s a soft opening move, wait till you hear what this hire signals.

Sandy Barbour spent eight high-impact years running Penn State Athletics, steering one of the most massive and academically elite departments in the nation. Graduation Success Rate at 92 percent. Seventy-nine national championships. More than a hundred Big Ten titles. She oversaw 31 Division I programs, one of the largest portfolios in the FBS, and more than 800 student-athletes. She has record academic marks, six NCAA titles across women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and wrestling, and 36 total conference championships. This is an architect of winning systems. James Franklin knows it. Hokie Nation should too.

James Franklin and Sandy Barbour already speak the same language. They built, recalibrated, and modernized Penn State together. They survived the Big Ten grind together and elevated expectations together. Bringing her to Virginia Tech is a statement. The new Hokies HC wants stability, experience, and someone who already speaks his football language. And that chemistry could reshape how the Hokies recruit overnight. And he only doubled down on that message this morning.

James Franklin is set to build a new era in Blacksburg 

Addressing the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors this morning, James Franklin spoke like a man already planting roots in Blacksburg. “We poured our hearts and souls into the last place for the last 12 years,” he said, acknowledging both the grind and the lessons of his Penn State tenure. “Learned a lot of lessons. Got tremendous experience. Obviously, we’re going to take all those experiences and knowledge and bring it here to Virginia Tech.” It wasn’t coach-speak. 

James Franklin is here for a rebrand, a reset, and a real shot at elevating the Hokies back into national conversation. And if his tone is any indication, tomorrow’s official introduction might just be the least dramatic part of what’s coming next. His official introduction comes Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET at Cassell Coliseum, open to the public, live-streamed on social media. “Virginia Tech had attracted and hired an incredible head coach and extraordinary recruiter in James Franklin,” John Rocovich, Rector of the Board of Visitors said. “The Board of Visitors enthusiastically supports this hire.”

That backing matters, because James Franklin is a direction change. And his track record more than justifies the hype. With 128 career wins, a 68%-plus winning percentage, and 59 NFL Draft picks developed at Penn State alone, he arrives in Blacksburg carrying enough credibility to jolt a fanbase. Eighteen All-Americans. Thirty-two major award finalists. And more than 116 players who made it to the NFL under his guidance. He’s here to push it full throttle into a new era. And with Sandy Barbour joining the ride, the real shake-up may only be beginning.