Fired by Penn State, James Franklin’s debut run with Virginia Tech comes with a lot of pressure. The 2027 recruiting trail did not treat him well, with only two commits so far. But Franklin is now running the race to land a 2027 running back target. Landing him will be a double win with a four-star in the house and a heartbreak for his former program.

Missing out on a franchise quarterback tends to force a program to build an elite ground game. With Matt Campbell sweeping in for Peter Bourque, James Franklin knows securing a powerhouse back isn’t just about revenge, but a critical roster necessity to anchor Virginia Tech’s offense moving forward.

According to On3’s reports, No. 9 running back Gary Walker has come under Franklin’s radar. So, Virginia Tech is now ready to roll out the red carpet as they host the Creekside product this weekend, March 21-22. Turns out, even before he is about to wrap up his spring visit to Franklin’s camp, he has already locked in for a June 5 official visit.

This heightened interest from Walker might be giving Franklin enough confidence when Penn State is one of the programs rooting highly for the running back. That’s where the recruiting game starts heating up, as he will be taking a trip to Happy Valley between June 12 and June 14. The recruiting battle is tight, with On3’s crystal ball giving Virginia Tech a slight edge (15.6%) over Penn State (13.0%) in a crowded field that also includes Clemson, Florida State, and Stanford.

So far, Virginia Tech has only locked in two EDGEs, Andrew Rogers and Alexander Taylor. But what might be the other reason for Franklin targeting the 2027 running back? In December last year, Walker won a huge honor. 

“The Touchdown Club of Atlanta is proud to announce our Second Team All-State Offense! These guys had an unbelievable season. Congratulations!” tweeted the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, followed by a list. 

Franklin’s target was one of the four running backs to make it to the list, along with Moonie Gipson from Kell and Will Rakjecki from Sequoyah, among others. While college football programs are now locking horns to bring Walker home, Creekside’s offensive coordinator, Trent Francis, kept rooting for the running back. 

“Best RB in the 27 Class in GA. I stand on that. Yall got an early start its GARY time now,” he tweeted. 

Walker’s staggering 1,669-yard, 20-touchdown campaign shows exactly why Franklin is going all in. The Creekside standout isn’t just a consolation prize for losing Bourque. He’s an explosive, every-down weapon who can instantly alleviate the immense pressure on whoever ultimately takes the snaps for the Hokies. Virginia Tech is battling multiple programs, but Penn State looks like the real heavyweight after Matt Campbell and his crew put the Hokies’ quarterback plans in jeopardy.

James Franklin’s missed shot as Matt Campbell’s Penn State gains momentum

After decommitting from Michigan, 2027 quarterback target Peter Bourque is back in the market. According to On3’s reports, Penn State is now trending high with 70.3% chance to give Bourque a new home. 

“I like the way it’s starting to shape up for the Nittany Lions,” said On3 analyst Steve Wiltfong on the chances of Bourque’s suitors. “I think conversations and dialogue with the new Penn State staff have been terrific behind the scenes. He’s always had love for the school, the atmosphere, environment around the program, proximity to home, and believes in the future of this program under Matt Campbell and company.”

So, here comes a twist. The credit behind Penn State trending goes back to when Franklin held the head coaching seat. Even though the Nittany Lions never offered him early, Bourque still paid a visit to Happy Valley. However, currently, Franklin’s Virginia Tech is likely to lose the battle to his former program, standing with less than one percent chance. The reason?

Simple. Campbell walks in with a track record of developing quarterbacks, with Rocco Becht and Brock Purdy as ideal examples. Secondly, even though Becht followed Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State, behind him are mostly unproven players, which would allow Bourque to get a starting role early. With this, it looks like James Franklin has already missed the Peter Bourque train, so they now have to lock in Gary Walker to send a message.