James Franklin has become somewhat of a magnet for Penn State commits at Virginia Tech. As 11 former PSU commits either signed with or flipped their commitments to the Hokies during the early signing period, you can imagine Franklin’s influence and pull in recruiting. Despite that, now, for a top Michigan prospect from the 2027 class, Franklin faces a challenge from his former coaching stop.

Penn State’s new head coach, Matt Campbell, has extended a scholarship offer to four-star QB Peter Bourque of Tabor Academy. Bourque said that QBs coach Jake Waters delivered the good news. But what’s making headlines is that Franklin’s current and former schools are both pursuing Bourque for a potential flip.

“Both Penn State and Virginia Tech are making a push to try and flip 4 ⭐️ Michigan QB commit Peter Bourque,” shared Basic Blues Nation on Wednesday.

Although PSU started the early signing period looking shaky, with just two signees, Campbell is now at the helm and rebuilding the 2026 class, leaning on players he knows from Iowa State. That rebuilding continues. As Michigan struggles with Sherrone Moore’s firing and ongoing scandal, leaving the Wolverines reeling, Campbell sees an opportunity to make a move for Bourque.

Here, Campbell’s track record in developing QBs speaks volumes. While Brock Purdy parlayed his Cyclones career into leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl, Rocco Becht became a multi-year starter in Ames under Campbell’s leadership. With that, Franklin’s Virginia Tech program could face a huge roadblock in trying to land the No. 1 QB from Massachusetts.

But while developing talent is Campbell’s specialty, he still has to go head-to-head with Franklin to land the 4-star target.

Beating Franklin won’t be easy, as they do have a past advantage. When Bourque gave a verbal to Michigan, PSU was the runner-up, and that was under a James Franklin-led staff. More importantly, under Franklin, they hosted him on campus for an unofficial visit back in January. With that connection, while the Hokies are now pushing hard for Bourque, Penn State’s potential can’t be ignored.

However, Bourque said that Virginia Tech’s Danny O’Brien extended the offer, and the two have built a strong rapport throughout his recruiting process. With that, it’s clear the two programs are locked in a tight battle for the 2027 four-star QB. His ranking as the No. 8 QB and the No. 90 overall player in the 2027 class backs that up.

With Bourque’s level of talent, he would be a perfect fit for either program, making this recruitment the ultimate proving ground. But with Franklin having already shown he can flip elite talent, the race has become intense.

James Franklin’s take on recruiting talent

James Franklin didn’t take long to shake things up in Blacksburg. Just weeks after his joining, the recruiting map already looks different. With that, the Hokies surged to No. 23 in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Here, Franklin made his philosophy crystal clear.

“It’s still about relationships,” he said on National Signing Day, pointing to years of trust built not just with players, but with parents and high school coaches.

He also leaned into the brand.

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“Most of us grew up with a Virginia Tech that was kicking butt and taking names,” said Franklin. “This class is going to help us restore that.”

And Franklin’s resume backs the confidence. He rebuilt Vanderbilt into a bowl regular, then spent 12 seasons at Penn State, winning a Big Ten title and reaching the CFP.

Since arriving at VT, Franklin has flipped multiple former Penn State commits, including interior lineman Benjamin Eziuka and four-star EDGE Tyson Harley, plus a wave of other blue-chip talent.

Now, we’ll see whether Franklin or Campbell’s track record impresses the Michigan commit.