Virginia Tech was reportedly not James Franklin’s first choice. However, the Hokies interviewed 20 different personnel, as per Pat McAfee, before finalizing the former PSU coach. The program is turning a new page, which struggled with a 3-7 overall record this season. The 53-year-old coach even renegotiated his buyout with Penn State and brought it down to just $9 million. Even with 11 openings still in CFB, his excitement was evident about joining VT.

Appearing on the Virginia Tech Sports Network radio broadcast, Franklin didn’t waste any time setting the bar. There was one clear reason why he chose the program despite waiting for FSU’s offer. “I think a couple things. Number one, it was obvious that they had a plan, and you’d be amazed how many of these places didn’t have a plan,” Franklin credited VT for their aggressive approach. “The other thing I would say is they were aggressive.

“So that stood out to me and my family very early on, that this is a place that believed in what we could do together.” It appears to be a message for the programs that didn’t land Franklin. This approach from VT was directly opposite of what the Seminoles had with Mike Norvell.

The HC’s time with FSU is on thin ice after producing just two winning seasons, in 2022 and 2023, over six seasons with the Seminoles. If Florida State were to fire the HC, they would owe Norvell $58,667,708 as of Dec. 1, 2025. That buyout is currently the sixth-highest in college football among active coaches. That’s why there was a holdup, and later even the program’s AD confirmed they would reassess the position once the season ends. This effectively made VT’s path clear for James Franklin.

The interest in Seminoles was strong. According to Virginia Tech insider Kolby Crawford, the delay in agreement between the Hokies and Franklin was because of FSU. “A massive hinge point has been Florida State this whole time.” As Franklin stated, Virginia Tech acted aggressively, which worked in its favor. Even other programs, such as UCLA, Florida, LSU, Auburn, and Penn State, among others, are seeking a head coach.

James Franklin’s journey from PSU firing to VT job

Although James Franklin was reportedly 50% likely to take the Hokies’ job, the former PSU HC was silent on asking about his interest in Virginia Tech. “Prior to kickoff here at ODU, I asked James Franklin about his interest in #Hokies. He was friendly, polite, and declined [to] comment,” stated reporter David Teel. “(James Franklin) said he is here to support two coaches…” But that silence broke when VT failed to FSU.

After FSU’s 34–14 win over Virginia Tech, Mike Norvell’s job security seemed confirmed, at least for this season. As per the report, taking the FSU job was the reason for Franklin’s initial silence about the VT HC job. But with that win, Franklin’s hopes of replacing Norvell have faded. Still, ending weeks of speculation about his next destination, Franklin issued his first statement as leader soon after VT announced him as their new ACC HC.

“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” said Franklin. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”

In Franklin’s previous stance, he led Vanderbilt to three straight bowl appearances for the first time. Then replicated his success at Penn State, where he coached for 11 years. He won the 2016 Big Ten Championship and earned three New Year’s Six bowl victories. Now, Virginia Tech will be hoping for the same.