James Franklin arrives in Blacksburg with the builders’ label, trusted to push the program back to relevance brick by brick. And while bowl season rolls on and official introductions wait, the salary sheet is out, exposing Franklin’s iron grip on the Hokies’ rebuild.

Virginia Tech’s salary report quietly dropped a hammer. The total salary of the on-field assistant staff will be roughly $6.125 million, while James Franklin is expected to earn roughly $41.75 million over the next 5 years with an average of about $8.3 million per year. The gap is staggering even without accounting for the additional buyout funds still owed to Brent Pry. This is definitely not a shared-power rebuilding. It has a single voice at the top and dominates everyone else both structurally and financially.

Just below him sits the inner circle. Even though the program is starting over, Pry’s return as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at a salary of $1.5 million indicates stability on defense. Ty Howle, the tight ends coach and offensive coordinator, is next at $900,000, a total that subtly highlights how important the offense will be to Franklin’s plan.

Then there’s Sean Spencer, a trusted ally of Franklin and Pry who was brought over from Texas A&M and compensated like someone whose voice matters in determining the run game and trenches, at $750,000. Both Matt Moore, the OL coach, and Fontel Mines, the WR coach and offensive recruiting coordinator, get $600,000. Mines also has a $75,000 retention bonus if he stays until late February. It’s Virginia Tech quietly acknowledging the value of recruiting during a fragile rebuild.

Danny O’Brien, the QB coach, and Doug Shearer, the special teams coordinator, each make $350,000. Norval McKenzie, who handles running backs and run-game responsibilities, comes in at $550,000. Nickel’s coach, Vic Hall, rounds out the defensive assistants at $300,000, while analyst David Rocco comes in at $150,000, despite lingering speculation about a larger role for the Rocco name.

There is still an open spot for a safeties coach with the title of co-defensive coordinator, and potential hires like Anthony Midget, a former defensive back for the Hokies, could further change the salary bracket. But when your head coach makes $35 million more than the staff beneath him, expectations are obviously concentrated.

With a $229 million investment into athletics over the next four years, Virginia Tech is betting that one man’s vision is strong enough to pull the entire program back into the national spotlight. And beyond overhauling his staff, Franklin’s rebuild has already struck the Transfer Portal, turning it into a pipeline for familiar faces.

Virginia Tech transfer surge

James Franklin’s return to Virginia Tech is already turning the transfer portal into his personal playground. The latest splash comes with former Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, who started the last seven games for the Nittany Lions last season.

Grunkemeyer led Penn State to a 4-3 record in his starts, including a four-game winning streak to end the season, by throwing for 1,339 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. The redshirt freshman now has the opportunity to join Franklin again in Blacksburg for a fresh start.

The pipeline is already moving aggressively from Penn State to Blacksburg. The first former Nittany Lion to commit was TE Matt Henderson, a native of Virginia who was recruited by Franklin. Henderson brings skill and expertise to the tight end room under the leadership of Ty Howle, Virginia Tech’s new offensive coordinator.

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Then came defensive lineman Daniel Jennings, also from Penn State, adding depth and experience to the Hokies’ front. Franklin leverages his recruiting expertise to get off to a solid start in his first full recruiting cycle at Virginia Tech.

The latest to join the movement is WR Jeff Exinor, giving Virginia Tech three former Penn State players committed for 2026 before spring even starts. Exinor will reunite with receivers coach Fontel Mines and compete for targets alongside returning players like Ayden Greene. In high school, Exinor was a finalist at Virginia Tech.

Also, another Franklin prospect from Penn State, RB Corey Smith, is visiting Blacksburg and has the potential to offer depth and competitiveness to the backfield. In a program desperate for momentum, these transfers are the first dominoes in a plan to reshape Virginia Tech into Franklin’s team.