The NCAA’s new “five-for-five” rule was supposed to settle college football’s eligibility chaos. However, it ended up adding to an existing messy situation. With court injunctions allowing some class of 2022 players an extra year, a lot of programs are giving their rosters another look. Virginia Tech’s James Franklin is no different.
While speaking to the media following Virginia Tech’s fall camp practice, the head coach was asked whether he would be willing to take in members of the 2022 class if the courts ruled that they could compete. Franklin had a straightforward answer: yes.
“Be an option. If you want to compete in major college football, you can’t say that we’re not going to do things that give us a chance to be highly competitive when other schools are. Like, these are the things to me: when you say you want to compete at the very highest level, you can’t say, ‘Okay, we’re going to compete in these three things and not the other things,” said Franklin.
James Franklin seems EMPHATIC that the Hokies are open to adding a Class of 2022 player that could be eligible…pending further litigation.
Franklin further explained that the schools “have literally started carrying extra courses that don’t start until the mid-semester, the midpoint of the semester, for this very reason.”
The University of Virginia, which is the Hokies’ in-state rival, has already moved forward with integrating the Class of 2022 players into its practice regimen. Earlier this month, the Cavaliers announced that defensive linemen Jacob Holmes and Cazeem Moore would be integrated into football preseason activities.
Earlier this month, when asked about potentially integrating players with an extra year of eligibility, Franklin said yes. However, he did express that while it may be a good idea, many former players won’t be able to take advantage of it because rosters are already full.
“You have a couple of guys that make sense to bring back, but most people weren’t sitting at 102 or 103, just leaving spots open on the roster as well. That may be a happy story for one or two guys but then may create a tough story or a sad story for guys in your program,” said Franklin, per Daily News Record.
While the Hokies have kept an open mind about integrating the players, the reality is that following their disappointing 3-9 season in 2025 under the previous regime, Franklin tore the roster down to the studs and brought in more than two dozen players through the transfer portal. This leaves barely any room for the old players.
On top of that, while the Class of 2022 secured a critical victory earlier this month that could allow them to play a final year, recent news surrounding the issue might not be music to their ears.
Class of 2022’s extra year suddenly in doubt
On Friday, the NCAA scored a major legal win as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit granted a stay in the Wisne v. NCAA case. The new ruling puts the preliminary injunction on hold, which had granted Class of 2022 athletes a fifth season of eligibility for the 2026-27 college season.
“Effective immediately, the age-based eligibility rules will be implemented as the Division I membership intended,” the NCAA said Friday in a statement. “Class members who were allowed to compete because of the Wisne injunction are no longer eligible to compete.”
While Friday’s 10th Circuit ruling pauses the federal injunction granting Class of 2022 athletes a fifth season, separate state-court rulings will remain in effect.
“We are exploring every available option given the split in the panel’s ruling and remain committed to fighting for these college athletes whose opportunities and eligibility have been unfairly restricted,” attorney Robert K. Shelquist, who represents the athletes in the Wisne lawsuit, said Friday in a statement to The Athletic.
The new ruling has now left Indiana defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt, alongside Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi, ineligible despite having practised with their teams ahead of the season openers.
With the NCAA winning the recent case, James Franklin’s words, even though he would like the Class of 2022 to play their final year, now appear far-fetched.