James Franklin inherited Virginia Tech, which is coming off a disappointing 2025 season, where the Hokies had a 3-9 record. That doesn’t mean VT never saw success. In 1999, when Frank Beamer was the head coach and Michael Vick was the QB1, the duo elevated the Hokies to a whole new level. Now, Franklin is ready to give his all to bring back those days in Blacksburg, but there’s a major hurdle.

“I think that’s probably our biggest challenge: the media remembers that Virginia Tech; the fans remember that Virginia Tech, but none of the recruits do,” said the VT head coach during his June 25 appearance on The Triple Option with Rob Stone and Urban Meyer. “They haven’t seen that. So, that’s a challenge. Get them to understand what this place has been all about.”

After joining Virginia Tech last year, Franklin made an immediate impact through recruitment. This season, the Hokies have players like Terry Wiggins and Troy Huhn, among others. And to help them understand the old Virginia Tech, Franklin made a brilliant move.

“Well, first of all, I had a practice last week in spring ball where I invited Michael Vick and the whole Norfolk State coaching staff, and they came and spent two days with us,” Franklin stated during his appearance on The Triple Option. “And then Coach Beamer came to practice as well. So that’s the first way you do it. You just invite those guys, and I was trying not to be a fanboy, kind of looking over there and seeing Vick and Beamer, which was awesome.”

The legendary VT coach Beamer, during his tenure, led the Hokies to seven conference title victories and thirteen 10-win seasons. The winningest coach with 238 victories led Virginia Tech to its first-ever national title game appearance in 1999. Now Franklin wants to lead the Hokies at that level. And the Hokies are waiting to implement that in 2026.

“We’ve got some pretty good momentum right now and are doing some good things, but then we’re also going to have to put that on the field. You know, we’re going to have to show everybody evidence of what this place can be. And we’re excited about the opportunity,” added Franklin.

But here’s the real question:

Can James Franklin lead Virginia Tech to its glory days?

During his time at Penn State, Franklin guided the Lions in six 10-plus win seasons and several CFP appearances and finished his journey with a 104-45 record. Though PSU fired Franklin, his days with the program were enough to grab the attention of the VT AD.

And now, the head coach set the standard high for the Hokies.

“My job is to hold the standard for everybody,” said Franklin, as reported by ESPN in November 2025. “The players, the coaches, and the administration and be willing to have some tough conversations when necessary.”

Franklin was candid in making Virginia Tech understand his expectation, saying, “Does it look, feel, smell, and operate like a big-time program? All those things need to be in place. … I think the previous coaches here were in some challenging situations. That’s the truth of it.”

This season, VT will prove its potential under Franklin’s guidance. The coach even brought in an elite QB from PSU, Ethan Grunkemeyer. Now, let’s see how the season unfolds.