A glass trophy case can stay empty for years. But it can also become a reminder of what still needs to be built. That is the story as James Franklin walks into Virginia Tech’s first season. During his comments at the 2026 ACC Kickoff, he did not run from the biggest criticism of his career, either. Instead, he accepted it.

“I think the first thing is embracing the history in the past, right, and understanding and learning from it,” Franklin said about his 4-21 record against AP top-10 opponents, according to Sports Illustrated. “What I also know is there’s been a ton of really good things done over my time. Time as a head coach in the SEC, time as my head coach in the Big 10, time as my experience now, obviously now in the ACC.”

At Vanderbilt, his roster often fell short of matching Alabama, LSU, or Georgia. At Penn State, he regularly ran into Ohio State and Michigan, two programs loaded with five-star talent and future NFL stars. Franklin won more than 100 games at Penn State, reached the playoff semifinals, and won multiple New Year’s Six bowls. However, he finished 4-21 against AP Top-10 opponents and beat only one AP Top-5 team. That record was the primary reason PSU decided to fire him last year despite his $49 million buyout.

Yet Franklin’s tenure was not stagnant. Penn State’s recruiting improved dramatically. The program regularly signed top-15 recruiting classes and often top-10 ones. Franklin invested heavily in multiple areas: sports science, nutrition, and NIL support. That paid off as the program produced players like Abdul Carter, Tyler Warren, and Chop Robinson.

At the Hokies, Franklin aims to correct his mistakes in a different environment and with different resources. He is no longer battling Ohio State and Michigan every season. The ACC has strong programs, but the conference does not feature the same weekly depth of top-10 opponents as the Big Ten or SEC. Hiring James Franklin is now making it even more likely that Virginia Tech can compete for a conference championship.

“Kind of got a unique perspective. There aren’t too many coaches that have that type of experience and that type of background,” Franklin said, according to Sports Illustrated. “Also, three rebuilds. Going to Vanderbilt, a place that had not won in a very long time, and then going to Penn State and following some of the most difficult sanctions in college football history, and now showing up to a place like Virginia Tech, that’s extremely proud and has a great tradition and history.”

Franklin has already had success in three major conferences, which will help him make the most of these new opportunities. On top of that, Virginia Tech now has more tools at its disposal. Before he joined, the school had already set up a $229 million “Invest to Win” fund. Franklin repeatedly said modern college football requires that kind of support. He wanted recruits to walk into Virginia Tech and immediately feel they were entering a major national program.

So, at Virginia Tech, Franklin will have all the resources he had at Penn State. But the pressure for immediate success will be far lower. And that should give him enough time to experiment and find his footing as he leads VT to glory.