James Franklin Lands Next Head Coaching Gig

Former Penn State head football coach James Franklin is reportedly "finalizing an agreement" to become the next head coach at Virginia Tech, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel on Monday (November 17).

"Sources: Virginia Tech and James Franklin are finalizing an agreement for him to become the school’s next coach. Franklin has won 128 games over 15 seasons as the head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State. He led Penn State to the CFP semi-finals last year," Thamel wrote on his X account. "Franklin replaces Brent Pry, his former defensive coordinator. Virginia Tech fired Pry in September. Franklin led Penn State to six seasons of more than 10 wins after pulling them from the depths of NCAA sanctions."

Franklin, 53, was fired by Penn State after 12 seasons in October after losing three consecutive games after ranking No. 3 overall in the Associated Press Top 25 poll prior to the losing streak. The veteran head coach led the Nittany Lions to a 104-45 (64-36 Big Ten) record, which included a Big Ten championship in 2016 and Big Ten Championship Game appearance in 2024, having also made the College Football Playoff before being defeated by Notre Dame in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl in January.