A deal has been finalised to make James Franklin the next head coach of Virginia Tech, the school has confirmed.

The former Penn State coach will be officially introduced at a press conference at Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday (19th November), as he replaces Brent Pry, who previously served as Franklin’s defensive coordinator at both Vanderbilt and Penn State before going 16-24 as head coach of the Hokies.

“Virginia Tech has attracted and hired an incredible head coach and extraordinary recruiter in James Franklin,” rector of the Board of Visitors John Rocovich said of the appointment. “The Board of Visitors enthusiastically supports this hire. We signal to Hokie Nation, and the entire nation, the shared importance of athletic support and success.”

Now 53, Franklin became known for sustained success, having turned around the fortunes of both Vanderbilt and Penn State, bringing long-awaited success to each programme. However, although he holds a 128-60 record as a head coach, Franklin has notoriously struggled to win against top opponents, going 4-21 against top-10 ranked teams. In 2024, Franklin took the Nittany Lions to the cusp of a national title, falling in the College Football Playoff semi-final, but that success could not be sustained and a string of losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern saw the school make the decision to go in a different direction and end the tenure of the coach who had been with them since 2014.

“Laura and I enthusiastically welcome Coach Franklin and his family to Virginia Tech and Hokie Nation,” president Tim Sands commented. “His experience, passion and record of success embody our commitment to compete at the highest level.

“His selection is the result of unprecedented collaboration by our athletic administration with University leaders, esteemed alumni, including former NFL coaches and players, and our most dedicated supporters.”

That committee included Bruce Arians, former DC Bud Foster and NFL receiver Eddie Royal, and clearly shares Sands’ expectation that Franklin will provide a positive impact to the culture at the school.

“James will provide the leadership and inspiration our student-athletes need, and the performance on the field that our university community, alumni and fans expect and deserve,” Sands continued. “I can’t wait to be in Lane Stadium when he leads the team out of the tunnel for the first time, the crowd starts jumping, and we launch this winning journey together.”

“James Franklin embodies the spirit, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence that will elevate Virginia Tech Football back on the national stage where it belongs,” athletic director Whit Babcock confirmed. “This is a landmark moment for our programme — made possible by the unwavering commitment of our Board of Visitors, the Search Committee, University leadership and donors, who share a bold ‘Invest to Win’ mindset.

“James is a dynamic leader, a relentless recruiter and a coach who has proven he can build and sustain elite, championship-calibre programmes. We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Blacksburg and to entrust him with the future of VT football.”

Virginia Tech are certainly ready to invest in a winning culture, both philosophically and financially. Franklin was initially owed $49m by Penn State for his buyout, which would be offset by the income from his next job, but has since negotiated a $9m buyout deal, which gives some idea of what Virginia Tech will be paying him.

In addition to Franklin’s salary ‘the Board of Visitors has also approved a $229m addition to the budget plan over the four years, intended to make the Hokies’ athletic programmes among the most competitive in the league’ according to The Athletic.

“I’m honoured and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin commented after being appointed. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honour, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”