The first major hire of the college football coaching carousel is official. Virginia Tech made former Penn State Coach James Franklin its next head coach yesterday. Franklin was fired last month after the Nittany Lions lost three straight games. Franklin will replace Brent Pry. The Hokies fired Pry-who previously worked as Franklin’s defensive coordinator at Penn State-in September, after a 0-3 start. In a statement Franklin said, “My mission is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to service this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion.” With his going to Virginia Tech, Franklin’s buyout with Penn State will go from 49 to 9 million, with most of the original buyout being offset by his salary at Virginia Tech. The Nittany Lions went 128-and-60 in Franklin’s 11-plus seasons.
Friday 20th February 2026
