Grading the Recent Hires To James Franklin's Virginia Tech Coaching Staff

James Franklin has continued to add to his staff and made a couple of recent hires that seem great on paper

Nov 19, 2025; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virgiia Tech head coach James Franklin speaks at the conference at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

It has been a busy first few months for James Franklin in Blacksburg and it is about to get a whole lot busier with the transfer portal set to open tomorrow. Franklin has a busy job ahead of him to flip this roster and put Virginia Tech in a position to be competitive in the ACC as soon as next season.

Before he gets to that though, Franklin has been busy making hires on his staff and he is nearly done. It has been an impressive staff that includes some high level recruiters and developers of talent.

The latest two hires have been Vic Hall (nickels) and former Hokie Anthony Midget (cornerbacks). Let's grade those two hires.

Vic Hall

Before he was at Rutgers, Hall has previously coached at Hampton (2020), Howard (2019), Western Illinois (2018) and National Collegiate Prep (2014-18).

Hall has an impressive resume at his previous stops. As cornerbacks coach at Ball State , Hall helped the Cardinals tally a combined 22 interceptions, the second-best total in the MAC. The 2021 team finished third in the conference in scoring defense during league play (24.0) and earned a berth to the Camellia Bowl.

He of course has connections to Franklin from his time at Penn State as a defensive analyst. Hall focused on cornerbacks for a Nittany Lion team that appeared in the Big Ten Championship Game and won two games in the College Football Playoff. A.J. Harris earned Third Team All-Big Ten in both the coaches and media voting, rating as the No. 7 cornerback in the Big Ten by Pro Football Focus.

The familiarity with Franklin is a plus and he has coached successful units before. Franklin is already an ace recruiter and I expect Hall to be good on that end as well.

Grade: B+

Anthony Midget

Midget is coming to Virginia Tech by way of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he is plenty familiar with Blacksburg. He is bringing a decade's worth of NFL experience to Virginia Tech.

The Steelers' secondary was a key unit in the team's takeaway culture in 2024, combining to record 15 of the team's 17 interceptions. That total that was tied for third-most in the NFL. The group was led by Donte Jackson's five interceptions and four from rookie Beanie Bishop.

The Steelers finished the season with an opponent's 87.5 passer rating allowed was seventh-best in the League.

In 2022, the Titans' third-down percentage defense was ranked third in the NFL. Tennessee's opponents converted 77 third downs on 225 attempts (34.2%). Safety Kevin Byard led the Titans with four interceptions and 106 tackles. He recorded his fifth season (2017-19, 2021-22) and second consecutive season in which he led the squad in interceptions, and it was his third straight campaign (2020-22) leading the defense in tackles. He led all safeties and ranked second in the NFL with 27 interceptions between 2017-22 (Xavien Howard, 28).

In 2021, Midget oversaw the secondary as it added new regular starters at cornerback, safety and nickel back. The defense tied for 10th in the NFL with 16 interceptions and tied for fourth with 83 passes defensed. Byard was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection with a team-high five interceptions.

In 2020, Tennessee's defense ranked seventh in the League with 15 interceptions. Cornerback Malcolm Butler's five combined interceptions in the regular season and postseason tied for fourth in the league. Meanwhile, Byard led the defense and set a career high with 111 tackles.

Prior to his arrival in Tennessee, Midget was the Texans' secondary coach for two years (2018-19) following four seasons as the team's assistant secondary coach (2014-17).

In 2019, Midget directed a defensive backfield that incorporated several new pieces, helping the Texans capture their second consecutive AFC South title and their fourth in five years.

In Midget's first season overseeing Houston's secondary in 2018, the Texans allowed 19.8 points per game, including an NFL-best 17.3 points per game from Weeks 5-17. He helped veteran Kareem Jackson record the best season of his nine-year career with a career-high 17 passes defensed and two interceptions.

As a player, Midget was a four-year letterman and a three-year starter at cornerback at Virginia Tech. As a senior in 1999, he earned third team All-American honors and first team All-Big East honors, helping the Hokies reach the BCS National Championship Game. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft.

While it will be interesting to see him on the recruiting trail, this was a great hire based on his experience with Virginia Tech and time in the NFL.

Grade: A-