Social Media Reacts To Virginia Tech Hiring James Franklin To Be Its Next Head Coach

Franklin has agreed to terms to become the next head coach at Virginia Tech

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field during a warmup prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

It finally happened.

After weeks of rumors and negotiations, former Penn State head coach James Franklin has agreed to terms with Virginia Tech to be their next head coach. Franklin was the most accomplished head coach on the market this offseason and this is seemingly a home run hire by Virginia Tech. The Hokies have been looking to climb back to the top of the ACC and this move signals that they are going to be closer to doing just that under Franklin.

Social media had plenty of reactions to Franklin being hired at VT.

James Franklin is a great hire for Virginia Tech. I have no idea if it will work out. pic.twitter.com/025SHVXpUb

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 17, 2025

James Franklin will quickly energize the recruiting efforts at Virginia Tech https://t.co/AJEbf3AdYa

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) November 17, 2025

James Franklin IMMEDIATELY brings credibility back to this football program

Recruiting ✅
Player relationships ✅
HS coach relationship ✅
College assistant relationships ✅

Remember this day when Virginia Tech is back to winning 10+ games a season

— Treadmill Horse (@treadmillhorse) November 17, 2025

James Franklin to Virginia Tech is an absolute homerun hire.

Guy wins. He may not have won the massive games yet but he doesn’t have to at VT. He just needs to get them winning period. Then they can start competing for ACC titles.

Keeps his entire DMV recruiting area as well.

— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) November 17, 2025

James Franklin is a fabulous hire for Virginia Tech, especially with the school investing in more resources for football. Great program-builder, very familiar with the area + clear path to the CFP out of the ACC.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 17, 2025

James Franklin to Virginia Tech is going to change the landscape of recruiting in the ACC. Not going to get any easier for FSU.

— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) November 17, 2025

my greatest hope is that james franklin succeeds at vt and rekindles the old big east rivalry with miami, because watching franklin and cristobal try to take each other down in the mind dojo regularly would be a treat to watch

— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) November 17, 2025

James Franklin to Virginia Tech is a second-deck home run for the Hokies' program.

Outkicking their coverage to bring in a guy who's been in the Top-10 mix for years. Franklin's also been an excellent recruiter in VA. They'll be back in ACC title game mix pretty quickly.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) November 17, 2025

Sources have told @On3sports that, along with a growing athletic department budget, Virginia Tech has committed to funding a roster at the top of the ACC for James Franklin. https://t.co/hmMV8Kw9uq

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) November 17, 2025

Big Time Hire

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Our own Thomas Hughes broke down the hire of Franklin:

"Franklin's move comes nearly two months after the firing of then-head coach Brent Pry, who served as the defensive coordinator for Franklin at both Vanderbilt and Penn State. In 40 games as the Hokies' head coach, Pry compiled a 16-24 (40%) record. Virginia Tech was outscored 113-59 in its first three games of the season against South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Old Dominion. That prompted Pry's firing; in his place, former Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery was promoted from offensive coordinator to the interim head whistle spot. Under Montgomery, the Hokies have gone 3-4, notching victories over Wofford (FCS), NC State and California (in double overtime).

Meanwhile, Penn State sits at 4-6, including a 1-6 mark in the Big 10. After entering the season ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll and starting the season 3-0, the Nittany Lions crumbled, dropping three straight one-score games, two of which were to unranked teams: Oregon (30-24), UCLA (42-37) and Northwestern (22-21). The latter prompted Franklin's firing on Oct. 12, immediately resetting the college football coaching vacancy ladder. Virginia Tech is the first school to tab a hire after firing its head coach this season.

Since Franklin's departure from Penn State, the Nittany Lions have gone 1-4, with their lone victory being a 28-10 triumph over Michigan State. Penn State's then-starting quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Northwestern, compounding the Nittany Lions' already-turbulent season. The most concerning statistic about Franklin's resume was his 4-21 mark against top-10 teams, including a 2-21 record against top-six squads.

Under Franklin's tenure, the Nittany Lions tallied six seasons with 10 or more victories and three straight campaigns with double-digit wins. In addition, Penn State has finished in the top-12 of the College Football Playoff rankings in seven of its last nine season. Last season, the Nittany Lions qualified for the inaugural 12-team CFP, where they came up three points short of the title game in a 27-24 loss to runner-ups Notre Dame. Franklin tallied a 104-45 record in his 12 seasons at Penn State. His move comes on the heels of the Board of Visitors approving a $229 million infusion into the Hokies' athletic budget for the next four fiscal years. Franklin is one of three active coaches in the FBS with a winning percentage over 68%."