Virginia Tech Targeting Top SEC Assistant For Defensive Line Coach Position

Virginia Tech is reportedly targeting Texas A&M's Sean Spencer as their defensive line coach. Read more below.

Nov 22, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Incoming head coach James Franklin speaks to fans on the sideline before the game at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

On Sunday, Dec. 21, CBS Sports Matt Zenitz reported that James Franklin is targeting Texas A&M's Sean Spencer to fill the role of defensive line coach in Blacksburg.

Texas A&M defensive line coach Sean Spencer is a target for the defensive line coach job at Virginia Tech, sources tell @CBSSports.

Spencer, who has been at A&M the last two years, worked with new VT head coach James Franklin and DC Brent Pry at Penn State from 2014-19. pic.twitter.com/mlTDgqYlmp

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 21, 2025

Sean Spencer has a slew of experience coaching the defensive line at both the NFL and Collegiate levels, most recently spending two seasons at Texas A&M. Prior to his stint there, he was the defensive line coach at Florida, Penn State, Vanderbilt, and multiple G5 and FCS stops. He also spent two years coaching the New York Giants' defensive line. 

In the 2025 season, Texas A&M finished second in the country in team sacks with 43, averaging 3.3 sacks per game. His team also finished third in tackles for loss per game and third in total TFL yards. Texas A&M also finished in the top 40 in the country in rushing defense, allowing just 4.03 yards per carry.

Impressive Resume

Following the 2024 season, Spencer had three defensive linemen selected in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL draft. That includes first-rounder Shemar Stewart, who was an All-American. Stewart currently plays for the Bengals. 

With the Giants, his defensive line unit ranked in the top half of the league in team sacks with 40.0. That team ranked in the top half in total yards per game and was 10th in the league in rushing defense.

At Penn State, Stewart worked alongside James Franklin and Brent Pry. He served as the defensive line coach for 4 years and later became the program's associate head coach. In the 2019 season, Penn State racked up 45 sacks, which finished ninth in the country. It was Penn State's fifth consecutive year with at least 40 sacks. 

His Penn State defensive line unit led the nation in sacks in 2015 and 2018, totaling 97 sacks between the two seasons. In the 2016 season, his defensive line finished in the top 10 nationally in tackles for loss per game.

Spencer also spent three years at Vanderbilt, where his defensive line was not as dominant. He did enough to earn Franklin's trust and bring him to Penn State, where his career really took off. 

Spencer is a phenomenal hire. He is a strong recruiter as well. 247 gives him credit as the lead recruiter for Micah Parsons and LJ McCray, two five-star recruits. He is ranked 29th among SEC recruiters this year, with 3 commits and an average rating of 94.2.

A tenured, experienced coach with recruiting ties and a strong relationship with James Franklin, Spencer is a home-run hire.