Robert Griffin III makes prediction after Virginia Tech hires James Franklin

The college football analyst to Virginia Tech hiring James Franklin, predicting consistent ACC contention.

College football analyst Robert Griffin III shared his reaction to Virginia Tech hiring James Franklin to be their next head football coach. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech made one of the biggest moves of this coaching cycle when the school hired head coach James Franklin on Monday, bringing a proven program builder to Blacksburg after a turbulent stretch. Franklin’s arrival followed weeks of speculation about his next step after leaving Penn State, and the decision instantly shifted attention throughout the ACC.

The hire also set off strong reactions across college football, including a notable prediction from ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III, who said on social media that “Virginia Tech will become an ACC contender year in and year out with James Franklin as Head Coach.”

Franklin’s track record supports the optimism. The longtime leader of Penn State took the Nittany Lions to the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinals and captured a Big Ten championship in 2016.

He won more than 68 percent of his games at Penn State and Vanderbilt combined, and his teams reached double-digit victories six times during his 12 seasons in Happy Valley. His success came despite inheriting a Penn State program still burdened by the effects of NCAA sanctions when he arrived in 2014.

Virginia Tech administrators made their vision clear long before hiring Franklin. After firing Brent Pry in September, the school’s board approved a plan to add $229 million to its athletics budget across four years. The move reflected a program determined to modernize, compete in the ACC and build an operation capable of attracting an established head coach.

Athletic director Whit Babcock said Franklin represented the spirit and direction needed to return the Hokies to national prominence.

Robert Griffin III’s Strong Reaction to Virginia Tech's Hiring of James Franklin

Franklin’s introductory statement laid out his goals directly. He said he aimed to restore excellence, serve the university and build something lasting for Virginia Tech. His focus aligned with the broader expectations surrounding this hire, especially from voices like Griffin, whose prediction reflected how widely respected Franklin remains after more than a decade leading major programs.

Other national analysts pointed to the same themes. The mid-Atlantic region has shaped much of Franklin’s career, including stops at Maryland and James Madison. His ties to the I-95 corridor also helped him recruit talent from the DMV area, one of the regions Virginia Tech must reclaim to rise again.

James Franklin was hired to be the next head football coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies on Monday. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The challenge, according to analysts, will be getting the entire department to adopt a modern approach and fully move beyond the Frank Beamer era, which defined the program for nearly three decades.

Context around the coaching market also mattered. As one ESPN analyst noted, big-name hires come with no guarantees, citing examples from Scott Frost at Nebraska to Brian Kelly’s start at LSU.

Franklin replaces Pry, who went 16-24 in four years. He inherits a program that hasn’t recorded a double-digit win season since 2016. Virginia Tech can still play spoiler in the ACC this season with upcoming matchups against No. 15 Miami on Saturday and at No. 19 Virginia on Nov. 29.