Virginia Tech Hokies
2026-06-20
Virginia Tech Hokies fans are ecstatic about James Franklin, who hasn't coached a game yet but has already flipped recruiting on its head. Since arriving in November, Franklin has taken a recruiting class ranked in the 120s and turned it into a top-25 class in just three weeks. He also signed a well-balanced transfer portal class in January that many analysts ranked among the 10-15 best in college football. James Franklin, the new head coach, has been busy planning for the 2026 college football season and leading his first spring practice in Blacksburg. And he's already making waves with his recruiting strategy for the 2027 class, with the Hokies currently ranked in the top 10 of team recruiting rankings, per 247Sports. National college football writer Andy Staples of On3/Rivals recently ranked all ACC head coaches, placing Franklin near the top at No. 2. Franklin's past experience at Penn State, where he repeatedly won double-digit games but fell short against Ohio State and Michigan, has given him the skills to make Virginia Tech competitive quickly. But Franklin isn't looking to rebuild the program from scratch - he wants to win now, and his recruiting strategy reflects that. He relies on previous relationships and prefers to take players with multiple years of eligibility remaining. So far, it seems like everything is lining up perfectly for Franklin and the Hokies. With a renewed commitment to athletics and a head coaching vacancy, Franklin was a dream hire for Virginia Tech. Now, it's just a matter of waiting to see how it all plays out on the field. The Hokies have missed on a couple of recent targets, but Franklin remains optimistic about the future. As he continues to plan for the upcoming season, one thing is clear: James Franklin is ready to make his mark on the Virginia Tech Hokies.