James Franklin Named Virginia Tech Head Football Coach, signaling Bold New Era for Hokies
BLACKSBURG, VA – November 2023 – Virginia Tech today announced the hiring of James Franklin as its new head football coach, marking a pivotal moment for the program and a important investment in the future of Hokies athletics. The move comes after a period of assessment and decisive action following a challenging start to the season, culminating in a commitment to elevate the program to national prominence.
The pursuit of Franklin was a focused effort led by Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock and Rector of the Board of Visitors, Ray Pearson. Following an initial meeting where Franklin connected with Babcock-noted by Ryan, an associate, who observed Franklin hugged Babcock despite shaking hands with others-a strategic plan was devised to directly engage the coach.
Pearson and Babcock traveled to State collage, Pennsylvania, for a pivotal dinner with Franklin and his wife, Fumi. “We’re going to take care of James Franklin, because we know what he can do,” Pearson stated. The visit aimed to address any concerns the Franklins had regarding Virginia Tech’s commitment to athletics.
For Foster, the visit to Franklin’s house turned out to be perhaps the biggest ‘recruiting visit’ he made in his career. “I was like telling somebody I can still recruit,” Foster saeid. “We targeted James right away.”
franklin brings a proven track record of success, having led programs in the SEC and Big Ten. He understands what it takes to build and sustain a program at the highest level and is expected to make an immediate impact in the ACC.
“He wants this place to look, smell and feel like a big-time football program,” Foster explained, highlighting Franklin’s vision for enhancing the program’s infrastructure and creating a “wow factor” for recruits. Foster specifically pointed to the need to showcase Virginia Tech’s rich football history, noting the absence of visual portrayal of the program’s 27 consecutive bowl appearances and ACC championships within the team facilities. “There’s something special about this place and I need to live up to that standard.”
The hiring was met with enthusiasm from ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, who emphasized the positive implications for the conference. “When Virginia Tech is good, its better for the league,” Phillips said. “It’s a terrific day for Virginia Tech and this proud university, but also a terrific day for the ACC.”
The decision to pursue Franklin followed a candid assessment of the program’s competitiveness. “It started with Whit coming to the Board of Visitors and saying ‘guys, we’re not competitive,'” Pearson recalled. ”then we lost that third game, and it was just the bottom of the bottom. And we had to go act.” Pearson affirmed the commitment, stating, “It’s my school, and I love this place…We are all in.”
