Virginia Tech made a splash by hiring James Franklin after the season, and the Hokies are paying big for the chance to reset their program. Franklin landed in Blacksburg on a five-year, $41.75 million deal after 12 seasons at Penn State, where he went 104-45 and reached the College Football Playoff in 2024 before losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals on a last-second play.
That résumé has been enough for plenty of optimism around the move. But not everyone is buying the idea that Franklin belongs in the elite-coach conversation. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum took aim at that notion on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” making it clear he doesn’t see Franklin as the kind of coach the hype suggests.
"Well, he's not," Finebaum said. "You've got to remember the media is not overly analytical when it comes to people they like.
Franklin got out. Nobody remembered he was fired by the end of the year.
He's doing 'GameDay,' sucking up to everybody... He's got an easier job.
It's a better fit for him. He's followed a bunch of losers at Virginia Tech, so it shouldn't be very difficult for him."
Finebaum’s comments come with Franklin’s Penn State exit still fresh. The Nittany Lions opened 2025 ranked No. 2, but a 3-3 start after the playoff run was enough to get Franklin fired. The issue that followed him for years in State College was the same one that defined the skepticism around his tenure: he won plenty, but not enough of the biggest games.
His Penn State record in bowls finished at 6-6. Against ranked teams, he was 16-29.
Against top-10 opponents, it was 4-21. Against top-five teams, he was 1-16.
That’s the kind of profile that leaves fans wanting more at a place with championship expectations.
Virginia Tech, though, is betting on a different part of Franklin’s track record. The Hokies have been searching for traction since Frank Beamer retired.
Justin Fuente gave them one double-digit win season, but also three losing years. Brent Pry followed with three losing seasons in four years, and the one winning campaign was a 7-6 finish.
Franklin’s appeal is that he has rebuilt programs before. At Vanderbilt, he inherited teams that had gone 2-10 in back-to-back seasons and turned them into two 9-4 teams in three years. At Penn State, he took over after 8-4 and 7-5 seasons, with the shadow of the Jerry Sandusky incident hanging over the program, and eventually delivered six double-digit win seasons.
That’s why the hire has been viewed so positively in some circles: Franklin has shown he can raise the floor. The real question now is whether he can do it faster in Blacksburg, in an ACC that has only gotten tougher.
If he can bring back toughness and consistency quickly, Virginia Tech will have made a smart swing. If the same frustrations from Penn State show up again, the Hokies could wind up in the same old place - good enough to tease, not good enough to finish.
In Other News...
Former Penn State Star Sparks Backlash With Disturbing Public Rant
Chris Johnsons ALS diagnosis disclosure on Good Morning America drew an outpouring of attention, but it also sparked an ugly response from another former NFL running back with ties to Penn State. The public announcement from the former Tennessee Titans back became the latest high-profile health revelation to travel quickly across social media, where reactions can shift from sympathy to noise almost instantly.
What followed was a disturbing Instagram video filled with speculative, conspiratorial commentary about the diagnosis and related public figures. For Penn State fans, it was another uncomfortable reminder that some alumni can make headlines in ways that have nothing to do with football, and that a platform built on reach can just as easily amplify accusations and paranoia as support and empathy. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Finally Got The Injury Update Fans Have Been Waiting For
The first Lift for Life under Matt Campbell gave Penn State fans a useful look at a handful of key names who have spent much of the offseason in recovery mode. Quarterback Rocco Becht, linebacker Tony Rojas and defensive end Max Granville all took part in the annual competition, which mixed strength and conditioning challenges with a fan autograph session and helped raise money for rare disease research through the schools Uplifting Athletes chapter.
Bechts presence was especially notable as he works back from offseason surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, while Rojas and Granville also moved through the event as part of their own comeback paths. For a program still sorting out its identity under a new coach, the sight of those players back in the mix was the kind of update supporters had been waiting for, even if the bigger questions about how each one fits into the fall picture still linger. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kraft Just Made Penn State's Biggest Financial Bet Yet
Penn States athletic department has been leaning hard into the business side, and the early returns are hard to ignore. Pat Kraft said the school has lined up more than $1 billion in future revenue through new business and marketing partnerships, a massive number that lands alongside record attendance, fundraising and ticket sales during the 2025-26 season. It also comes after gross athletics revenue topped $250 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year, a sign the Nittany Lions are trying to turn momentum on the field and in the stands into long-term financial stability.
The timing matters because Penn State is still in the middle of a $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation, a project that has pushed athletics debt into rare territory nationally. One part of that plan is already helping reshape the stadiums commercial future, and another could add even more cash flow as the department keeps looking for ways to fund the build without slowing down the rest of the operation. For Kraft, the challenge now is not just spending big, but making sure the next phase of those deals pays off as promised. [Read more 🡒]