James Franklin is adding a familiar face to his Virginia Tech staff, and it’s one Penn State fans know well.
Former Nittany Lions running back Journey Brown announced on social media that he is joining Franklin’s staff with the Hokies. It will be Brown’s first coaching job since he medically retired from football in 2020.
The move adds another layer to the Penn State-Virginia Tech connection that has grown since Franklin was fired nearly a year ago. Some players followed him to Blacksburg, and some recruits backed off their commitments after his departure.
Brown isn’t a coach Franklin brought over from his old staff, but he is a recognizable name for anyone who followed Penn State football during his playing days. That familiarity is part of what makes these coaching moves so common - coaches lean on people they know, and players often end up following the same path.
There is also a little more edge to this one because of where Franklin is now. Virginia Tech has become a place Penn State fans are watching closely, especially with Franklin taking some recruits from his former program and talking publicly about his firing and how he felt slighted.
Brown likely understands all of that. Still, if football was calling him back, this was a clear way to get back in the building. Penn State fans may always remember and appreciate what he meant to the program, but that goodwill may not stretch very far now that he’s working with Franklin in Virginia Tech colors.
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