When James Franklin left Penn State for the head coaching job at Virginia Tech, it didn’t take long for the ripple effects to show up in the transfer portal. While it wasn’t a full-on roster raid, a dozen Nittany Lions have followed Franklin to Blacksburg, giving the Hokies a noticeable infusion of young talent - and a few familiar faces for their new head coach.
Franklin didn’t just bring players with him. He also brought key staffers from his Penn State tenure.
Quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien made the move, as did Ty Howle, who’s been elevated to offensive coordinator after previously working with tight ends. Behind the scenes, general manager Andy Frank also joined the Virginia Tech operation, helping to recreate some of the infrastructure Franklin leaned on in State College.
As for the players making the jump, this isn’t a group filled with household names - at least not yet. Most of the 12 transfers are still in the early stages of their college careers, with 10 holding freshman or sophomore eligibility. That means they’re more about long-term potential than immediate production, but there’s value in that, especially for a program like Virginia Tech looking to build something sustainable under Franklin.
There is some starting experience among the group, though overall, their combined snap count at Penn State was relatively light. That’s not necessarily a knock - it’s just the reality of a deep Nittany Lions roster where breaking into the rotation can take time. These players now get a fresh start, a chance to carve out roles in a new system, under a coach who already knows what they bring to the table.
Meanwhile, back in Happy Valley, the Matt Campbell era is officially underway. Campbell steps into a program in transition, and part of that transition includes recalibrating the roster.
Losing a dozen players to the portal - even if they weren’t all starters - still impacts depth, development, and continuity. But it also opens the door for new talent to emerge, and for Campbell to shape the team in his vision.
The Hokies, on the other hand, now have a core of players and coaches who already speak Franklin’s language - literally and figuratively. That kind of continuity can accelerate a rebuild, especially when you’re trying to establish culture and identity in a new locker room.
So while this isn’t a blockbuster transfer haul on paper, it’s a meaningful one. Franklin is building something in Blacksburg, and he’s doing it with pieces he trusts - both on the field and on the headset. And for the players making the move, it’s a second chance to prove themselves, this time in a system designed with them in mind.
It’s the kind of quiet offseason shift that might not make headlines now, but could show up in the win column down the road.