Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors retreat brought athletic director Brian White and new head football coach James Franklin to the front of the room for a short but pointed message: the Hokies believe they’re heading the right way, but not far enough yet.
Franklin framed the moment as a call for more ambition. He said Virginia Tech is moving forward, but added that “if you really study the data, there's a whole other step that we need to take.”
He also made clear that his view of the job comes with urgency.
“If nothing changes, nothing will change,” Franklin said.
Franklin, speaking before the governing board, said he appreciates what Virginia Tech has done and believes the program has room to climb. He also said, “Virginia Tech can be as good we decide to be” and pointed to the people at the school as a big reason he took the job.
“I believe in the people and the potential of this place,” he said.
White’s portion of the meeting touched on a few practical football and department updates. One of the biggest was cell service at Lane Stadium.
White said the school is working on improving cellular coverage quality there through a two-phase approach. A temporary fix is planned for the 2026 season, and a permanent solution is expected by the 2027 season.
“I feel really, really good about the 2027 season with a permanent solution.” White also said there is a temporary fix for 2026.
The retreat lasted 15 minutes, but it also included a few other sports department notes. The home opener against VMI has already sold out.
In basketball, both the men’s and women’s programs are adding a full-time nutritionist. Baseball has also gained two full-time positions.
Virginia Tech is also moving on two business fronts. The school is taking bids for a new apparel partner as it works toward replacing its current Nike deal.
The original deadline was set for today, but it has been pushed back a week to Monday, Aug. 31.
The university also has a request for proposal out for a new beverage sponsor, with its current Coca-Cola agreement set to expire in May 2027.
Franklin arrives in Blacksburg with a long Penn State résumé behind him. He went 104-45 in more than 11 seasons there, capped by a 13-3 season in 2024 that ended in a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance. Penn State then stumbled to a 3-3 start in 2025, Franklin was fired, and the Nittany Lions finished 7-6 after closing the year with four straight wins.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, finished 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the ACC last season and moved on from Brent Pry after an 0-3 start. Pry is returning to the staff as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Franklin said the Hokies have already made progress since he was hired on Nov. 17, but he made it clear he sees the bar as much higher.
“We have made meaningful progress, but progress cannot become permission to grow comfortable,” Franklin said.
Virginia Tech opens the season against VMI on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air on the ACC Network.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech's 2026 Turnaround May Depend On These Five Players
Virginia Techs reset for 2026 is already taking shape around a handful of players who could determine how quickly the program gets back on track. With James Franklin in as the new head coach and Brent Pry returning as defensive coordinator, the Hokies have a different look on both sides of the ball, and the transfer portal has supplied some of the most important pieces. Penn State transfer quarterback Grunkemeyer is expected to step in as the starter, giving the offense an immediate focal point as the staff tries to establish a new identity.
The rest of the picture comes down to whether several returning and added contributors can become more than just depth pieces. Tight end Reynolds, defensive end Stevens, safety Reddish and receiver Greene all sit in that category, with their development and health looming as major factors in how far Virginia Tech can go. For a team trying to turn a coaching change and roster overhaul into a real rebound, those are the kinds of names that can quietly decide whether the season looks like a transition or something much better. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech's Recruiting Surge Faces Its First Real Test In Camp
James Franklin has given Virginia Tech plenty to point to in the 2027 recruiting cycle, and the class is already drawing attention for its size and quality. With 26 commitments in place and several four-star prospects among them, the Hokies have built a group that looks the part on paper, headlined by quarterback Peter Bourque, a top-100 prospect who gives the class real star power.
Now comes the harder part. Virginia Tech still has to show something on the field under Franklin, because a promising recruiting haul is only as steady as the season that follows it and the schools ability to hold those commitments together. For a program trying to turn momentum on the trail into actual wins, the next stretch will matter just as much as the rankings that got everyones attention in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hokies Tight End Lands In One Of College Footballs Strangest Returns
Dae'Quan Wrights football path has taken another sharp turn, this time into one of the sports stranger offseason storylines. The former Virginia Tech and Ole Miss tight end is heading to LSU for a fifth college season after getting an extra year of eligibility through a lawsuit in Louisiana, a development that keeps him in the college game after he spent the summer trying to make the jump to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns.
Wright went undrafted and later was waived, opening the door back to campus and setting up a reunion with LSU head coach Lane Kiffin. For Virginia Tech fans, it is another reminder of how fluid modern roster building has become, with eligibility rulings, transfer movement and pro opportunities all colliding at once. Wright is expected to play the 2026 season with the Tigers, leaving one more twist in a career that has already crossed multiple stops. [Read more 🡒]