James Franklin is wasting no time putting his stamp on Virginia Tech football. As the NCAA transfer portal window opens, the urgency to finalize his first staff in Blacksburg is picking up - and while most of the key hires are already in place, a few spots remain under wraps.
We know this much: the Hokies are in the market for new cornerbacks, safeties, and special teams coaches. Those positions haven’t been officially announced yet, but behind the scenes, Franklin appears to be moving with purpose.
One name that’s been floating around is Justin Lustig, Penn State’s special teams coordinator. There’s strong buzz that Lustig could follow Franklin to Virginia Tech in the same role. While nothing’s confirmed, it wouldn’t be a surprise - Lustig’s track record on special teams speaks for itself, and the continuity from Penn State could be a big plus as Franklin tries to build momentum quickly in his new gig.
As for the secondary, the picture’s a bit murkier. What we do know is that Derek Jones and Pierson Prioleau - Virginia Tech’s former cornerbacks and safeties coaches - are not returning. Both made their exits known with farewell messages on social media, signaling a changing of the guard in the defensive backfield.
Franklin didn’t aim low when it came to finding replacements. In fact, he went straight for one of the best in the business: Torrian Gray.
Gray is a name that resonates deeply in Blacksburg. A standout Hokie defensive back in the '90s, he later returned to coach the secondary for a decade under Frank Beamer and Bud Foster. During that run, Gray developed a reputation as one of the top defensive backs coaches in the country - a guy who consistently churned out NFL talent and brought a toughness and technical precision to the position.
Franklin made a strong push to bring Gray back home, but South Carolina wasn’t about to let him go without a fight. Shane Beamer - Gray’s former teammate at Virginia Tech and coaching colleague under Frank Beamer - stepped up with a promotion and a pay bump to keep him in Columbia. Gray now holds the titles of co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach in addition to his duties with the defensive backs.
That’s a big win for South Carolina, and a tough loss for Franklin, who clearly had Gray at the top of his wishlist.
But Gray wasn’t the only high-profile target. Franklin also tried to lure Terry Smith - a key figure on his former Penn State staff - but Smith received a significant raise to stay in Happy Valley.
Smith, who stepped in as interim head coach after Franklin’s departure, is a trusted voice in that locker room and has deep relationships with many of the current players. Penn State wasn’t about to let him walk, either.
So while Franklin hasn’t landed his top secondary candidates, the ambition is clear. He’s swinging for the fences, targeting elite coaches with deep ties to the programs they’re currently with - and that says a lot about the standard he’s trying to set at Virginia Tech.
The final pieces of the puzzle may not be public yet, but one thing’s certain: Franklin is building with intent. The names he’s gone after - and the caliber of coaches he’s targeting - show he’s not just trying to fill roles. He’s trying to elevate the Hokies’ program from day one.