Andy Bitter, a Virginia Tech football insider, all but confirmed former Penn State head coach James Franklin is on his way to becoming the next head coach of the Hokies.
"It feels like they’re very close to the finish line on this thing,” Bitter said on "Joe and the Fatman" podcast.
On social media, a parody account of On3 fed into these rumors with a pseudo breaking news announcement that reignited fans' desires for Virginia Tech to make it official. Rumors aren't cutting it anymore.
Virginia Tech fans can't wait any longer for James Franklin head coach announcement
The Hokies want a proven winner, and though Franklin wasn't the kind of winner needed in Happy Valley, he's the kind of winner that Virginia Tech can capitalize on. Bringing Franklin in makes an instantaneous impact on a program that needs help in all different areas, not just on-field production.
"This would be the biggest thing to happen to VT football…maybe ever," Mostly Virginia Tech posted on Twitter/X.
It went on to describe all the changes Franklin can offer the Hokies from facility renovations and improvements to enhancing competition in the NIL realm of college football to making necessary staff adjustments. One thing that brings these things together, too, is that Franklin can get it done quickly.
If Virginia Tech doesn’t bring in James Franklin this search was a failure. If they bring in Shane, you’re destroying the program.
— Coach (@hows_takes) November 4, 2025
For many Virginia Tech fans, this hire is a no-brainer. Just how Penn State needs a clearcut winner to takeover its head coach role, the Hokies need that too. Luckily for them, they have a larger group of candidates that can fit that role. With Franklin on the market, his resume is too good to pass up.
That doesn't mean Franklin won't want to pass up on Virginia Tech, though.
Going from the Big Ten to the ACC isn't an upgrade, especially when he jumped from the SEC to the Big Ten when he first went to Penn State. While he remains in a Power Four conference if he were to take the Hokies' position, it's not as glamorous to backpedal.
Agree with all of this, but until that Thamel tweet drops I am operating under the impression this isn’t happening.
— Heff (@HeffCurry_) November 5, 2025
Really feels like Franklin is waiting on a better opportunity. I hope I’m wrong. https://t.co/zBCFGv6KoW
The enticing part of that, still though, is it gives Franklin some wiggle room to do what he does best: lose big games. It's clear what Franklin's ceiling is, and throwing himself back into the SEC or Big Ten is a recipe for disaster in terms of sustaining the longevity of his career. The ACC might be the best fit for him to revamp a program and maybe even soar to the top of a conference if he plays his cards right in recruitment and staffing.
He can more than exceed expectations at Virginia Tech, and the fans want to secure him as quick as possible before other calls are made and other positions throw the Hokies in the shadows.