Paul Finebaum reacts to James Franklin becoming next Virginia Tech head coach

News broke on Monday that former Penn State head coach James Franklin is set to become the next head coach at Virginia Tech. During his show, Paul Finebaum provided his instant reaction to the hire that brings Franklin to the ACC.

“Is that an upgrade after being chased out of Penn State? He’s got a great record. At Virginia Tech, you absolutely have to do nothing to improve on what has been going on there in recent years. From Happy Valley to Blacksburg. James Franklin just about making the move to Virginia Tech.”

Virginia Tech is currently 3-7 on the season and will not be bowl eligible this season after losing to Florida State 34-14 on the road during Week 12. This comes after a less-than-stellar tenure for former head coach Brent Pry in Blacksburg.

Pry spent three full seasons coaching the Hokies but was fired after an 0-3 start to this season. Virginia Tech is currently 3-4 under interim head coach Phillip Montgomery.

However, Pry led the Hokies to consecutive bowl games in the last two years. However, he went 13-13 during that stretch with a 9-7 record vs. the ACC.

For Franklin, he left State College earlier this season after compiling a 104-45 record since 2014 when he took the job. He is 128-60 overall as a head coach, which includes his three-year stint at Vanderbilt (24-15).

However, the 2025 season unraveled quickly for Franklin and his Nittany Lions. A 3-0 start against unremarkable non-conference opponents led to an 0-3 start against teams in the Big Ten. Less than one year after leading Penn State to a national semifinal, he was relieved of his duties.

Now, Franklin is moving on to the ACC where he’ll look to continue his success in the recruiting game and on the field. One season removed from playing in a national semifinal, and Franklin’s new task is rebuilding the Hokies program.

The last time Virginia Tech won 10 games in a season was back in 2016, the program’s first without Frank Beamer. During Beamer’s tenure from 1987-2015, the Hokies accumulated 13 10-win seasons during that stretch including eight in a row from 2004 to 2011.

Franklin will hope to bring similar success to Blacksburg as he gets to work building his staff and roster for the 2026 season. For now, the Hokies have two more games to play during the regular season, including this weekend at home vs. No. 15 Miami.