Report: Viriginia Tech expected to hire Penn State's Danny O'Brien as quarterbacks coach

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Virginia Tech Hokies are expected to hire Danny O’Brien to be the program’s next quarterbacks coach. O’Brien worked with head coach James Franklin at Penn State, now making the move over to Blacksburg. Another crossover for the two programs following the hiring of Franklin.

“Sources: Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien is expected to become the new quarterbacks coach at Virginia Tech,” Thamel said via X. “O’Brien spent two years as the quarterbacks coach at PSU and worked closely with Drew Allar closely during O’Brien’s five total seasons there.

“O’Brien played quarterback in college football James Franklin at Maryland. He also helped coach Sean Clifford at PSU, who went on to be a fifth-round pick of the Packers.”

On3’s Pete Nakos has since confirmed the news. O’Brien will begin his role with Virginia Tech during the 2026 season.

Seven years for O’Brien were spent in the professional ranks after playing at Maryland and Wisconsin, all in the Canadian Football League. His coaching career began in 2020 with the BC Lions before coming back to the US to be an offensive analyst at Penn State. Three years were spent in the role before a promotion to quarterbacks coach came in 2024.

Franklin is still working to round out the rest of his staff, specifically offensive coordinator. Nakos provided the latest on where Virginia Tech stands in its search for an OC. You can check out the full scoop here.

James Franklin looking to help Virginia Tech reach elite status

National signing day was kind to new Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin. Multiple players have jumped on board in recent days, many of whom were previously committed to Penn State. Franklin believes this is just the beginning in Blacksburg, as a rebuild begins.

But the ultimate goal for Virginia Tech is to one day be associated with the elite programs out there. A big financial commitment came from the school to help out the football program, which was part of the reason Franklin signed on. The Hokies want to get back to a competitive state before finding a way to make another jump.

“There’s a difference between being competitive — and we’ve made a move to be competitive,” Franklin said Wednesday on ESPN2. “But I think you guys follow this closely enough, there are 10 programs out there in the country that are different than everyone else. Like, significantly different than everybody else. That’s what everybody is trying to do. Find different ways to be creative and strategic in the closing of those gaps. We have a chance to be as successful as everybody else.”