Live updates: What Penn State fans should know from James Franklin's first Virginia Tech news conference
Virginia Tech is introducing former Penn State coach James Franklin as its new head coach this morning in Blacksburg, Va. Franklin needed just 36 days between being fired by the Nittany Lions and fired by the Hokies. Below, you will find live updates that are relevant to ‘Nittany Nation’ from Franklin’s first news conference with the ACC school. You can also click here to watch it live. Note: This page does not update automatically. So, please refresh your browser often for the latest information.
That’s a wrap on James Franklin’s Virginia Tech intro presser
11/19/2025 09:59:07 AMGreg Pickel and Thomas Frank Carr from BWI will be reacting to it in moments on the BWI YouTube channel! Watch below.
Staff departures
11/19/2025 09:50:58 AMMultiple members of James Franklin’s original Penn State staff are leaving State College before the regular season ends to join their old boss at Virginia Tech. The Nittany Lions no longer list Associate Athletic Director – Chief of Staff Kevin Threlkel or General Manager of Personnel and Recruitment Andy Frank on their online athletics staff directory. BWI’s Sean Fitz first reported their departures on The Lions Den message board Wednesday morning. Both were anticipated departures as soon as Franklin took the Hokies job. But, they will not finish out the season under interim head coach Terry Smith.
Other former Penn State staff members no longer in the directory include:
Brett Arnold, Assistant Director of Player Relations
Chris Mahon, Recruiting Coordinator for Personnel
Rashad Elby, Assistant Recruiting Coordinator for Personnel
Aeneas Hawkins, Assistant Director of Player Advancement & Revenue Sharing Strategy
What were Franklin’s conversations like with Pry before taking the job?
11/19/2025 09:31:03 AM“Fortunate for me, I know a ton of people here,” Franklin said. “One of the advantages and one of the challenges from my 12 years at Penn State is that we had a ton of people leave our program to go be head coaches. We lost Joe Morehead to go to Mississippi State, we lost Ricky Rahne to go to Old Dominion, we lost Manny Diaz to go to Duke, we lost Brent Pry to go to Virginia Tech and when you lose really good people, that’s part of the challenge. You got to continue to try to replace them.
“The advantage, obviously, is I’m able to call Brent Pry, and he’s going to tell me the truth. I didn’t really want anybody to sugar coat it, because none of these places are perfect. I’m not perfect, right? Let’s just talk about, what are the strengths, what are the advantages, what are the challenges? And Brent was very, very transparent. The first thing that was very obvious is he cares about this place deeply.”
Notes also that Michael Hazel is on the current Virginia Tech staff, of course.
“I probably would not be sitting here today without Brent’s input and thoughts about this place.”
Franklin talks staff building
11/19/2025 09:27:03 AM“As for coaches, I’m going to bring the best fit for Virginia Tech,” Franklin said. “We’re going to have an opportunity to attract some of the best coaches in the country. That will be in terms of spending time with the current staff and seeing who makes sense to keep on with us. Because, those people have, obviously, poured their hearts and soul into this program.
“Also bringing some coaches from other places as well but that’s going to be a very important piece of this process as well.”
Franklin says he’s already started recruiting
11/19/2025 09:22:44 AMWhich, of course he is.
“Two nights ago, I had 40 players on the phone, young men that are committed to Virginia Tech,” Franklin said. “Also called all the top players in the state of Virginia as well. And we are going to need this stadium rocking on Saturday. One of the things that was important is me and my wife, and we were making this decision. We watched your game day the last few weeks, and it was impressive during a challenging season.
“I want to give Coach Montgomery a ton of credit as well. The stadium is rocking. The guys are playing hard, and that’s going to be important. We’re going to have a ton of recruits this weekend for an official visit and I want them to feel the energy in our stadium.”
Franklin thanks Penn State
11/19/2025 09:18:14 AM“I want to thank Penn State,” Franklin said. “I had 12 years there. It’s very unusual in college football. to get 12 years at a place. Most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here in Virginia Tech are going to find out, I’m a players coach. That’s what it’s all about for me, that’s what it always will be.”
Franklin gets emotional while thanking Brent Pry
11/19/2025 09:15:29 AM“Brent Pry’s a good friend. His dad was my offensive coordinator in college,” Franklin said while fighting through tears. “I’ve known Brent for over 30 years. His first year of coaching was my senior year at East Stroudsburg University. And then Brent and his family was with me at Vanderbilt and then our first seven years at Penn State. I have a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place.
“I just want to show the respect to him. I know how much coaches pour their heart and souls into this job.”
Time for James Franklin’s opening remarks
11/19/2025 09:12:09 AM“Starting with [Virginia Tech] President Sands, has been awesome throughout this entire process, his commitment to our program, his plan for the program, the investment in the program,” Franklin said. “In today’s college football, there needs to be alignment. There’s no other way to do it. That is from Rector [of the Board] to the President to the athletic director to the head football coach, and more, most importantly, the fans and alumni. President Sands has been phenomenal throughout this entire process.”
VT AD Whit Babcock speaks on hiring Franklin
11/19/2025 09:08:08 AM“Coach Franklin is a proven program builder, a winner, and an elite recruiter,” Babcock says. “Coach has succeeded everywhere he’s been. … His combination of leadership, discipline, energy, and vision aligns with everything we want Virginia Tech football to be.
“He brings a strong vision for program building culture and long-term sustainability. He brings a genuine passion for this role, for his players, the community, and he embraces the opportunity to write the next chapter of Virginia Tech football. Virginia Tech and coach Franklin both have something to prove to the entire country, and we will do it all together.”
The news conference is underway
11/19/2025 09:00:57 AMThere will likely be a few people who talk before they turn the mic over to Franklin, who just walked out with his wife, Fumi, to Metallica’s Enter Sandman, which is a Virginia Tech staple, of course.
Watch Franklin’s first Virginia Tech news conference live
11/19/2025 08:49:13 AMThe video player from Virginia Tech is embedded below: