Ahead of his debut season with Virginia Tech, head coach James Franklin is confident that the Hokies are in a much better place than they've been in recent years.
"We feel like we've won the offseason," Franklin said Thursday at the ACC Football Kickoff. "All that's great. That sounds good in a press conference. It's a great sound bite. The reality is, we've got to make sure all those things translate to the season."
He added, "We are bigger, we are stronger, we are faster than we have been. There's no doubt about that. I think our depth is in a position to be able to compete."
Virginia Tech hired Franklin after Penn State dismissed him in October, midway through his 12th season with the team. Despite putting together a 104-45 record with the Nittany Lions, he only managed a 4-21 mark against top-10 opponents over that span. Still, Franklin brings plenty of experience to a Hokies program that's gone 44-55 since 2018.
The school's promise last year to increase its investment in athletics helped lure in the 54-year-old. That initiative included an investment of $229 million to boost the program over the next few years.
This offseason, Franklin opted to bring 12 former Penn State players to Blacksburg, including quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds.
In addition, Franklin hired former Hokies head coach Brent Pry as defensive coordinator. Pry, who served as Franklin's assistant at Penn State from 2014-21, was fired from Virginia Tech in September, three games into his fourth season with the team.
Now equipped with a mix of continuity and change, the Hokies are searching for their first winning campaign since 2023. They'll open the season against FCS program Virginia Military Institute on Sept. 5.
