(BCSNN) — In a move that many saw coming, thanks to all of the "big time" head coaching jobs opening up, Virginia Tech announced Monday the hiring of James Franklin as its next head football coach - just five weeks after Franklin was fired by Penn State amid a disappointing 3–3 start. The Hokies are banking on Franklin’s long-term track record over his rocky exit, signaling an aggressive new chapter for a program hungry to reclaim national relevance.

“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” said Franklin. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”

Franklin will be formally introduced at a public press conference Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET inside Cassell Coliseum. The hire marks the first Power Four coaching vacancy filled this cycle and comes after Virginia Tech parted ways with Brent Pry in September following an 0–3 start. Pry previously served as Franklin’s defensive coordinator at both Vanderbilt and Penn State.

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock called the hire “a landmark moment,” crediting the Board of Visitors, university leadership, and donors for aligning behind an “Invest to Win” vision. “James Franklin embodies the spirit, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence that will elevate Virginia Tech Football back on the national stage,” Babcock said.

Franklin compiled a 128–60 career record across 15 seasons at Penn State and Vanderbilt, including 104 wins with the Nittany Lions - second-most in school history. He led Penn State to seven New Year’s Six bowl appearances, four wins, and a Big Ten title in 2016. From 2016 to 2024, Penn State finished in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings seven times, joining Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State as the only programs to do so.

Before his tenure in State College, Franklin engineered a historic turnaround at Vanderbilt, guiding the Commodores to three straight bowl games and back-to-back nine-win seasons - a feat never before accomplished in program history. His 2012 squad broke multiple droughts, including the longest winning streak since 1948 and the first home win over Tennessee in 30 years.

Franklin’s resume includes mentoring 116 NFL players, 18 All-Americans, and 59 draft picks. He reached 100 wins at Penn State in 2024, joining an elite group of active coaches with triple-digit wins at a single school.

Still, his firing in October - following a home loss to Northwestern - raised questions about his ceiling in big games. Virginia Tech’s decision to hire him so quickly is a calculated risk: betting that Franklin’s proven ability to build and sustain winning programs will translate in the ACC, where the Hokies have struggled to find identity since Frank Beamer’s retirement in 2015.

Franklin, a native of Langhorne, Pa., holds degrees from East Stroudsburg and Washington State. He and his wife, Fumi, have two daughters.