Nov 20, 2025
Rudel
First off, I wish to want James effectively.
He handled me and the media professionally, virtually with out exception.
He got here to Penn State at a fragile time, received 70 % of his video games, together with a Large Ten title in 2016, and represented the college with class.
However you by no means obtained the thought he liked State Faculty or that he’d be right here his complete profession.
His big-game report eroded the general public’s confidence in him — even for a affected person fan base — and in flip wore him down.
When his third-straight midseason loss this yr resulted in his firing, unlucky timing however laborious to argue, it gave him and the Nittany Nation a contemporary begin.
He’s now discovered an ideal touchdown at Virginia Tech, most likely one of the best job he was going to get this yr, regardless of the bevy of enticing openings.
Franklin’s forte is recruiting, and he’ll be in an space acquainted to him that’s wealthy with prospects.
So in reply to as we speak’s query, what he’ll have to enhance at Virginia Tech is far, a lot better sport administration.
There are too many examples to supply even a partial record of conditions that he and his teaching employees completely botched.
A condensed rundown can be extremely questionable timeout use (or non use), too many blown leads as a result of the run sport couldn’t kill the clock and the protection can be gassed ultimately, horrendous situational soccer (shedding at Indiana in 2020 when taking a knee would have received the sport), stage fright within the greatest moments vs. one of the best groups and a string of offensive coordinators that have been both the fallacious match or he ruined.
Aside from that, he did a very good job right here.
In fact, that’s a little bit like saying, “Properly, how did you want the remainder of the play, Mrs. Lincoln?”
Not like the Large Ten, which has a longtime kingpin in Ohio State and formidable powers reminiscent of Oregon, Michigan and historically profitable applications like USC, Washington and Iowa, the Atlantic Coast Convention is a reduce under.
To nip the narrative that grew right here, Franklin might want to beat one of the best within the league earlier than too lengthy. Which means Miami. Clemson and Florida State are rebuilding. Tech has a two-game collection with Notre Dame in 2027-28.
Whereas the ACC hasn’t challenged for the Faculty Soccer Playoff title since Clemson’s reign (2015-19), the league has a number of different good however not nice groups in Louisville, Georgia Tech, SMU and Pitt.
Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Syracuse and Boston Faculty all have revered coaches – some just lately prolonged.
With out enchancment on the day of the sport, Franklin received’t outcoach lots of them between September and November.
When Franklin obtained it rolling at PSU, he may very well be counted on for double-digit wins, which might be applauded in Blacksburg for the reason that Hokies are using six straight shedding seasons and have misplaced seven or extra video games in 5 of the final eight years.
Tech’s greatest report within the final 15 years is 11-3 in 2011.
Brent Pry’s dismissal was accompanied by the college’s pledge to take a position $229 million within the athletic program, and Franklin may have no downside spending that. It’s one other factor he’s good at.
He’ll additionally stick his nostril into the schedule, and you’ll guess your own home he wouldn’t have agreed to a non-con that buried Pry by opening with South Carolina and Vanderbilt this yr.
The 2026 non-conference opponents — VMI, Previous Dominion (led by former Franklin aide Ricky Rahne) and James Madison — are extra his velocity, though he’ll quickly wish to get out of the JMU deal.
He discovered the laborious method that Nevada, Florida Worldwide and Villanova weren’t ample preparation for Penn State this yr.
Simply as any individual on his multi-layered employees might want to advise him on higher scheduling, possibly that very same particular person may also help coach him up as soon as the ball is kicked off.
Rudel could be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
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