Former Penn State coach James Franklin’s name continues to circle the college football coaching carousel, and the pace has picked up again as industry chatter points toward a clear shift at one major program.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been linked to Franklin for weeks, and early indications suggested a serious mutual interest. Now, new reporting signals a different tone as the search in Blacksburg takes another turn.
The latest update came from The Athletic reporter Bruce Feldman, whose detailed look at the coaching cycle placed Franklin directly in the middle of multiple active searches. Feldman noted that Franklin has remained aggressive in pursuing a return to the sideline after being fired by the Penn State Nittany Lions in October. He also reported that Franklin has kept an eye on openings across the country as he weighs long-term options.
Feldman wrote that “industry sources indicate that Virginia Tech seems ready to move on from waiting for Franklin,” a sign that the Hokies may now be turning toward other candidates as the process accelerates. That line, paired with Franklin’s ongoing interest in jobs such as Arkansas, adds another twist to a search that has already shifted several times.
Franklin’s candidacy has carried weight throughout the cycle, especially after predictive market Kalshi listed him as the most likely hire for both Virginia Tech and Arkansas.
At one point this week, Kalshi assigned Franklin a 62 percent chance of landing with the Hokies. James Madison head coach Bob Chesney followed at 35 percent, up from 5 percent earlier this month, showing how sharply the odds continue to shift before the latest reporting suggested Virginia Tech may be changing course.
The Virginia Tech Hokies are reportedly moving on from former Penn State coach James Franklin in their search for their next head coach. / Ryan Hunt-Imagn Images
The broader context of Franklin’s situation continues to influence how schools view his availability. He was fired after Penn State started 3-3 following a preseason No. 2 ranking, and he finished his tenure with a 104-45 record over 12 seasons.
His teams reached double-digit wins six times, including last year’s 13-3 College Football Playoff run, but his struggles in top-10 matchups weighed heavily. He went 4-21 in those games, with a 1-18 mark in conference play.
Franklin’s contract situation also shapes the urgency behind his next move. A clause in his 2021 deal requires him to “diligently search” for another coaching position, and any salary he earns at his next job offsets Penn State’s remaining buyout obligations. That structure makes his return to a Power Four program more likely than not.
Virginia Tech’s reported decision to stop waiting for Franklin signals a pivot toward faster-moving candidates as the Hokies aim to stabilize the program’s future. Franklin, meanwhile, remains in the mix for openings such as Arkansas and is expected to continue evaluating his strongest opportunities as the carousel gains momentum.
The Hokies are on the road against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network as their coaching search continues behind the scenes.
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