BLACKSBURG, Va. Former Penn State head coach James Franklin is finalizing a deal with Virginia Tech to become the next football coach for the Hokies, according to reports.

The news was first reported by ESPN senior writer Pete Thamel on Monday afternoon.

Franklin, who boasts a 128-60 head coaching record between his time at Penn State and Vanderbilt, led the Nittany Lions to the 2024 College Football Playoff semi-finals. He was fired from Penn State in mid-October after starting the season 3-3.

Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry, one of Franklin's former defensive coordinators, after the Hokies' blowout loss to Old Dominion University marked an 0-3 start to the season in September.

ESPN reports that after Pry's firing, Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors passed a plan to add $229 million to t

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