It’s been just four days since James Franklin stepped into Blacksburg with a new sense of energy. The former Penn State head coach took over the Virginia Tech job after numerous discussions and anticipation. And guess what? The 53-year-old’s first order of business is to fix a long-term issue that was also mismanaged during Brent Pry’s tenure.

“No disrespect to other times in other places, Franklin said on the November 21 episode of Level 7 interview. “But there was a period where there were coaches in the state of Virginia that were not prioritizing the state of Virginia, in my opinion, from my lens. To me, I don’t care where you’re at; you have got to own your own state. It starts there. How am I supposed to go to somebody else’s state and get their best players if I’m not getting the best players out of my own state?

“And there needs to be excitement. There needs to be a sense and a feeling that I can achieve all my dreams, goals, and aspirations individually and collectively as a team right here. I don’t need to go anywhere else to do it. And what’s better than doing it in front of everybody I love, right?”

James Franklin is not wrong in calling out Brent Fry’s term. The HC’s first two recruiting classes were ranked No. 41 nationally, then the Hokies moved up to No. 31 in 2024, and then they were No. 38 in 2025. But the problem of in-state recruiting was looming large.

During Fry’s tenure (22-25), the in-state recruitment percentage, as per On3, was 48%. However, it’s not all on Brent Pry.

Pry took over a program that had already been losing in-state talent for years. The trend was first initiated under Justin Fuente, who succeeded Frank Beamer. The Athletic reported that the 2021 class was ranked 45th nationally in the 247Sports Composite, and initially had one player from the state in 2020 (safety Lakeem Rudolph). Overall, the percentage was dismal at the end of the recruiting cycle, with 32% as per On3.

Fuente started with some solid recruiting classes, but things began to dip. One of the biggest knocks on him was that he couldn’t consistently keep top Virginia talent at home. Other programs, such as those in North Carolina under Mack Brown, started making real progress in the Hampton Roads area. In 2017 and 2018, the in-state recruitment percentage was as low as 22% and 23%. The effect of this is still haunting the program.

“Virginia Tech hasn’t sniffed the top 25 of the recruiting class rankings since Brent Pry took over in Blacksburg, and it’s not going to happen this year,” Ivins said. The Hokies have only eight commits so far in their 2026 class. They are sitting in last place in the ACC and 119th nationally according to 247Sports. VT also really isn’t in the hunt for any of the top in-state prospects right now.

That’s why the new Virginia Tech HC wants to change. This has already put PSU on red alert.

 From blue and white to maroon and orange

Beaver Stadium felt weirdly quiet the day James Franklin’s Virginia Tech deal went from rumor to done. However, the main sense of fear didn’t click when the ex-PSU head coach signed a five-year contract in Blacksburg. It clicked as Franklin started talking about who he planned to take with him. On Pat McAfee’s show, Franklin basically laid out his blueprint: when he left Vanderbilt for Penn State, he brought 16 people.

He plans something similar for the Hokies. That’s where the ‘high alert’ in State College really kicks in. Franklin didn’t hide behind clichés; he talked about the core guys who have been with him and “will continue to be.” And guess what? Andy Frank and chief of staff Kevin Threlkel are the prime candidates to follow him. Threlkel and Franklin have been working together for decades. Their connection goes all the way back to Franklin’s time as an offensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006.

Franklin’s track record is exactly why Virginia Tech is willing to hand him the keys. He had three straight bowls and a rare Top-25 finish at Vanderbilt, a Big Ten title in 2016, New Year’s Six wins over Washington, Memphis, and Utah, plus multiple 11-win seasons at PSU. Franklin has developed stars like Saquon Barkley, Micah Parsons, and Chris Godwin. His resume gives him immense credibility when he walks into a living room wearing orange and maroon.