Former Penn State head coach James Franklin has finally found his next landing spot, agreeing to become the new face of the Virginia Tech football program.
Franklin was one of the winningest coaches in Penn State history. He took over in 2014, when the program was severely underperforming.
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The Nittany Lions finished in the top 12 of the final College Football Playoff rankings in seven of the last nine seasons under Franklin and won the Big Ten Championship in 2016.
Now, he takes over an ACC school that has a notable recruiting pipeline and could be a sleeping giant in the conference.
The news came on Monday that Franklin was taking the job, and it was reportedly that his rumored buyout, worth more than $40 million, would be only around $9 million, saving Penn State money due to his new, likely high-paying contract with the Hokies.
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Franklin will be officially introduced as the head coach at a press conference on Nov. 19, though he addressed his new position in the school’s announcement.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a statement.
“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.”
During the college football season, several programs have decided to part ways with their coaches, resulting in multiple openings across different conferences.
Most notably, the SEC saw a couple of posts open up, which Franklin was linked to. However, he decided to stay eastward and build up an ACC program that will face lighter competition and less scrutiny, at least initially.
Franklin will get a long leash at Virginia Tech and a chance to rebuild his reputation.
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