James Franklin, Virginia Tech talks coming to a head, resolution expected by Monday: Sources

Virginia Tech is trying to bring its weeks-long courtship of James Franklin to a conclusion.

The former Penn State coach has been the school’s top target to replace Brent Pry, who was fired on Sept. 14.

Franklin himself was fired by Penn State about a month later after the Nittany Lions lost three straight Big Ten games and their season of high expectations spiraled. The 53-year-old Franklin is 128-60 in 15 seasons as a major college coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State, including six seasons with double-digit victories. Franklin is still owed $45 million by Penn State, but his buyout would come down if he lands another job.

He appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” a week after he was let go by Penn State and made clear he wanted to coach again and continue his pursuit of a national championship.

The Athletic first reported on Oct. 31 that Virginia Tech hoped to be among the first schools to fill its vacancy by targeting Franklin. According to several people who have been briefed on the discussions, Virginia Tech officials have been in contact with Franklin and his representatives dating back to last month. Sources spoke under the condition of anonymity because both the school and Franklin were not making their negotiations public.

One person briefed on the situation told The Athletic on Friday that Virginia Tech staff members had been told by school officials they hope to have a resolution in their search by Monday.

Franklin, meanwhile, has been surveying the landscape of what is already a busy cycle of hirings and firings. Twelve Power 4 jobs are open, including Florida, LSU and Auburn in the SEC.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell is also in a precarious position, but athletic director Michael Alford has publicly stated he will wait until the end of the season to make a decision on a possible coaching change.

Virginia Tech’s search has not stopped at Franklin. Sources have told The Athletic the Hokies have also engaged with Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall and James Madison’s Bob Chesney and are prepared to move on from Franklin if they cannot strike a deal soon.

Virginia Tech has been one of the ACC’s top programs, but it has struggled to regain its status near the top of the conference since the retirement of Frank Beamer in 2015.

Neither Justin Fuente nor Pry, who was Franklin’s longtime defensive coordinator, have found the right formula, and the school’s support for the program has slipped. Virginia Tech’s board approved in September a $229 million addition to its athletics budget over the next four years.