Neil Rudel on football: VT’s James Franklin should lose ‘chip on shoulder’

The Atlantic Coast Conference football media days are scheduled this week in Charlotte, and of particular interest locally will be Thursday's appearance of James Franklin who, in case you have been living in a cave, is now wearing the maroon and burnt orange of Virginia Tech.

The guess here is he'll actually say a few things about the Hokies.

And that will be a welcome switch as Franklin has spent plenty of time over the past few months rehashing his 12-year Penn State tenure, which came to an abrupt and merciful end on Oct. 12, 2025.

Or about 18 hours after the Nittany Lions went belly-up against Northwestern, their third-consecutive loss in a season that Franklin lost the program and "Fire Franklin" chants could practically be heard in Boalsburg for the second-straight home game.

Athletic Director Pat Kraft had seen and heard enough and pulled the plug and, other than introducing new coach Matt Campbell about two months later, hasn't said much since.

But that's kind of how it works. He's not going to rub salt in the wound and likely would decline attempts to further discuss it.

Franklin, though, is still clearly looking in the rear-view mirror.

He's done several interviews with the national media, which has reported on how unfairly he feels he was treated.

He provided a candid "yes" when asked by The Athletic's Ralph Russo if he stayed at Penn State too long.

Say this for Franklin: He's not alone and has always been able to read the room.

"I say that because of how it ended," he said.

But Franklin obviously didn't feel that way when he signed contract extensions in 2017, again in 2019 and then the infamous 10-year deal in 2021 despite consistently falling short against Ohio State and going 4-21 vs. the Top 10.

He told Russo he turned down several opportunities to remain at PSU, and he told former Penn State player Adam Breneman, who conducts a national podcast, that he felt he earned the right "have a conversation," rather than being "blindsided" by Kraft.

Despite being the beneficiary of a super friendly 2024 College Football Playoff draw that included SMU and Boise State before the Lions melted down in the national semifinals against Notre Dame, in similar fashion as they did the 2025 season-shaper vs. Oregon, Franklin thought Kraft's maneuver was "unheard of" given his otherwise positive tenure.

He pointed to six games earlier being a game away from playing for the national title.

"People have had challenges and had a chance to fix it," he told Russo.

Though he quickly landed softly - Franklin got the Virginia Tech job (which had already fired Brent Pry) before Penn State had hired Campbell - the ordeal admittedly left a sour taste.

"I got a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I put my family in this position, and I'm not going to let that happen again - ever."

Translation: As soon as he has some success at Virginia Tech and his name comes up with bigger jobs - which it will - don't be surprised if Franklin remembers his last stop and doesn't stay long.

He'll also be more careful with his major hirings.

He kept Pry, a longtime ally and safety net, as defensive coordinator and brought several Penn State aides, including Ty Howle, who will coordinate the offense.

In 2025, he overreached for Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, making him the highest paid assistant in the country at $3.1 million annually.

Knowles' system, however, didn't fit the Nittany Lions. The last two OCs, Andy Kotelnicki and Mike Yurcich, were just as bad. Though he didn't mention either by name, Franklin did accept responsibility.

"We made great hires, but I don't know if they were the right fit at the right time," he told Breneman. "We got away from that. We took on too much risk in too many different areas."

Another twist in Franklin's transition is the fact that Tech president, Tim Sands, and the athletic director, Whit Babcock, who hired him are both stepping down.

Franklin was part of the AD search committee, which lured Brian White of Florida Atlantic.

He wanted the choice to be "bold and aggressive," terminology he also used in trying to improve Penn State's facilities, which he did.

Virginia Tech has invested $230 million in its program and recently received a $75 million anonymous donation.

That should give Franklin a running start as the Hokies attempt to recapture their glory days under Frank Beamer but have averaged 6.8 losses over the last eight seasons.

"The Invest to Win campaign made before I even took the job, that made me realize that this place wanted to compete," Franklin told Russo. "But I will also say this: There's a difference between competing to be competitive in the ACC and trying to win a national championship."

Starting Thursday, he would do well to focus on the future and leave the past behind.

Neil Rudel covers Penn State football and can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.