James Franklin reveals what sold him on Virginia Tech job

former Penn State football coach James Franklin

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Matthew Couden

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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Upon Penn State's firing James Franklin as head coach of the Nittany Lions, he quickly became one of the hottest names in speculation for other coaching jobs. Ultimately, the Virginia Tech Hokies made him the new head coach of their football program.

During a recent interview, Franklin spoke about why he chose to continue coaching after his Penn State firing, and what made Virginia Tech the right fit for him.

“I think you guys know, and other people know, the way my contract was, I didn’t have to coach, right? So, I know I think there’s power in that. You’re just choosing to do something because that’s what you want to do and that’s what you love and that’s who you are,” Franklin said.

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“Me and my wife plan on buying a sprinter van at some point and driving around the country, enjoying ourselves, but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet and after spending two weeks with her she doesn’t want to do it with me yet,” he joked.

former Penn State football coach James Franklin

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Franklin credited his wife with understanding his working so much and being away from home to do what he loves, before explaining why he chose the Hokies. He mentioned his respect for former Virginia Tech legend Michael Vick and his love of the "Enter Sandman" music the team uses.

“We just started looking into Virginia Tech, and what was obvious right away was this place has recognized, ‘OK, we’re not where we wanna be. We’re not where we want to be, and now let’s come up with a plan, a very detailed plan of how we’re going to invest and how we’re going to get back to being the Virginia Tech that we all want to be,’” he said in the interview.

Franklin said that Tech and its athletic director, Whit Babcock, had a plan in place, while a lot of the other places he considered "were figuring it out." That made the decision an easier one for Franklin.

Obviously, there’s also a monetary factor in making big decisions that impact one’s life. According to VA Tech’s announcement (via 247 Sports) earlier today, Franklin will make about $8.2 million per year under his five-year deal. It’s about $300,000 less than he earned with Penn State annually, but he’s still one of college football’s top 20 highest-paid coaches.

Additionally, his contract offers multiple incentive bonuses, including $250,000 for a 12-win season and $150,000 for any coach-of-the-year award.

Franklin officially coaches his first game for the Hokies on Saturday, when they host the Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Lane Stadium. As of this writing, odds heavily favor Miami, which is ranked among the top 13 teams for a College Football Playoff spot, to win the ACC game by over two touchdowns.