James Franklin’s first season at Virginia Tech as head coach has featured plenty of familiar faces from his Penn State tenure, and the Hokies head coach has explained why so many former Nittany Lions followed him to Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech added 28 players through the NCAA transfer portal during the offseason, with 12 of those players coming from Penn State. For Franklin, the large Penn State-to-Virginia Tech pipeline comes down primarily to relationships and trust.
James Franklin Explains Penn State Transfer Pipeline
Franklin spent 12 seasons at Penn State before taking over at Virginia Tech, giving him years to develop relationships with players throughout the Nittany Lions program.
Speaking on Bussin’ & Pate on Campus, Franklin said players entering the transfer portal are making significant decisions about their football careers and futures. Having an established relationship with a coach can reduce some of the uncertainty involved in choosing a new program.
Franklin noted that he had known some of the players for as long as five years.
The trust works both ways. As Franklin attempts to establish his culture and system at Virginia Tech, bringing in players he already knows gives the Hokies a group familiar with his expectations and approach.
Franklin emphasized that those existing relationships — rather than any other motive — were the main reason so many former Penn State players ended up in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech’s Transfer Portal Strategy Paying Off Early
The strategy has produced encouraging early results.
Virginia Tech is undefeated through its first four games, giving Franklin an impressive start to his first season with the Hokies. The collection of former Penn State players has helped provide experience and familiarity as Virginia Tech transitions into a new era.
The next major challenge comes against another undefeated opponent when Virginia Tech hosts Pitt at Lane Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Friday night.
The matchup could carry significant implications for Virginia Tech as the Hokies attempt to establish themselves in the ACC Championship race.
Can James Franklin Build Virginia Tech Into a CFP Contender?
Franklin spent 12 years building Penn State into one of college football’s most recognizable programs, and his comments suggest he wants to establish similar long-term stability at Virginia Tech.
The larger objective will be translating that stability into national success.
Virginia Tech has a rich football history but has been searching for a return to consistent national prominence. A successful first season under Franklin could accelerate that process, particularly if the Hokies can emerge as an ACC championship contender and eventually enter the College Football Playoff conversation.
For 2026, Franklin’s former Penn State players could be central to that effort.
Rather than starting completely from scratch, Franklin has surrounded himself with numerous players who already understand his expectations. Those established relationships have helped create continuity during a period of significant change in Blacksburg.
If Virginia Tech’s undefeated start develops into a championship-caliber season, the 12 Penn State transfers who followed Franklin to Virginia Tech could prove to be one of the biggest reasons why.