BLACKSBURG, Va. — The dead period was days away and Virginia Tech‘s recruiting class of 2027 was all but done, but the hustle inside of the Merryman Center felt more like a clock was ticking far too fast ahead of the most important football game in a decade.
It was 8 a.m. and coach James Franklin was already well into his day. There was a 7-on-7 on campus later in the day. A priority official visitor was coming to town for an official visit.
HokieFest, a marquee camp geared toward getting many of Virginia Tech’s top targets in the 2028 and 2029 classes on campus, was the next day. It was busy, especially since many of the class of 2027 commits were also on campus for the camp, to work out, to strengthen bonds and then enjoy a barbecue afterward.
This is the pace that Franklin is running at since being hired Nov. 17. It is the pace that he operates at all the time, and the pace he will use to try and rebuild a Virginia Tech program looking to regain its relevance.
Talent acquisition is the most important piece of a football program, and Franklin and his staff are bringing it to Virginia Tech like no one has before, which is why the school signed him to a five-year, $42 million deal.
In the weeks after accepting the job, Franklin and a skeleton staff put together the highest-rated Virginia Tech class since 2018, added 27 transfers — including 12 from Penn State — and the 2027 class is ranked 15th nationally (third in the ACC).
“I think it’s our energy,” said Franklin, who underlined the importance of Virginia Tech’s commitment to being more competitive in revenue sharing/NIL. “I think it’s our excitement. I think it is our history. I think it is our track record. I think it is the Virginia Tech brand and logo, and I think there is an excitement in the state about getting Tech back going again.”
