James Franklin’s War on Penn State? The Virginia Tech Hire Will Fracture East Coast Recruiting
Penn State Football now faces another issue at hand. James Franklin is staying in region, after being hired by Virginia Tech as the Hokies’ next head coach. That complicates a lot of things, but few are more complicated than on the recruiting trail.
Since Franklin’s firing, Penn State has seen an exodus from its once heralded haul in the 2026 cycle, and the Nittany Lions‘ next head coach will be left picking up the pieces, and rebuilding the roster.
Franklin going to Blacksburg will prove as a good test for how well Penn State’s next coach and coaching staff can recruit.
Here’s a breakdown of how Franklin’s Virginia Tech hiring will impact Penn State’s future on the recruiting trail.
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James Franklin’s History in Virginia: The Recruits He Stole from the Hokies
Over James Franklin’s 11 years of classes at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have signed 25 players out of the state of Virginia. Notable names include the likes of Trace McSorley, Tyler Warren, Matt Outten, Anthony Donkoh, and several other quality Nittany Lions.
Over the last couple years, there have been several recruiting battles between Penn State and Virginia Tech.
Here are the recruits that James Franklin was able to recently land over the Hokies:
Class of 2026 – 4-star LB Mathieu Lamah
Class of 2025 – 4-star WR Matthew Outten
Class of 2023 – 4-star LB Kaveion Keys
Class of 2023 – 3-star OL Anthony Donkoh
Class of 2020 – 3-star TE Tyler Warren
These names were either big recruits or college stars. That should give some level of eyebrow-raising. It isn’t a lot, but it also isn’t nothing.
This list is only limited to Virginia players. It excludes players from Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia, and other surrounding states.
How the Penn State vs. Virginia Tech Recruiting War Could Play Out
It seems unlikely that James Franklin and Virginia Tech will instantly be able to wreak havoc on the Nittany Lions’ recruiting. But, it could cause Penn State several issues on the trail.
If the Nittany Lions don’t nail this hire and surround the new head coach with assistants from the DMV, Franklin could slowly destroy Penn State in recruiting. If Penn State is able to hire a coach with DMV roots, they can fend off Franklin’s prowess in the region.
Either way, the Hokies will be the biggest threat to PSU’s stranglehold on the east coast.
Franklin will be salty at the Nittany Lions and could go even harder after the recruits they have in common.
Additionally, Penn State and Virginia Tech have already had several tussles on the recruiting trail. Those tussles just got way tougher.
If Franklin can get money and winning flowing in Blacksburg, things could get really tough for whoever is the next head coach in Happy Valley.
However, Penn State should have the advantage in NIL, brand name, and winning over Virginia Tech.
It is hard to say exactly how the future of recruiting will look, but the Nittany Lions’ recruiting footprint didn’t get any easier.
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Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.
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