Opinion/Sports
By Greg Maresca, 11-19-25
Virginia Tech made headlines by hiring James Franklin as its next football coach because nothing screams “fresh start” like picking up a guy who was fired just over a month ago. Soon after the announcement came Franklin addressed the press in Blacksburg, Virgina to explain why this is such a great idea.
The Virginia Tech signing was a significant financial windfall for Penn State as the university will avoid paying approximately $40 million that was originally tied to James Franklin’s buyout clause that was one of the largest in college football history.
After a lackluster 3-3 start, Franklin was sent packing and ended his 12-year tenure in Happy Valley, a period that saw consistent competitiveness but ultimately fell short of delivering the elusive national championship. The move underscores both the urgency and the high stakes of modern college football where performance expectations and financial realities collide in dramatic fashion.
Initially, Franklin’s buyout was a jaw-dropping $49.7 million because nothing says “job security” like a golden parachute big enough to fund a small country.
After negotiations, the two sides agreed to slash that cosmic sum of $49.7 million to a mere $9 million. Yes, nine. What a bargain, right? Such a figure is a clearance-rack buy in the world of collegiate football coaches’ buyouts. And as if that wasn’t generous enough, the settlement also torched the offset clause that would have forced Penn State to keep cutting checks if Franklin’s next gig didn’t match his old salary. In other words, Penn State basically paid him handsomely to pack his bags and roll.
As for Franklin’s new gig at Virginia Tech, the financial details are still locked up tighter than the game plan before kickoff. However, when your last paycheck at Penn State was a cool $8.5 million, you are not exactly clipping coupons or eating at bargain buffets.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is currently limping along with a 3-7 record, which makes this hire feel less like a strategic masterstroke and more like a desperate Hail Mary from deep in your own endzone. The Hokies have been under the temporary stewardship of Philip Montgomery since September, after Brent Pry was shown the door for starting 0-3.
Pry’s buyout? A modest $6 million because apparently, in Blacksburg, Virginia firing coaches is less of a last resort and more about taking part in the national trend of cutting checks to make coaches go away.
Virginia Tech just approved $229 million in new athletic funding over the next four years. Because if you are going to hire a coach fresh off a firing, why not throw a quarter-billion dollars at the program to make it look intentional? This is college football economics at its finest: hemorrhage cash, pray for wins, and call it “building a culture.”
The absurdity is staggering.
Penn State paid Franklin $9 million to pack up and leave Penn State, while Virginia Tech is backing up the Brinks truck to welcome him with open arms. It is the kind of financial football theater that makes the U.S. federal government look frugal.
In the end, the only real winners are the coaches because in this game mediocrity pays, and loyalty is just a line item on a contract.
And here is the subplot no one asked for: Virginia Tech is a Nike school, while Penn State is ditching Nike for Adidas in 2026. Cue the conspiracy theorists whispering that Adidas wanted Franklin gone.
Totally unconfirmed, but this is college football where rumors are a sport of its own.
Franklin’s arrival in Blacksburg isn’t the finale; it is the opening act in what promises to be the most chaotic hiring season in years. Big-name vacancies are still looming at LSU, Florida, and at Penn State. So, buckle up, because the coaching carousel isn’t just spinning; it’s doing 360s at warp speed while boosters continue to toss around cash like confetti.
Also see:
Fourth and Funded: The Busine$$ of College Football Coach Buyout$$$
James Franklin’s Contract Fallout: Behind PSU’s Numbers
Mr. Maresca is a New York City native and a Marine Corps veteran residing in Flyover, America.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
