'Relentless Competitor' James Franklin Introduced as Virginia Tech's New Coach

James Franklin got his first taste of Virginia Tech's "Enter Sandman" tradition on Wednesday as he walked into Cassell Coliseum for his introductory press conference.

It’s something the 53-year-old Franklin is eager to experience as the Hokies’ football coach.

"I can’t wait. ... I’ve been watching that intro to college football my entire life," said Franklin, who was sporting a maroon tie and pocket square. "It’s something special."

Virginia Tech is the first Power Four program to hire its next football coach this cycle, officially bringing Franklin aboard about a month after he was fired from Penn State.

"Today is a statement about where we are headed as an athletic department and as a university, one built on alignment, investment and ambition," Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said. "Coach Franklin is a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor."

Alignment was a constant theme that Franklin, Babcock and President Tim Sands returned to. In September, not long after former head coach Brent Pry was fired, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved a plan to add $229 million to the budget of the Hokies' athletic department over the next four years, with the primary goal of elevating the football program.

"In today’s college football, there needs to be alignment. There’s no other way to do it," Franklin said. "These young men that we’re going to be recruiting, they’re going to be recruited from all the top programs in the country. They need to walk into Virginia Tech football and it needs to look, feel, smell and operate like big-time."

Franklin was often scorned at Penn State for failing to beat Big Ten powers Ohio State and Michigan