2026 VT Football Notebook: Takeaways from the Staff Press Conference

Every time I think a James Franklin press conference can't get any better, somehow it does. On Tuesday, Hokie Nation got its first glimpse at the totality of the program Franklin is building. Everything from the infrastructure, to the roster, to the coaching staff was on full display. Obviously, Franklin and his staff are still in the honeymoon phase, where everything is amazing and they can do no wrong. The product on the field come the Fall could change that in a hurry. For now though, we can bask in the positive vibes of this program after some dark years. 

However, it wasn't all fluff and love inside the Merryman Team Room. We did start to learn some real information about what this program is shaping into under Franklin. Of course, all that information must be taken with a grain of salt until we see it between the lines, but it gives us something to talk about while we wait for spring ball to start. With that, let's jump into the top five takeaways from the staff press conference.

1. The love for, and from, Brent Pry is very real

The biggest storyline going into the presser was that this was the first time we would hear from Brent Pry after being brought back as defensive coordinator following his firing as head coach last Fall. Franklin's decision to hire Pry is one of the most unusual stories in college football, which Franklin noted during his time at the mic. 

However, Franklin made a few things very clear. He said that he is not in the business of just hiring his friends, even if some of his longtime assistants have become close with him. He says he wants the best guy for the job, and he was clear that was Pry. Franklin added that if he had taken another job, Pry would have likely been on the staff. Obviously, coming back to Virginia Tech was a little more complicated. Franklin noted the obvious humility that Pry has to have to walk into his old office not as the head coach. It's something that most coaches would, understandably, be too prideful to do, but Pry isn't like most coaches.

Brent Pry genuinely loves Virginia Tech, loves the players, and loves the Blacksburg community. Pry said that keeping his family here so his daughters could finish school was important to him. He also said that he wanted to be here to help the Hokies turn the corner, and get back to their old winning ways. 

The love that Brent Pry has for everything maroon and orange is clearly reciprocated. Franklin said that he cleared the decision with the administration and the player leadership council. While there were some logistical hurdles to clear, eventually Pry was welcomed back with open arms, and a standing ovation from the player's in his first meeting. 

2. A first look at the philosophies of the coordinators

Alright now let's talk some football. Obviously a big question mark for this team that features a new coordinator in every phase is what will the play style look like for the 2026 Hokies. Starting with the defense, Coach Pry said that philosophically the defense this season will look very similar to the one's he ran at Penn State. This should come as no surprise given his success there, and the hiring of his longtime DL coach Sean Spencer. However, Pry said only about 75% of the defense would come from his old scheme, and that he would look for ways to grow and change.

The offensive side of the ball is a little bit more of a mystery. Ty Howle comes in to call plays without much experience being a sole offensive coordinator, despite getting a major vote of confidence from Franklin, who says he's been waiting to give Howle this opportunity. During the press conference, he said he wanted to make the offense QB-friendly and build around the offensive line. This is nothing new for offensive coordinators, without those two things, it's hard to have any kind of offense. However, Howle went on to emphasize the importance of an offense being explosive and taking big shots down the field, which should excite many Hokie fans who've watched some pretty lifeless offense in years past. 

Howle also highlighted the importance of building a culture within an offense that will feature many players that have never taken a snap together trying to learn a brand new system:

3. The Hokies are not done improving

A big part of getting James Franklin to come to Virginia Tech was the major boost to the athletic budget that was approved by the Board of Visitors back in September. It immediately catapulted the Hokies into a position to contend for elite coaching talent and build an elite roster. However, in today's college football landscape, it's either eat or be eaten. The Hokies landed their whale in James Franklin, and are already putting the NIL fund to good use on a top 10 transfer portal class, but that's not enough. During the presser, Franklin confirmed several improvements to the football facilities and overall infrastructure. He said their training room and weight room look completely different. Some changes were as simple as lighting and paint, while others included new equipment. Franklin also said that heating will be coming to the indoor practice facility. According to Franklin, this will help with player safety, as well as make the facility a more welcoming environment for pro scouts. The Hokies are also still not done. Franklin said more changes are coming, and by fall camp there will be much more to report.

4. Doug Shearer brings the juice!

After talking with James Franklin, Brent Pry, and Ty Howle, it may be easy for some people to overlook the special teams coordinator Doug Shearer, but as we know, special teams is never overlooked in Blacksburg. From the moment Shearer walked in the room you could feed the electricity he brought. His energy and passion immediately broke through in a McVay-esque speaking patter. As for what Hokie fans may see from his unit? A full team effort to impact the game in a big way. Shearer said that the whole program is bought into special teams, including James Franklin, who sits in on every meeting. Shearer also said the coordinators and position coaches will emphasize it in their meetings, demonstrating an intentionality to making it the strongest unit on the team that Shearer wants. 

Additionally, in what could potentially be a polarizing decision, Shearer did not confirm whether or not the #25 jersey to honor Frank Beamer, and the special teams player of the week, would return. He said that decision would be left up to James Franklin. Shearer did make a point to say that the legendary Beamer will always be honored in the program, and Shearer hopes to pick his brain on special teams play soon. 

5. The boys are hitting the ground running

We still have a little while longer to wait until helmets and shoulder pads get strapped on for spring practice, and even longer until the Hokies' take the field against VMI on September 5th, but the team is laying the foundation now. Franklin said that when building his strength and conditioning staff, he was able to marry the best of Virginia Tech, and the best of what he was able to do at Penn State. He did that by keeping Jarrett Ferguson, a Hokie legend that is a fan and player favorite, as well as bringing in four of his staffers from Penn State. Franklin told me that early returns from the weight room are positive, and that WR Ayden Greene even said that "the air just feels different" now around the program. As someone who's walked the streets of Blacksburg since Franklin was hired, that's a sentiment that has spread outside the VT locker room, and into the community.

BONUS CONTENT: WE ARE THE SONS OF SATURDAY

To wrap up these takeaways, I just had to include this very funny exchange between me and Coach Franklin that has now become our latest addition to the #FranklinFiles

While these are the big takeaways, there is lots more to unpack from each of these coaches, and I plan to dive into it all over the next couple weeks, so keep coming back for more VT football content as we patiently wait out the offseason.