The coaches are two of the biggest names in the coaching carousel, and what they decide will have repercussions across college football’s biggest programs.

Former Penn State head coach James Franklin is waiting to act amid his connections to Virginia Tech and SEC programs.

Virginia Tech staff members had been told by school officials they hope to have a resolution in their search by Monday, a source said.

Former Penn State head coach James Franklin is reportedly out of the mix as one major SEC program seeks to go in a new direction.

Franklin is 104-45 in 15 seasons as a college head coach, three at Vanderbilt and 12 at Penn State. He is a Pennsylvania native, but spent his formative years as a coach at Maryland and has long-standing recruiting ties in the mid-Atlantic area.

James Franklin and Penn State ’s 3-3 start through the first six games of the 2025 season led to his firing, ending a 12-year stint in Happy Valley. Despite Franklin’s 104-45 record at the helm, Penn State decided to pay what equates to the third-highest buyout in college football history at $49 million, according to CBS.