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Virginia Tech head football coach Brent Pry entered the 2025 season on the hot seat, and on Sept. 14, the Hokies announced that the dismissal of the fourth-year coach. Pry never finished better than 7-6 in three full seasons in Blacksburg, and his fourth season was off to an extremely poor start as Tech was 0-3 and lost 45-26 at home to Old Dominion in Week 3. Philip Montgomery was named the interim head coach, and VT has gone 3-4 under his leadership thus far.

James Franklin is reportedly in early discussions with the Hokies about taking the job, but nothing has been finalized, so who are the top Virginia Tech coaching candidates the Hokies could target? If you love the Hokies, or just want to know who will be calling the shots for Virginia Tech in the future, be sure to see what the proven team of experts are saying at VTScoop, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Virginia Tech.

If you want all of the latest Virginia Tech coaching search news and info, there's no better place than VTScoop. It's the most trusted source for intel on the Hokies and has the largest and most dedicated community of Virginia Tech fans. The team of insiders will tell you what's happening before it happens. Sign up for a VIP membership now and unlock all of the intel, info, analysis and more as the Hokies search for its next head coach.

And right now, VTScoop is offering 30% off annual subscriptions* or $1 for your first month*, so now is the time to sign up. The team at VTScoop already has a list out of several potential candidates and there are some surprising names on the list. Head to VTScoop now to see them all.

Top Virginia Tech football coach candidates

Due to reports from VTScoop, ESPN and others, Franklin has become the hot name in this search. The former Penn State coach was fired on Oct. 12 despite a 104-45 overall record with the Nittany Lions and multiple playoff wins just last season. 

Having spent a good portion of his career at Penn State and Maryland, Franklin knows the general geographic footprint of this area and would be a huge name for the Hokies to land should this deal get finalized.

Franklin, however, is likely to have interest from other openings around the nation in what's been a very active coaching carousel season. See where things stand with Franklin, and more candidates at VTScoop.

How to get insider Virginia Tech coaching search updates 

How close to landing Franklin are the Hokies, and which other names could be in the mix? Get more Virginia Tech coaching search updates at VTScoop.

Who are the top names to know in the Virginia Tech football coaching search? Go to VTScoop to see their Virginia Tech coaching hot board and more, all from a team of reporters with extensive experience covering the Hokies, and find out. 

And remember, VTScoop is offering 30% off an annual VIP membership as a coaching search special, so subscribe now before it's too late.

*Terms: This 30% offer is only available for new members who sign up for an annual subscription to VTScoop and the $1 first month offer is only for new members who sign up for a monthly subscription. After the first billing cycle, the subscription will re-bill at the regular rate. 247Sports.com reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Please write support@247sports.com with any questions you may have.