The NCAA transfer portal opens on Friday. New Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin has been busy building his coaching staff ahead of the portal opening. On Wednesday, we learned of another name expected to join Franklin’s staff, and it’s a familiar name to Virginia Tech fans: Anthony Midget.
Midget will coach cornerbacks for the Hokies.
Midget, who played cornerback at Virginia Tech from 1996-99, was a former third-team All-American and first-team All-Big East selection during his senior season.
The Clewiston, Florida, native was a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000 NFL draft and spent three seasons in the league before turning to coaching.
Midget began his coaching career at Lake Worth (Florida) High School from 2002-06. In 2007, he returned to Blacksburg as a graduate assistant for legendary coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster.
Here’s a look at all of Midget’s coaching stops:
- 2002-06: Lake Worth H.S., assistant coach
- 2007: Virginia Tech, graduate assistant
- 2008-11: Georgia Southern, defensive backs coach/special teams coordinator
- 2012: Georgia Southern, defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach
- 2013: Penn State, safeties coach
- 2014-17: Houston Texans, assistant secondary coach
- 2018-19: Houston Texans, secondary coach
- 2020-22: Tennessee Titans, defensive backs coach
- 2024-25: Pittsburgh Steelers, assistant secondary coach
While Midget has never worked for Franklin before, he was at Penn State the season before Franklin arrived in Happy Valley as head coach, before following Bill O’Brien to the NFL. Midget has worked with defensive coordinator Brent Pry before. While Midget was at Georgia Southern, Pry served as the defensive coordinator there for one season, during which Midget coached defensive backs.
Midget has worked for successful NFL coaches such as Mike Tomlin, Mike Vrabel and O’Brien. He brings the right amount of NFL and college experience to the position. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Midget is a former Hokie. Make no mistake, though, Franklin didn’t hire Midget for sentimentality. He brought him in because he believes he’s the best man for the job.
