James Franklin is eager to replicate success from a long run at Penn State now that he is preparing for his first season at Virginia Tech as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's three incoming coaches.
That included hiring the man he ultimately replaced — Brent Pry, fired last year in his fourth season — to work on his staff, as before with the Nittany Lions.
“Probably smoother than I would've thought, really this whole process," Franklin told reporters
during spring practices. “He's handled it unbelievably well. He hasn't skipped a beat."
Pry is defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, roles he held for eight seasons under Franklin at Penn State. Pry went 16-24 with the Hokies, including 10-13 in ACC play, before being fired in September after the program's first 0-3 start since 1987.
Yet Pry is back in Blacksburg for a fifth consecutive season.
“Obviously working with (Franklin), it's kind of seamless almost, to be honest,” Pry said. “It's amazing how you fall right back into it and it feels so familiar.”
Pry's last three seasons under Franklin at Penn State saw the Nittany Lions rank 10th nationally in scoring defense (19.5) and 21st in total defense (344.1) from the 2019-21 seasons. Franklin said Pry's presence has allowed him to be more heavily involved with the offense.
“Having Brent over on defense makes you feel really good about doing that,” Franklin said. “So that's been helpful for me knowing that area’s taken care of.”
California and Stanford are also transitioning to a new coach, with the Golden Bears and Cardinal turning to alumni.
At Stanford, former Cardinal quarterback Tavita Pritchard is taking over after spending the past three years as a QB coach with the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Before that, Pritchard had been on the Stanford staff going back to his time as a volunteer assistant in 2010.
Pritchard leads a roster that lost only five transfers, while the Cardinal dipped into the portal to add a potential starting QB in Michigan's Davis Warren.
Cal hired former defensive lineman Tosh Lupoi, who had spent the past four seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon. He had also worked previously at Alabama, winning two national titles in a five-year stay.
“The amount of information we had to take in and learn as quickly as we could was great," returning quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele said after Saturday’s spring game. “I think these guys adapted to it. The receivers are out there making plays, making my job easier. Yeah, I think we're in a good spot. and if we continue to keep this going we'll be in an even better place come the season.”
Chad Morris has returned to Clemson for another stint as offensive coordinator as Dabo Swinney tries to push the Tigers back to championship contender.
Morris worked as Swinney's OC from 2011-14 before taking head-coaching jobs at SMU and Arkansas. The focus is putting in a foundation for a quicker tempo this fall after taking over for Garrett Riley.
“We've still got a long way to go in that regard," Morris said before Clemson's spring game. "We’ve got to get in shape, and these guys understand that. That's what summer's for. ... I think they understand the pace of practice, the pace of play I want to play at. They've definitely bought in, there's no doubt on that.”
After 12 straight 10-win seasons, Clemson has failed to get there in two of the last three years; last year's 7-6 record was its worst since 2010. The offense led by Cade Klubnik was a particular concern, with Clemson ranking 11th in the ACC in scoring (27.2) and eighth in total offense (392.2) in 2025.
North Carolina had a rough first year under Bill Belichick: Its offense ranked 118th in the Bowl Subdivision, averaging just 19.3 points per game. The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach responded by hiring Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator.
Petrino had held head-coaching jobs with Louisville and Arkansas, and briefly with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. He had spent the last two years as OC for the Razorbacks, serving as interim head coach last year after the firing of Sam Pittman.
Petrino pointed earlier this week to the importance of running the football even when defenses know what's coming, as well as controlling tempo.
“Well, I'm trying to get on his page,” Petrino said of coaching under Belichick. ”If I can do that and he says we’re on the same page, then I feel pretty good about it. He's been where he’s been and he’s won championships because he’s a great moviator and he understands how he drives people. I’m trying to keep him happy and make sure he has a smile on his face."
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