Kevin Threlkel and Andy Frank, James Franklin's Chief of Staff and General Manager respectively, are following Franklin to Virginia Tech. Both have worked with Franklin since 2014.
BWI's @SeanFitzOn3 reports that Kevin Threlkel and Andy Frank are following James Franklin to Virginia Tech as expected, and they aren't the only Penn State staffers moving on before the end of the regular season.Story: https://t.co/fdAcKflK6V pic.twitter.com/obWi3bvUeLโ Blue White Illustrated (@PennStateOn3) November 19, 2025
Other staffers no longer included on the PSU Football website:
Brett Arnold, Assistant Director of Player Relations
Chris Mahon, Recruiting Coordinator for Personnel
Rashad Elby, Assistant Recruiting Coordinator for Personnel
Aeneas Hawkins, Assistant Director of Player Advancement & Revenue Sharing Strategy
https://onwardstate.com/2025/11/19/former-penn-state-football-staff-foll...
https://fightinggobbler.com/james-franklin-reportedly-raiding-penn-state...
Comments
Wow, that didn't take long to announce.
You could tell how awkward Whit was answering that question. Franklin was probably like let's just announce this before someone says something they shouldn't.
Good start. Keep the working relationship with the business side together.
I'm just excited that we're bringing in people that know how BIG DOG football works. Small town, mom and pop operations aren't on the menu anymore!
Give us all the dogs! I an so on the same page as you Mozart!
It's an entirely different scenario with Franklin bringing some of his staff with him from PSU compared to some G5 coach bringing all their work bros with them.
Did I mention that I'm hype for the new era? Because I'm hype AF. We renewed our tickets for next year just last night! Fully dipped.
And lets be real, Pry bringing his work bros with him
I like. Fantastic news.
1. Install a big-time organization at VT.
2. Gut Penn State.
Love both, and love doing both at the same time.
If only Jim Weaver were alive to see it
"See" being the prerogative word here. If he were still AD, no way in hell we'd be pony'ing up like this
So Penn State's entire recruiting staff is following Franklin to VT
Good God, this could end up being a colossal fuckup for the Shittany Loins
I mean, PSU knew this would happen. The expectation is that the new guy would bring his own recruiting team
PSU fans right now
You forgot the screaming "BUT FRANKLIN SUCKS" as part of this gif too
They're busy stalking everything positive that anyone has to say about Franklin and VT right now. Its amusing, I can't lie
Even their beat reporters are spun all the way over the edge with it this week. Its glorious
From what I've seen they are all "Enjoy only winning 8-9 games a year..."
Ummm...we havent' seen 8-9 wins in a long time. Will gladly take it, ha.
The thing they don't realize is that the ACC is much softer than the BIG. Once he gets rolling, I think we should be able to expect 10 win seasons.
Especially since we're going to be absorbing the better cruits.
If we can consistently win enough games to get to the ACCCG and have the talent to compete for the win in that game, everything else is house money. Icing on the cake. Then when Franklin gets us into the next iteration of big dog college football we can reset expectations. 8 or 9 wins every year and a playoff appearance 1 out of every 3 years sounds about right to me.
That train I mentioned heading towards VT Athletic Dept in another thread. Its just arrived - at full speed!
The implications of these people with these titles getting into the VT Athletic Dept starts the domino effect. By getting the announcement out front, it defeats the old boy network's ability to fight it.
does the old boy network rhyme with John Ballein?
I hope so
Did the other names disappear off the PSU website prior to this week?
I couldn't post the original tweet directly so had to embed Sekrah's.
Terry Smith would be a big, big add for recruiting.
all those sad faces behind him, glorious! haha
His facial expression is saying "y'all fucked around and now you're finding out."
I know there was slack on here for the FSU fan wearing a "FAFO" t shirt during our game last week, but I feel like it would be a glorious troll if the North End Zone student section all had these shirts on for a good close up TV shot.
I don't think we will get him but man, that would be amazing.
above all else, I'd love this just for the pure simple fact that VT has something to do with PSU misery. I hate PSU with a burning passion and CANNOT WAIT for them to completely shit the bed and realize that firing Franklin was a huge f*ing mistake
I will relish in Franklin doing everything in his power to absolutely tear down PSU for what they did to him
Yes. Ratfucking PSU like this is just the icing on the cake
Preach! I'm not quite sure how to process the simultaneous elation and schadenfreude!
I don't even hate Penn State.
But I do want to see Virginia Tech recover our football program, and if it's because Penn State made a mistake, all the better after all the times they stole our recruits.
Penn State fans:
He's a proud Nittany Lion. If he does leave, that's huge!
It's notable that Franklin gave him his first opportunity at the P5 level, which happened to be his alma mater.
It's phucking doom and gloom. Blahahahahaha.
I especially like the shocked look on the guy's face that's directly below his chin and to the left side of the other guys hoodie
I saw something that said Terry Smith may be considered for the permanent HC position
He is just gutting that program.
And that is the kind of guy we need at the helm. Someone who will bring in whoever he wants, regardless of the consequences to his business acquaintances or friends.
The fact that Pry only brought Michael Hazel with him and didn't bring any players or position coaches never set well with me.
the flip of that is Pry is obviously a class act and maybe held himself back from poaching . nobody knows but maybe
I understand being a classy guy and not burning bridges and all, but you gotta get some talented dudes on your team. Coaches and players. Obviously you don't want to be an asshole about it but putting on your salesman hat and convincing some dudes to join you at your new place is just doing business.
totally agree
Franklin has been very pc about it, but have to imagine this is how he's feeling towards Penn State:
An all time favorite scene. Leg