Virginia Tech is counting on James Franklin to boost its football program. But that's also part of a larger push to elevate Hokies athletics overall. The school hired Franklin late last year after his firing from Penn State. That came less than two years after he led the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Hokies have spent the past year implementing numerous changes to raise more money and invest more in their sports programs. Those changes have included the hiring of Brian White as Virginia Tech's new athletic director last month.