James Franklin’s first coaching staff at Virginia Tech is slowing starting to come together with Brent Pry making a stunning return as DC, Ty Howle joining as the OC and TEs coach, Danny O’Brien joining as the QBs coach, and both WRs coach Fontel Mines and OL coach Matt Moore being retained most notably. There have also been rumors about other spots on the staff but one group that hasn't received a lot of attention is the secondary.
It seems more likely than not that the Hokies will split the DBs between a cornerbacks and safeties coach, but it is possible that there will just be a lead DBs coach and then additional staffers for cornerbacks and safeties underneath said coach. So with all that said, who are some potential secondary coaching options for James Franklin and the Hokies?
Here are some names to watch.
Penn State Co-DC/Safeties Coach Anthony Poindexter
Anthony Poindexter's name being at the top of this list likely comes as no shock to anyone given his ties to James Franklin and Brent Pry along with his VA ties.
Let's start with those ties as he has been Penn State's co-DC since 2021 including for one season under Brent Pry. He also has deep roots in Virginia being a native of Lynchburg and a UVA alum while also coaching at UVA for over a decade (2003-13).
Poindexter has developed a great reputation as a safeties coach starting with his development of Quin Blanding at UVA. Since arriving at Penn State, Poindexter has developed four NFL Draft picks in Jaquan Brisker, Jay'air Brown, Kevin Winston Jr, and Jayden Reed with Zakee Wheatley certainly to make it five safeties drafted in five years.
That's quite the impressive group of players he's developed and is a reason why he's easily a top of the list type candidate.
He's also a solid recruiter who knows the recruiting footprint of VT well and would be an asset in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the DMV.
There's clearly a strong amount of trust that Franklin has in Poindexter too given the fact that he's remained in the co-DC role the past five years at PSU despite Franklin having four different defensive coordinators during that time (Pry, Manny Diaz, Tom Allen, Jim Knowles). Add in the fact that Poindexter worked for Pry as well and the odds of a reunion do seem very plausible.
One thing that you do have to wonder though is whether Poindexter, a UVA alum, would be open to coaching at VT or not. I'm guessing that probably wouldn't hinder as we've seen with Fontel Mines for example but you also can't rule that out either.
