Penn State AD Pat Kraft appeared to be grateful for James Franklin's time in State College.
Franklin was fired midseason after the Nittany Lions were ranked preseason No. 2 and fell out of College Football Playoff conversation fairly quickly.
Franklin was relieved of his duties following a 22-21 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats, and now the former coach has his new home in the form of the ACC's Virginia Tech Hokies.
Upon learning about the news an account pretending to be Kraft account took to 'X' (formerly Twitter) to give Franklin his flowers.
"Well deserved! Congratulations Coach Franklin!!!" Kraft tweeted.
Franklin was blunt following his firing from Penn State, telling "College GameDay" he wished he could finish the season.
“I thought we were going to win a national championship [at Penn State],” Franklin said. “We were close. That goal hasn’t changed, we’re just going to go win a national championship somewhere else now.”
Franklin said he was stunned by Kraft's decision but ultimately understood the new direction both parties were taking.
“Twelve years, a ton of good moments, a bunch of big wins,” Franklin said. “But decisions were made, and I’m not involved in those decisions. I’m very, very grateful for the time I had, and, most importantly, for the relationships I was able to build."
Now, Franklin ushers in a new era in Blacksburg. He revealed in a statement how excited he is to "restore" a once-proud program.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”
Nonetheless, though, it seems both sides hold no ill will. Now, the question is whether he will return to coach against his former school (and when). At press time, neither school has played each other.
Kraft previously told reporters that firing Franklin was the best decision for both sides.
My job is to evaluate everything and make hard decisions that are in the best interest of our athletes, our program, and our department,” Kraft said.
“Football is our backbone," Kraft said. "We’ve invested at the highest level, and with that comes high expectations. Ultimately, I believe a new leader can help us win a national championship, and now is the right time for this change.”
Now, Penn State awaits its new coach.