NCAAF

Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as head coach

Three months ago, Franklin was riding high as head coach of the No. 2 team in the country. The weeks that followed weren’t great, but his Nittany Lions were still undefeated heading into a highly-billed showdown against Oregon. We all know what happened next. And after that. And again. Three losses later, Franklin was out of a job, and Penn State was eliminated from playoff contention.

Everything happened so fast. As a result, it feels that Franklin’s resume and coaching chops were forgotten. After all, he compiled a 104-45 mark with Penn State, winning the Big Ten in 2016 and two playoff games last season. That’s a big deal, especially for the program hiring him.

Virginia Tech is a proud program, but has been downtrodden for far too long. Franklin can change that. The ACC is a faltering power conference, and in recent years, has been there for the taking. It’s somewhat hard to imagine Franklin repeating his success in State College with the Hokies, but he should be able to exceed his accomplishments at Vanderbilt.

For Virginia Tech, that’s enough. Franklin gets nicked — and rightfully so — for losing big game after big game, but he offers credibility to a program that was trending towards becoming a laughing stock. That’s not what Virginia Tech is, and Franklin would never allow that to happen. This is an excellent match between program and head coach.

Grade: A

MLB

Yankees sign RP Ryan Yarbrough to one-year, $2.5 million contract

The hot stove is slowly heating up.

Yarbrough pitched for the Yankees last season, posting a 4.36 ERA over 64 innings. The left-hander’s best asset is his versatility, as he offers value as a starter and reliever. Given the health of New York’s starting pitching, Yarbrough could open 2026 in the rotation.

Regardless of the 33-year-old’s role next season, he’s likely to perform well enough to make this pact worthwhile for the club.

Grade: A-

Padres sign RP Kyle Hart to one-year, $1 million contract

Hart struggled to a 5.86 ERA last season, but apparently the Padres saw enough to bring him back for another try. It’s a curious decision, as the 32-year-old has yet to find big-league success. If he does so in 2026, San Diego holds a manageable team option on Hart.

Like Ryan Yarbrough, Hart can pitch as a starter or reliever.

Grade: B-