Virginia Tech coach James Franklin remains busy assembling his coaching staff before the transfer portal opens on January 2. Late last week, it was revealed that Franklin intended to keep wide receivers coach Fontel Mines and offensive line coach Matt Moore on staff. Mines and Moore would join Brent Pry (defensive coordinator), Ty Howle (offensive coordinator/tight ends coach), Danny O’Brien (quarterback coach) and Chuck Losey (strength and conditioning).
On Sunday, word of Franklin’s next staff target emerged. Per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Hokies were targeting Georgia Tech running backs coach/run game coordinator Norval McKenzie to be VT’s new running backs coach.
McKenzie, a native of Powder Springs, Georgia, played college football at Vanderbilt from 2001-04, where he was a running back. After graduation, he immediately jumped into the coaching ranks. Here are each of McKenzie’s stops::
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2005-07: Hiram High School, Hiram, Georgia, assistant coach
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2008-09: Vanderbilt, graduate assistant
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2010: Vanderbilt, assistant recruiting coordinator
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2011-14: Furman, running backs coach, recruiting coordinator
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2015: Furman, special teams coordinator, running backs
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2016-17: Arkansas State, running backs
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2018: Arkansas State, special teams coordinator, running backs
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2019-20: Louisville, running backs
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2021-22: Vanderbilt, running backs, run game coordinator
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2023-25: Georgia Tech, running backs, run game coordinator
While Franklin and McKenzie have never coached together, McKenzie was at Vanderbilt when Franklin took over as head coach there in 2011. McKenzie has helped lead the Yellow Jackets to one of the top rushing attacks in the ACC over the last three years, and he is considered one of the better recruiters in the ACC. He also extends Franklin’s recruiting footprint a bit into Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.
