The Virginia Tech Hokies watched their undefeated start disappear in heartbreaking fashion against Pitt, but James Franklin wasn’t about to let kicker John Love carry the loss by himself.
Love’s potential game-winning 36-yard field goal was ruled no good in the final seconds, sealing Pitt’s 35-33 victory. Franklin immediately went to Love following the miss, offering support before the Hokies left the field. Now, Franklin has revealed exactly what he told his kicker during that emotional moment.
“Told him I love him and he’s the best kicker in the country,” Franklin said. “And then, go shake hands.”
It was a simple message, but Franklin wasn’t finished defending Love. The Virginia Tech coach made it clear that reducing an entire football game to one missed field goal would ignore everything that happened before the Hokies ever reached that situation.
James Franklin Has John Love’s Back
“He broke us down in the locker room,” Franklin said. “I got John’s back, and so do all his teammates. And again, that was one play. There’s 20 plays throughout that game that really wouldn’t have gotten to that point.”
That’s probably the most important part of Franklin’s message. Love will naturally receive attention because his kick was the final play everyone remembers. It has only received more scrutiny because replays sparked a massive online debate over whether the attempt actually traveled inside the upright before officials ruled it no good.
Franklin isn’t interested in putting Virginia Tech’s first loss on his kicker. Love isn’t just another player on the Hokies’ roster, either. Virginia Tech named him one of six team captains before the 2026 season, illustrating the standing he already holds inside Franklin’s locker room. One painful moment isn’t going to erase that trust.
“I love him. I got a ton of confidence in him,” Franklin said. “And I’d put him out there again for the same situation every single time.”
That’s about as strong of an endorsement as a kicker can receive after missing a potential game-winner. Virginia Tech can dissect the other plays that contributed to the 35-33 loss. Fans can continue debating whether Love’s final kick should have counted.
Franklin, however, has already made one thing completely clear. If Virginia Tech finds itself in the same situation again, Love is still his guy.
James Franklin Reveals What He Told Virginia Tech Kicker After Heartbreaking Pitt Miss