James Franklin ate his first tailgate hot dog last November in a parking lot in Norfolk, a few weeks after Penn State fired him. He watched Old Dominion beat Troy from Ricky Rahne's sideline.

He drove down, spent time with Rahne's wife, Jen, stood on the sidelines during the game and went up to the suite at halftime. He came away impressed by the crowd, the lights, the operation. Then he closed the answer with the part that lands.

"It was a unique experience for me that I hope I never get the opportunity to have again."

Saturday, Old Dominion comes to Lane Stadium, and Franklin coaches against the Monarchs instead of watching them. It's the same program that beat Virginia Tech 45-26 here last September, the loss that ended Brent Pry's tenure the following morning. Which is why the revenge question arrived Monday, almost on schedule.

The tape is just film, not fuel for Franklin

Asked whether last year's game would be used as fuel, Franklin said the Hokies would study it and be aware of it, and then drew a line.

"I don't think we're going to need to offer things like that as fuel. The reality is they already have our attention."

He pointed at the record. Old Dominion is 2-2 against Tech over the past four years. The last meeting, he said twice, wasn't just a loss but a convincing loss. Old Dominion earned the attention, he said, so there's no need for bulletin-board material.

Franklin said last year's game will be played on a loop in the facility this week, in the room where players sit in the cold tubs. He also said the Norfolk State tape will be on loop. He noted that this will be the standard for every opponent, not just Old Dominion.

Left guard Layth Ghannam was one of several Hokies who played in last year's game, and he was asked whether that gave him any extra motivation this week.

"I don't believe so," he said. "We don't need old games to motivate us."

The goal, he said, is to win every game on the schedule, which he framed as going 12-0. The team put in the offseason work, and winning is the reward that work is for.

The revenge target left in January

There's a personnel problem with the premise, too.

Colton Joseph threw for 276 yards and ran for 63 more that night, won Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, and then transferred to Wisconsin. Old Dominion returns one starter on offense. Redshirt sophomore Quinn Henicle runs it now, and he accounted for four touchdowns in a 31-10 win over Norfolk State.

Virginia Tech turned over just as hard, bringing in 27 transfers, 12 of whom followed Franklin from Penn State.

Lots of familiarity between the coaching staffs

What actually distinguishes Saturday isn't a grudge. It's a reunion.

Rahne worked for Franklin for more than a decade. Old Dominion special teams coordinator Kevin Smith was on his staff. Defensive coordinator Blake Seiler played for him at Kansas State.

Franklin said he's never coached against a former assistant. In a perfect world, he said, you avoid it, because someone leaves disappointed. Then he set personal feelings aside since it is game week.

What decides it

Franklin opened Monday on penalties and stayed there a while.

"I take a ton of pride in penalties, and I think it shows a disciplined football team, and I don't think we were that on Saturday," he said. "Before you can learn to win, you got to eliminate the things that get you beat."

Old Dominion won't forgive sloppiness the way VMI did. Franklin called Seiler's defense fast and physical, a group that decides quickly and runs downhill, and flagged the three-down front with a third safety as the week's puzzle. That defense held Norfolk State to 220 yards and forced three turnovers.

The Hokies are expected to win. Between a new staff, a rebuilt roster, and a schedule they think they can run the table on, they have plenty to play for on Saturday without reaching back to last September.

Virginia Tech and Old Dominion kick off at noon Saturday at Lane Stadium. The game airs on The CW.