# James Franklin's awkward 'Hey Michael' moment goes viral

> Virginia Tech's new coach repeated the same greeting five times during a Zoom press conference, creating an unexpectedly cringeworthy viral clip.
- Title: James Franklin's awkward 'Hey Michael' moment goes viral
- Summary: Virginia Tech's new coach repeated the same greeting five times during a Zoom press conference, creating an unexpectedly cringeworthy viral clip. Sometimes…
- Keywords: james franklin, virginia tech, press conference, viral moment, college football, zoom call, michael howes, baltimore sun, news, politics, James, Franklin's
- Source: OutKick — https://foxnews.com/outkick-sports/james-franklin-makes-virginia-tech-press-conference-extremely-awkward-bizarre-hey-michael-moment
- Author: Mark Harris
- Published: 2026-09-16T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: james franklin, virginia tech, press conference, viral moment, college football, zoom call, michael howes, baltimore sun, news, politics
## Franklin's friendly greeting goes wrong
Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin tried to greet Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Howes during a Zoom press conference before the Maryland game, but repeated "Hey, Michael" five times in a row.
## Reporter couldn't see Franklin on screen
Howes explained he couldn't actually see Franklin during the Zoom call, so he thought there was an audio glitch when the coach kept repeating the same phrase over and over.
## Virginia Tech starts strong at two and oh
Franklin's Hokies have won their first two games against VMI and Old Dominion, scoring 117 combined points to start the season perfectly.
## Maryland test looms this weekend
The Hokies face an unbeaten Big Ten Maryland squad that has allowed just 14 points all season, a significant step up in competition from their first two opponents.
## Franklin already making other headlines
The Virginia Tech coach questioned officials for throwing a flag after running back Marcellous Hawkins Jr. celebrated with cadets following a touchdown in the VMI blowout.
## Key takeaway

Sometimes trying too hard to be personable backfires spectacularly on camera.