Virginia Tech football held a media session June 16, with all assistant coaches open for discussion. Here are three main points from the hour-plus-long dialogue:

1. The emphasis continues to be on making everything first-class, and the coaches themselves are evolving.

Ever since head coach James Franklin stepped in as the new head whistle, a different feeling has permeated throughout the air. On the field and off, the experienced whistle has helped his assistants learn new things. Wide receivers coach Fontel Mines spotlighted how Franklin's tutelage has helped him learn more about demanding the best from his players every day.

"[It's what's required to play this position at a high level," Mines continued. "The amount of consistency, the amount of details that are needed to create separation, to get open, whether it's drill work, whether it's walkthroughs, whether it's a film session. Never no stone unturned, so just consistency, preparation and details."

Offensive coordinator Ty Howle's answer when asked what the biggest thing he had learned was the players themselves — how their strengths and weaknesses construct and shape a roster, and how their off-field actions change the room's dynamic.

"Seeing where guys' strengths are and weaknesses and things [that can] turn their weaknesses into strengths, but also knowing what makes them tick," Howle said. "So much of this is about relationships, and so that's been the biggest thing. The biggest focus for me has been learning our team, and there's a lot of other outside factors you can't control. But [I'd say it's] getting to know your players and developing relationships you can control."

The focus on first-class — not just being the best program on the field but embodying the look and feel of a big-time outfit off it — has been omnipresent, even notable in smaller instances such as Lane Stadium receiving LED lights.

"I think everybody in this building is doing a heck of a job of just making sure everything is top notch from from the top floor to the bottom floor," Mines said. "It's an easy sell. [Franklin's] a proven head coach, he's done it at a high level, he's turned programs around.

Mines went on to spotlight Franklin for his details and consistency, saying that transparency is the name of the game for Virginia Tech in its recruiting endeavors.

"We're not into the business of lying to kids or families and making them believe that they're coming to sign up for something that they're not, because when they get here, they're going to understand and know what it is, we're not making any make-believe promises on somebody coming in and starting right away, like they earn everything that they get."

As aforementioned, that still carries off the field.

"It's not just on the field; it's how the building should look, it's how your office should look, it's how you present to parents," Mines said. "Everything is first class, and everything is big time, and that's how we're going to operate, that's how we're going to move."

2. Offensive coordinator Ty Howle appears open to experimentation with how he deploys his personnel.

As multiple-tight end sets continue to gain traction across the college and professional game, Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Ty Howle said the Hokies' approach to 12- and 13-personnel packages will center on maximizing matchups rather than adhering to traditional position roles.

Rather than limiting the competition to the tight end room, Howle emphasized that every skill position is competing for snaps. The tight ends aren't just competing against those in their own room; they're competing against running backs and wide receivers, too.

"You're not just competing with the second and third tight end," Howle said. "The second and third tight end are competing with the third receiver and the second back to get their share of the pot."

Howle noted that he has leaned on multiple-tight end sets in previous stops and believes those packages can create favorable matchups based on how defenses respond with their personnel.

"That's a big thing in the NFL, figuring out who the defense puts on the field and how can you create mismatches?" Howle said. "Those personnel [groupings] allow you to do that, but it's going to be an open competition throughout to see who our best 11 conceptionally, what we're we doing schematically, so that continues to evolve in that respect."

3. The coaches themselves are hyped about the recruiting.

The coaches themselves aren't allowed to talk about individual recruits until National Signing Day, when those recruits are officially in the fold. Still, optimism is high, particularly around where the trend is going.

"We've recruited well," Pry said. "I think the whole class is a good class. I'm excited about that. There's a lot of momentum right now."

Safeties coach Anthony Midget concurred, remarking that the expectation is to go up against the top schools in the country for highly-touted recruits.

"We get [recruits] on campus, and we know we've got a chance to compete against anybody," safeties coach Anthony Midget said. "SEC, you name the top schools in the country, that's the expectation, that's the standard. It's not like we're shying away from anybody."

"There's probably a couple kids returning calls that probably hadn't returned calls in the past," Mines joked.

Virginia Tech's recruiting class for 2027 currently ranks No. 7 on 247Sports and No. 18 on On3. On 247Sports, the Hokies are second in the ACC, trailing only Miami, while they're third in the league on On3's ratings (Miami, Clemson are ahead).

Follow along here for more of Virginia Tech On SI's football coverage.