Everything that Brent Pry Had to Say After Virginia Tech's First Practice

Fall practice started today in Blacksburg, VA as Virginia Tech begins their prep for the 2025 season. After practice ended, Hokies head coach Brent Pry spoke to the media and here is everything that he had to say:

Opening Statement...

"Good first day. First half. Good work. But the competition, the compete level, the fun level, the energy was way better the second half of practice. That's the way we need to be. Each and every day. But good meetings a bunch of them, good meetings today. Guys came out with a right mindset. Couple guys, nursing some soft tissue stuff that pushed through today. Yeah, it was a good day."

1. On if there is a greater sense of urgency with such a big opener against South Carolina to start the season...

"You know, that may have something to do with it, but I think more than anything, These guys got a little chip on their shoulder. They're excited about how close they are. They're excited about the summer they've had. And they feel like they have something to prove."

2. On if any particular positions stood out to him...

"I thought Kyron looked really rhythmic and consistent today. He operated the offense fast and efficient. I wasn't sure he'd come out on day one and do that. With the defense lined up and things full -tilled, but he did. He looked really sharp today. He's brought for the early part of camp."

3. On Jordan Bass moving to safety and the thoughts on that position...

"Yeah, they look good today. We evaluated those guys all summer. Jordan wasn't able to do a whole lot in the spring, but enough to say he's got some safety qualities. And then once Brennan Johnson got here this summer and you're watching work, he felt like he had the ability to do it. His size is a little bit of a liability at Linebackers. You put it back at safety, it's not. And he's got really good instincts. Jordan made some plays today. I mean, he is a see-ball, get-ball. And you go back and watch his high school film, and he was all over the field as a safety. He's got great range, good closing speed. He showed up a little bit today. -"

Q: "I know he, does he have a year that he can use?"

"He does, he could redshirt if he needs it. He's coming off of a surgery before he got to us, but he's progressed very well. That may or may not be a possibility. And we'll see how these next couple of weeks go. You know, if we'll factor him in."

4. On the team building activities this summer and how it is affecting the culture...

"Yeah, these guys are really together when you look at all the new faces, nearly half the team, you wouldn't expect them to be so close and a fellowship to be so good. Especially, you see it when they can compete like crazy, and then when it's over, they can be joking and laughing and hugging on each other, and that's the way they've been. I credit to the guys who owned the team and the guys that came in. They've worked. You know, we worked as hard at mental and physical toughness, at learning offense and defense and team building. Those, you know, and accountability. Those are the things that we really, we worked hard on in this office."

5. On his impression of the spring transfer additions...

"Yeah, they looked good. I mean, they're not, you know, where these guys that came in January are, they need to come on, this first mini camp, get into the second one and we need to start seeing of who they can really be for us."

6. His evaluation of the linebacker room right now...

"I like our depth. Those guys give us an opportunity to be be a good group, an athletic group that can run and move. They're both, today they were both swimming a little bit. They're picking it up in the classroom, but they got out here with live bullets, and I didn't notice them, like I noticed them in workouts and drills, but they'll come."

7. On the summer learning and if it helps with retention...

"Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that two, two hours they give us is huge. We maximize it to make sure we get all the work we can, that these coaches are great teachers and these guys are great students. can, that these coaches are great teachers and these guys are great students. out and then you've got to get them to understand it. We got a good group of good staff that does that."

8. On how comfortable Kyron Drones is heading into the season...

"Yeah, it's, you know, we've tried to slow him down to be cautious and minimize reps and he hasn't been interested in that, to be honest. We had some reps, you know, that weren't his reps today, that he wouldn't come out. We were subbing somebody in for him and he wanted to stay out there with the ones, which I'm not surprised, but he's worked tremendously hard to get back. You know, it's been a, it's been a, it's been a ride for him and he's got a ton of determination. He trusts the docs. And to this point, it's gone very well."

9. On how motivated Kyron is after how last season went...

"He absolutely is disappointed in how he played at times. He's absolutely disappointed that the injury bug got him and he couldn't finish the year, you know the right way."

10. On the backup QB battle....

"I don't know, they both made plays today. You know Pop's got some great instincts and can turn something into or nothing into something, and Rangel's got a whip man, I mean, he can get it in the hole."

11. On the tampering accusations from NC Central...

"Yeah, obviously I was surprised by the comment, but the university, they vetted it, did their research, and I feel confident in the process and where we're at with things. I mean, yeah, I am not concerned about it."

12. On the cancellation of the games with ODU...

"Yeah, we need flexibility, as I mentioned down in Charlotte, to be able to build the schedule out the way we need to, to have strength of schedule, to have the home games we need you know to have that the viewership we need and to have a schedule that you know is conducive to winning you know so it takes a ton of work and flexibility gives you some options to make the schedule the way you need it to be so we got a lot of work left to do I appreciate Old Dominion working with us and I appreciate the work that Whit (Babcock) did to get it done."

13. On the tampering accusations and if there could be any discipline associated with it...

"Not, anything that I'm aware of, I know that our university vets those type of things very seriously and takes them very seriously and they've done that."