Virginia Tech DC Brent Pry Says Transition From Head Coach Has Been 'Seamless'

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech is a familiar place for Brent Pry, who turned 56 years old today. This season marks his eighth with the university in some capacity. From 1995 to 1997, a then-much younger Pry served as a graduate assistant with the Hokies, after being the linebackers coach at East Stroudsburg (DII) — where current Virginia Tech head whistle James Franklin played.

Twenty-five years after leaving his graduate assistant role, Pry returned in 2022 as Virginia Tech's head whistle, taking his outright first head coaching job with the Hokies gig and replacing Justin Fuente. In his first season, the team went 3-8. One year later, Virginia Tech went 7-6 with first-year starter Kyron Drones under center, raising an added layer of optimism for how the 2024 season could unfold.

Unfortunately, that season was defined by missed opportunities. The Hokies, who ultimately went 6-7 and lost the Duke's Mayo Bowl to Minnesota, lost five one-score games, including a 38-34 heartbreaker to Miami to open conference play. In 2025, Virginia Tech lost its first three games, falling to South Carolina (24-11), Vanderbilt (44-20) and Old Dominion (45-26). After the loss to the Monarchs, where Virginia Tech trailed 31-0 in the third quarter, Pry was fired the following day.

Leadership transition underway for Virginia Tech football

➡️ https://t.co/GK26iQUjN1 pic.twitter.com/CpdZS4VZs0
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) September 14, 2025

Pry concluded his three-plus-year tenure as Virginia Tech's head coach with a 16-24 overall record and a 10-13 record in league play. Pry was 1-11 in one-score games.

Just over six and a half months later, Pry walked over to a gaggle of media reporters, including myself, to take questions. It wasn't his first media session — he had taken questions on Feb. 4, alongside the other coordinators in Ty Howle (offense) and Doug Shearer (special teams), plus Franklin — but it still hasn't been that long since Pry was dismissed. Just under 200 days separate today from the firing.

Yet, for Pry, despite the firing and de-facto demotion, he is content. To him, being a defensive coordinator and being back under Franklin has been a seamless transition, one that has reinvigorated Pry. After all, Pry was the one who had sold Franklin on pursuing the head coaching gig with the Hokies; Franklin ultimately signed on Nov. 17, with the news becoming official that afternoon.

Two days later, when asked about Pry at his initial press conference, Franklin paid homage to a man who he had coached with or been around at East Stroudsburg, plus Vanderbilt and Penn State — where Franklin was the head coach and Pry served as the defensive coordinator.

"Brent was very, very transparent," Franklin said. "The first thing that was very obvious is, he cares about this place deeply. Going all the way back to when I think he was a GA with Bud in the Sugar Bowl. He's always spoken very, very highly of this place and the community, as well. ... Brent's been great through this entire process.

"I got a ton of respect for him and his family. And I probably would not be sitting here today without Brent's input and thoughts about this place."

Now, five seasons after Franklin and Pry last worked as a one-two punch, they're back.

"Brent Pry is a good friend," Franklin said at his introductory presser. "Gosh. Brent Pry's dad was my offensive coordinator in college. Brent's dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I've known Brent for over 30 years.

Brent's first year coaching was my senior year at the Harvard of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference — East Stroudsburg University. ... Brent and his family was with me at Vanderbilt all three years and then I think, for our first seven years at at Penn State. So, I got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the and the commitment that he made."

For Pry himself, the experience of walking back in the building — enjoying days where it flips from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. without recognition — has been seamless and has felt like what he's been doing "all along."

"Working with Coach, it's kind of seamless, almost, to be honest," Pry explained. "It's amazing how you fall right back into it, and it feels so familiar. But also, the job is totally different, and you know the task every day. We stay incredibly busy. We stay on point. There's so much to get done, from installation, from recruiting, from film evaluation, that just before you know it, you're in the office at 6 a.m. at your desk, and before you know it, it's seven o'clock at night.

"Where did the day go? But so, it's been really good. Yeah, it hasn't felt awkward, hasn't felt new. Felt like kind of that's what I've been doing all along."

Virginia Tech's 2026 season starts on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the team hosts VMI in Lane Stadium. The matchup will be the two schools' first since 1984 — a 42-year gap.