Virginia Tech has its new football coach, Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry.
The announcement came in the midst of major coaching changes throughout the country’s college ranks.
The new coach is no stranger to Blacksburg. He served as a graduate assistant under Frank Beamer from 1995-97.
He was formally introduced to the media on Thursday in the fifth-floor dining area of Lane Stadium.
“On behalf of Amy and our family, we are extremely grateful to President Sands and Whit for extending us this opportunity at Virginia Tech,” Pry said. “Working for Coach Beamer and Coach Foster as a graduate assistant in the 1990s, I was privileged to have been a part of this program as the Hokies established themselves as a national power, consistently proving they could beat anyone in the nation.
“Even after I departed Blacksburg, I always continued to appreciate Virginia Tech, its great players, its championship teams, and its wonderful traditions from afar,” the new head coach said. “The resources, facilities, the university’s backing of athletics, and the phenomenal fan support that Virginia Tech enjoys made this a very desirable situation. But just as importantly, the opportunity to raise our children in a community like Blacksburg also has great appeal. We can’t wait to meet the team, the support staff, and Hokie Nation. We will be prepared to hit the ground running in order to attract the type of student-athletes to Virginia Tech who can help us achieve sustained success. Go Hokies!”
Pry indicated that J.C. Price will remain on his staff as associate head coach/defensive coach. Price led the Hokies to a 29-24 victory over Virginia as interim head coach in Tech’s 2021 regular season finale.
Pry worked with Price during his senior season as a player in 1995 when Tech finished the season with 10 consecutive wins, culminating with a 28-10 win in the Sugar Bowl over No.-9 Texas.
Pry, 51, is a 30-year coaching veteran. He has played an instrumental role in coaching top 10 defenses at Penn State, Vanderbilt, Georgia Southern, and Western Carolina. Since his promotion to defensive coordinator in 2016, the Nittany Lions have posted three seasons with 11 wins and four seasons with nine or more victories. He helped the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten Championship when they defeated No.-6 Wisconsin in that conference’s championship game.
His longtime association with current Penn State head coach James Franklin dates back to 1993-94 when Franklin was the quarterback for East Stroudsburg University and Pry coached outside linebackers and defensive backs.
Pry was a 2021 Broyles Award nominee for the top assistant coach in the country as the Nittany Lions ranked fourth nationally in Red Zone defense (66.7%), seventh in scoring defense (16.8 ppg), eighth in defensive pass efficiency (111.98), and held their opponents to 4.7 yards per play.
Under Pry’s direction in 2020, Penn State ranked third in the Big Ten in total defense (328.8 ypg), good for 17th nationally; second in pass defense (198.6 ypg), second in tackles for loss (6.7 per game,) and fourth in rush defense (130.2 ypg).
Pry’s defense helped lead Penn State to an 11-2 record in 2019, ranking eighth nationally in scoring defense (16.0 ppg). The Nittany Lions also led the nation in fewest yards per carry (2.6) and forced fumbles (22), while ranking fifth in rushing defense (95.0 ypg). The Penn State defense led the nation in sacks per game (3.62) and ranked fourth in tackles for loss (8.2) in 2018. His 2018 squad also ranked fifth in the county in yards per pass attempt (5.67), eighth in defensive pass efficiency (106.1), and 11th in Red Zone scoring percentage (.750).
“Virginia Tech is getting a great coach and a wonderful fit for our football program in Brent Pry,” Hall-of-Fame coach Frank Beamer said. “Not only is Brent exceptionally intelligent, he also possesses a great deal of football knowledge. Growing up as the son of a coach, he’s been around the game all of his life. I’m confident that he’ll do a tremendous job as head coach of the Hokies.”
Pry’s father, Jim, played collegiately at Marshall and began his own 40-year college coaching career at his alma mater in 1973-74. The elder Pry went on to enjoy a distinguished career that included stints at Illinois, Duke, Dartmouth, Akron, East Stroudsburg University, Buffalo, VMI, and Bethune-Cookman, as well as time as a high school head coach.
“It’s been such a pleasure to watch Brent grow, mature, and excel at a very high level in the coaching profession,” said former Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who has served as a longtime mentor to Pry. “I’m so excited that he’s earned this opportunity to lead our football program. The best coaches are the ones who are always striving to get better, who are open to new ideas, and who can put their players in the best position to be successful. Brent embodies all of those qualities and so many others that it takes to be a leader. I’m so excited that he’s coming back to Virginia Tech.”
Pry served as co-defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2011-13 prior to his arrival in State College, Pennsylvania. While at Georgia Southern in 2010, his defensive unit helped the Eagles to a win over No.-1 Appalachian State and an appearance in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision semifinals. A member of the Memphis staff from 2007-09, Pry’s defensive line corps helped the Tigers to back-to-back bowl appearances. He also coached at Louisiana-Lafayette (2002-06), helping the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first Sun Belt Conference championship following a four-year tour of duty at Western Carolina (1998-01). During his stint as a graduate assistant at Tech from 1995-97, he was part of a staff that guided the Hokies to three bowl berths.
Pry lettered as a defensive back at the University of Buffalo before suffering a career-ending injury. He began his coaching career as an undergraduate student in 1992. He graduated with a degree in history from Buffalo in 1993. Pry and his wife, Amy, are the parents of a son, Colby, and two daughters: Madeline and Catherine.
