Virginia Tech Football: Brent Pry saves Hokies season with gutsy call

Looking for the perfect start to a road game for the first time this season, the Virginia Tech football team and head coach Brent Pry got it.

After winning the toss and giving the ball first to Boston College, the second-year Hokies coach was looking for his defense to send an early message. They did on the game’s first play when Dorian Strong picked off Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos. That led to a Virginia Tech field goal.

On BC’s next possession, the Eagles ran the ball all over the Hokies and marched down the field to take a 7-3 lead. They had all the momentum and you had the feeling this game was going to go the way of the previous four Virginia Tech road games, spiral out of control and they would end up losing in the end. Pry wasn’t going to let that happen.

After Strong’s second interception of Castellanos in Hokies territory, the offense turned it into a touchdown on a 7-yard run from Bhayshul Tuten and a 10-7 lead with 1:28 left in the quarter. Pry’s decision following the touchdown could have saved his team’s season.

Brent Pry stuns Boston College with gutsy decision

With the Hokies lined up to kick the ball deep on the ensuing kickoff, Pry called for an onside kick and his team executed it perfectly and stunned the Eagles. Jaylen Jones recovered the kick and it was something out of the pages of the old days, “Beamer Ball.”

Virginia Tech took that possession and found the end zone in the second quarter when quarterback Kyron Drones found Stephen Gosnell on a crossing pattern and the wide receiver caught the pass and scored from 22 yards out for a 17-7 lead. The Hokies took the momentum from that and scored two more touchdowns for a commanding 31-7 halftime lead on their way to a 48-22 win.

If there was one thing that Pry learned from the second Boston College drive was that despite them missing their top two running backs, the Hokies were having a tough time stopping them. Instead of allowing the Eagles the opportunity to answer, Pry called for the onside kick, his team recovered and put the ball in the end zone. It was an aggressive call from a coach who has struggled on the road and knew his team needed to do whatever it took to leave Chestnut Hill with a victory. Mission accomplished.