Talk about a tale of two offseasons for Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry. Last season at this time, the Hokies coach was entering his third season and Blacksburg, and after a ton of retention and some big Transfer Portal additions, Tech was the underdog talk of the college football world and the new 12-team College Football Playoff.
Things went off the rails in an overtime loss at Vanderbilt and from there it was a weekly rollercoaster ride of ups-and-downs on their way to a 6-6 season that ended with a Duke's Mayo Bowl loss to Minnesota with a depleated roster between opt-outs for the NFL Draft and players who left through the Transfer Portal.
With all the changes between the roster and on the coaching staff, the vibes are different for the Hokies going into 2025, and because of that, it's no secret that Pry begins the season on the hot seat.
CFB writer puts Brent Pry on the hot seat entering 2025
Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports listed nine coaches who begin the 2025 season on the hot seat, and he confirmed what a lot of us already knew, Pry's seat is rather warm after the 2024 campaign his team had. Here is what he wrote,
"Expectations were high in 2024 with a manageable schedule and returning playmakers on both sides. Instead, Pry delivered a disappointing 6-7 campaign and eighth-place finish in the ACC. Things don't get easier with two nonconference games against SEC opponents and many more bowl teams on the schedule. Missing the postseason could shove Pry out of Blacksburg."
Yes, Pry delivered a disappointing season, but injuries played a big part in it, as well as several one-score losses, which have been a thorn in his side in Blacksburg. He can have a rather successful, season in 2025 if he just improves on one-score results alone, and that should take some of the pressure off of him. The schedule isn't easy, but with expectations not as high as they were last season, those tend to be the teams that end up surprising when all is said and done.