On3 Sports pressure ranking for Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry is a little off base

When Brent Pry took over the Virginia Tech football program, he was left a mess by former head coach Justin Fuente. Pry was starting from the bottom up in trying to bring the program back to its glory days, but he knew it wouldn't happen overnight.

Fast forward to Year 3 of the Brent Pry-era in Blacksburg and the Hokies enter the 2024 season with visions of being an ACC contender with a roster that had a ton of retainment from last season and some key transfer portal additions. To be in this spot heading into Pry's third year is a bit of a surprise, but it isn't stopping him from beginning the season with some pressure on him.

On3 Sports pressure rankings for Brent Pry is a little too high

Virginia Tech enters the season as a Top 25 team and they are facing a doable schedule in terms of no Florida State, North Carolina State, and Louisville, the three teams that beat the Hokies a year ago in the conference, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them in November to be battling for an ACC championship game berth. According to Jesse Simonton of On3 Sports, there is some pressure on the former Penn State defensive coordinator to produce on the field in 2024.

"Brent Pry, Virginia Tech — Medium
The Hokies are among the offseason darlings, as Pry is looking to capitalize on his team’s strong finish in 2023. Led by quarterback Kyron Drones and star pass rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, they return the 5th-most production in the nation.

While Va. Tech went 3-8 in Pry’s first season in Blacksburg, he proved his process had merit by landing some key transfers and inking the program’s best recruiting class in years. The Hokies then won seven games and were able to selectively add several impact players to this season’s roster. Va. Tech is a real sleeper contender for the ACC this fall, and a potential 10-win season (something that hasn’t happened since 2016) is possible.
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- Jesse Simonton

I agree with Simonton that Virginia Tech is a sleeper this upcoming season in the ACC, but what I don't agree with him on is the pressure ranking for Pry being at a medium. The only way that it should be that high is if the Hokies underachieve big time this season to the point where they go 6-6 or worse. Roster retainment has been huge and a statement from the players in the program that the culture being built by the coaching staff is one where they want to play for.

Recruiting has been on the upswing for the Class of 2025 and they have already landed a quarterback commit in the Class of 2026. Is it the end of the world if the Hokies don't play for an ACC title this season? No, as it should be at least an eight or nine-win season, and with the mess that Pry was left, who saw the coming so quickly in Year 3? His pressure ranking for the 2024 campaign should be low.