Virginia Tech & Brent Pry have high expectations entering Year 3 in Blacksburg

Now that Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry and three of his players, quarterback Kyron Drones, cornerback Dorian Strong, and defensive lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland have completed their stay in Charlotte for the ACC Football Kickoff, all the attention now turns to a much-anticipated 2024 season in Blacksburg.

Expectations are high as Year 3 of the Brent Pry-era begins with the Hokies with a lot of retainment on both sides of the ball, and some key transfer portal additions, Virginia Tech is considered a dark horse this upcoming season in the ACC.

Along with all the retainment and transfer portal additions, the Hokies have what some see as a very doable schedule. They will play their first four non-conference games before conference play begins on Sept. 27 at Miami, followed by a cross-country trip to Stanford eight days later. Looking at the remaining schedule, home games with Boston College, and Georgia Tech are going to be difficult and they close the season with Virginia. However, a game on Nov. 9 against Clemson will be the second toughest game on the schedule behind Miami (and ahead of what could be difficult road games at Syracuse and Duke), but with the returning talent they have and if healthy, there is no reason they can't win 9 or 10 games.

If things go really well, they could find themselves in the mix for a berth in the ACC Championship game in December, something that Pry spoke about and the former Penn State defensive coordinator didn't mince words in Charlotte.

"Yeah I would probably be disappointed (if we didn't make the ACC championship game). Again, my message to them has been we have to keep pushing and we have to make strides in these areas where we have to be better to be a team that can do that."

- Brent Pry

Raise your hand if you thought as we close in on Pry's third season in Blacksburg that he would be disappointed if his team did not make the ACC Championship game. Not many I'm sure raised their hands. I mean, he was left a mess by former coach Justin Fuente, and just 10 months ago, things looked very bleak after a 1-3 start with their non-conference schedule, then they were staring at 2-4 following a loss at Florida State in early October. What happened next was a surprise and a jolt for the program as a whole.

The Hokies won four of their last six games, including a 55-17 rout of Virginia in Charlottesville on Thanksgiving Weekend to become bowl-eligible, which was huge for the program. It gave them extra practice, a bowl game which was a victory over Tulane in the Military Bowl and between Thanksgiving and the Military Bowl, a lot of key players made some huge announcements that they were returning, including Drones, Powell-Ryland, and Strong.

Now that the College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams, the expectations for the Hokies have changed quickly. First Pry would be disappointed if they don't make the ACC Championship Game. If they can make that with one loss or less, they are likely headed to the CFP expanded field, win or lose. My how things have changed quickly.

It's clear that expectations have changed quickly in Blacksburg and it's just not with Pry. Drones spoke in Charlotte about his expectations this upcoming season and the Baylor transfer wants nothing less than a shot in the CFP. Entering Year 3 of the Pry-era, expectations are high, and dear we say, the Hokies are back?