There is no doubt that the first three years for Brent Pry at Virginia Tech have been up-and-down for the former Penn State defensive coordinator. After a lot of retention last spring, the Hokies were expected to make the leap in Year 3 of his tenure to get the program back on track. It never happened despite all the NFL talent they had.
There are a lot of things you could say about Pry, but one thing that can’t be denied is the success he has had in the transfer portal over the last couple of seasons. He has been able to bring home players to the state of Virginia to play and add depth to his team, as well as getting players from the conference to transfer into Blacksburg. Now, if only he could translate that success to the field in the fall.
Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry continues off-season roster-building success, plucking an ACC linebacker
On Monday night, the Hokies got two commitments within an hour. South Florida transfer Immanuel Hickman and shortly after, North Carolina linebacker and special teamer Michael Short committed, and both are huge depth additions that will be impactful players. Hickman is the latest from the state of Virginia, and Short is the latest to transfer within the ACC.
Short’s commitment was another surprising one as he picked Virginia Tech over Rutgers and Pittsburgh, a recruiting battle that the Hokies need to win more of. He had 23 tackles in 2024 for the Tar Heels and played a big part in their special teams. He should get a shot under new defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes to earn some playing time next season.
A three-star recruit out of high school in the Charlotte area, Short had a defensive grade of 75 by PFF last season and gives Siefkes another option at the second level in 2025.