Camp week is officially here for the Virginia Tech football team. They can begin officially on July 31, one month ahead of what is a very tough season-opener against South Carolina in Atlanta. Follow that up with a home game with an up-and-coming Vanderbilt program in Blacksburg, and this is a less-than-ideal way for Brent Pry to begin a pivotal season in Year 4 of his tenure.
In three seasons at the helm of the Hokies, the former Penn State defensive coordinator has compiled a 16-21 record, which included a very disappointing 2024 season that was filled with so much hype and promise, only to have it spiral into another 6-6 season.
There is no doubt that the 2025 season is a big one for Pry and his staff, and he begins the season on the hot seat in a lot of college football writers' eyes, including Shehan Jeyarajah, who put Pry on the "2025 Hot Seat: Now or Never" list.
"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 non-conference games against SEC opponents and many more bowl teams on the schedule. Missing the postseason could shove Pry out of Blacksburg."
Could Brent Pry missing the postseason shove him out of Blacksburg?
Depending on who you read, missing the postseason might not cost Pry his job in Blacksburg. There is no doubt that another 6-6 season and he's safe, but things would have to unravel for the Hokies in 2025 for him to be fired. Four wins or fewer would likely cost him his job, but a 5-7 season might not.
There is no doubt that Pry's seat is warmer, and he would be the first to admit it. At least a split in the first two games would be a start that a lot of fans could live with, but an 0-2 start and things could get hairy. Regardless, it seems like a postseason or bust for Pry in 2025 in one college football writer's eyes.