Going into the 2024 season, expectations were high around the Virginia Tech football program, but things quickly unraveled and fell apart. They needed a win on Thanksgiving Weekend over Virginia just to become bowl-eligible.
After a very disappointing season, head coach Brent Pry fired three assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Chris Marve and offensive line coach Ron Crook. Pry hired Matt Moore from West Virginia to coach his offensive line coach and then last week hired Sam Siefkes to be the next defensive coordinator. On Wednesday, Pry lost another coach, this time on their own doing.
Offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen left Virginia Tech to become the offensive line coach at Ohio State under Ryan Day. It was a surprising move for Bowen to go from a coordinator spot to a position coach. Hokies’ fans, for the most part, were not sad to see Bowen leave after a frustrating three years in Blacksburg.
This move leaves Pry scrambling for a new offensive coordinator and with spring practices a month away, it’s essential for him to find a new one. However, Pry enters the 2025 campaign on the hot seat, which makes this a crucial hire.
Brent Pry must get the next OC hire correct
When he was hired at Virginia Tech, Pry put his faith on the offensive and defensive side of the ball into two coaches who lacked experience. That proved to backfire big time and now, neither is part of the program and leaves Pry looking to find the perfect hire.
It remains to be seen how Siefkes ends up working out, and now Pry must hit a home run in hiring his next offensive coordinator. He must have experience at the college level and preferably the FBS level. This can’t be their first rodeo. We have already been through that, and it didn’t work out.
It feels like this move by Bowen came out of left field and blindsided Pry. Now, he must find the right offensive coordinator for his program because if he strikes out, he will be the next one leaving Blacksburg soon. Not an ideal spot to be in, to say the least.