Going into the 2024 season, expectations were high for the Virginia Tech football team, and they were getting some love from national writers and analysts. It was Year 3 of the Brent Pry era in Blacksburg, and even Pry was getting some love.
Last season saw Pry skyrocket up the ACC coaching ranking by Athlon Sports, coming in at No. 11. What a difference a year makes. After a 6-7 season that saw roster and coaching staff turnover, the Hokies are entering a make-or-break year. With an underachieving season, Pry has a lot of eyes on him, and Athlon Sports took notice.
Virginia Tech's Brent Pry falls in ACC coaching ranking
Going into this season, Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports ranked the ACC coaches, and with some new coaches coming into the league, there was some shifting. As for Pry, he tumbled in the rankings from No. 11 to No. 15, which isn't a surprise, but not something eye-opening.
"Pry has led Virginia Tech to bowl games in back-to-back seasons, but his overall record is only 16-21 over the last three years. The Hokies are 9-7 in ACC play since ’23. Can Pry get Virginia Tech back into contention for a finish in the top half of the ACC after a disappointing ’24 campaign? With a roster in transition, the Hokies will be an intriguing team to watch in ’25."
Lassan is right about one thing: Virginia Tech is an intriguing team in 2025. Quarterback Kyron Drones is back, and Pry has done some very nice work in the transfer portal to fill several holes on the roster. Yes, the Hokies have a difficult schedule beginning with South Carolina and Vanderbilt in the first two weeks, but with not as high expectations as a year ago, this just might be what Pry needs, entering a season with an opportunity to be a big surprise when all is said and done in a make-or-break year. To be honest, dropping four spots in the rankings was too much, and now he has an opportunity to change the narrative quickly.