Anonymous ACC coach questions if Brent Pry can get Virginia Tech turned around

Virginia Tech is making “slow improvements,” according to an anonymous ACC football coach. However, is it enough for the Hokies to keep head coach Brent Pry around long-term?

“The consensus around the league is, it’s not what they want it to be in Blacksburg, and it’s harder than it ever was, but if you get the right guy in there, you’re gonna roll,” the coach told Athlon Sports. “The question is can that be [Brent] Pry? Because he’s the most Virginia Tech guy they could have.”

The anonymous coach said that Virginia Tech is in a better place now roster-wise than when Pry took over the job. They pointed specifically to the skill position players, as well as quarterback Kyron Drones.

Drones finished his second season as the Hokies’ starting quarterback with 1,562 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 336 rushing yards and six additional touchdowns as the team’s second-leading rusher. However, all of these totals are are down from his accomplishments as a sophomore in 2023.

“[Kyron] Drones is wildly different game to game,” the coach said. “Turn on the tape and you see an extremely high level of talent and an extremely high level of inconsistency. … [Offensive coordinator Philip] Montgomery will want to simplify things for him (Drones); we’re curious if they stay run-heavy or spread it out more.”

The rushing game is where Virginia Tech excelled in 2024. Unfortunately for the Hokies, their 1,000-leading rusher Bhayshul Tuten is now in the NFL. The next closest running back on the roster went for under 200 yards last season.

Virginia Tech finished the 2024 season with 2,319 rushing yards — fifth-most in the ACC. However, they also finished the year with 2,462 passing yards, which was second-to-last in the conference in front of only Florida State.

The Hokies ultimately finished the regular season with a 6-7 record and qualifying for a bowl game for the second time in as many seasons. In total, Pry has compiled a 16-21 record, including a 10-13 mark against ACC competition.

Pry will hope his team gets off to a fast start to begin 2025, but faces a tough opponent in Week 1 against a South Carolina team that is hoping to find itself in the College Football Playoff conversation this fall. After that, they’ll keep the SEC trend going with their home opener against Vanderbilt the following weekend. Virginia Tech opens ACC play in Week 5 on the road against NC State.