Virginia Tech expected to part ways with Brent Pry

Virginia Tech is expected to part ways with head coach Brent Pry following Saturday night’s disappointing 45-26 loss to Old Dominion, according to On3’s Chris Low. The Hokies opened the season 0-3 and fell to 16-24 under Pry with the loss.

Prior to the game against Old Dominion, Pry told media that he was trying to block out the growing negativity around the program.

“I think you guys know I’m always going to find the positives,” he said. “I think the guys need to, you know, the external noise is always, if you lose, it’s negative. We don’t want them listening to that. Listen to what’s fair, where the expectations weren’t met, where we have to be better, you see it, we see it, as coaches and players. But let’s not lose sight of the team that we’ve been at times, also that’s a pretty good football team.”

Following that loss however, it was evident that the marriage between Virginia Tech and Pry could not go on for much longer. The former Penn State defensive coordinator was hired in Nov. 2021 as Tech’s next head coach, replacing Justin Fuente. Fuente experienced much more success than Pry during his stint in Blacksburg (2016-21), as he went 43–31 overall and 28-20 in the ACC across six seasons.

In-depth look at Pry’s buy-out situation

The Hokies will now owe their former head coach $6 million. Virginia Tech will pay Pry in equal quarterly installments over the remainder of his contract, which expires Dec. 31, 2027. 

He will receive $750,000 per quarter until the end of 2027, when his six-year agreement expires. Pry was making $4.75 million this season.

Pry worked as a defensive graduate assistant for the Hokies from 1995-97 under head coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster. He then bounced around from Western Carolina, Louisiana, Memphis, Georgia Southern, Vanderbilt and Penn State until he was selected as the next man to lead the Virginia Tech program.

“We picked Coach Pry because we thought he was the best, and then I didn’t expect it to be negative, but the overwhelming positivity from former players, his current players, NFL guys, people at Penn State reaching out to him, you’re like, ‘Man, that was a nice start,’” Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said at Pry’s introductory press conference in 2021. “It is nice to see this place reunited. We’re not any good when we’re divided. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction.”

Under Pry’s direction, the Hokies reached two bowl games. Virginia Tech dominated Tulane 41-20 in the 2023 Military Bowl, but fell to Minnesota 24-10 in the 2025 Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The program will now look in a different direction as it looks towards the future.

On3’s Pete Nakos contributed to this report.