Brent Pry assesses where Virginia Tech's NIL stands entering 2025: 'We're certainly in a better place'

In April 2024, Brent Pry assessed Virginia Tech’s position in the NIL landscape. He said the Hokies didn’t necessarily have the “war chest” other programs have, but still needed to be “good in the space.”

Fast-forward 16 months, and Pry said the school has made major strides in the space. He cited the investment in the football program as Virginia Tech looks to keep building a second consecutive bowl appearance.

Pry also noted the importance of the experience in negotiations with players – whether it’s on the high school recruiting trail, in the transfer portal or for retention. Plus, there’s also the idea of monitoring other programs, which he said made Virginia Tech better in those conversations.

“We’re certainly in a better place,” Pry told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve had tremendous support from the university, from Whit [Babcock], from Dr. [Timothy] Sands. There’s a real investment in football here. I think most of all, you gain experience through experience. Going through the negotiations with these guys in the portal, going through negotiations with guys coming out of high school, going through negotiations retaining players on your team.

“You learn more and more about the landscape and how other folks are doing it. So you better educate yourself and you put your best practice out there.”

Pry specifically pointed out the work done by Virginia Tech’s primary NIL collective, Triumph NIL. The organization was part of multiple players’ announcements when they chose to “run it back” with the Hokies in 2025 via Instagram.

That said, Pry said Virginia Tech has to continue to evolve as the landscape shifts. So far, the school has done well in that regard.

“I think we’ve done a nice job, Kelly Woolwine and Mitch Gerber and those guys,” Pry said. “We’re not certainly perfect. But we’ve done a nice job evolving as it’s evolved and trying to be at the forefront of things. We’re not where we need to be yet, but I think we’re moving along pretty good.”

Virginia Tech got some big boosts back after last season when quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson III both announced their plans to return in 2025. Drones threw for 1,562 yards and 10 touchdowns across nine games last year while adding 336 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Watson had 481 passing yards and a touchdown in five appearances.

Drones dealt with injuries throughout the year, which Brent Pry said impacted his production. This year, the goal is for the quarterback to rebound in a big way – and he plans to do just that.

“He absolutely is disappointed in how he played at times,” Pry said last week. “He’s absolutely disappointed that the injury bug got him and he couldn’t finish the year, you know, the right way.”