Former Penn State coordinator enters 2025 on list of head coaches on the proverbial hot seat: Newsstand

Penn State news, notes, and updates for July 11 include a former Lions coordinator who is now a head coach and on the proverbial hot seat entering 2025. Brent Pry starts his fourth season at Virginia Tech with a record of 16-21. He has guided the Hokies to back-to-back bowl game appearances but has yet to win more than seven games in Blacksburg. That puts him in the crosshairs of CBS Sports’ list of program leaders who might find their jobs in jeopardy later this year.

“Expectations were high in 2024 with a manageable schedule and returning playmakers on both sides,” Shehan Jeyarajah writes. “Instead, Pry delivered a disappointing 6-7 campaign and eighth place finish in the ACC. Things don’t get easier with two nonconference games against SEC opponents and many more bowl teams on the schedule. Missing the postseason could shove Pry out of Blacksburg.”

FanDuel currently lists the Hokies with a win total of 6.5, meaning they are more likely than not to find themselves on the brink of bowl eligibility.

As for Penn State, James Franklin finds himself in the opposite spot on the list. While Pry finds himself in the ‘start improving now’ category, the leader of the Lions is firmly in the ‘safe and secure’ column.

You can read the full rankings and rationale here.

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Headlines of the day

Trimmings: Targets emerging for Penn State at tight end and O-Line in 2027: Fitz, BWI

Penn State AD Pat Kraft, head coach Guy Gadowsky, weigh in on landing top prospect Gavin McKenna: ‘Gavin is a perfect fit’: Pickel, BWI

Five-time Penn State wrestling champ Carter Starocci named Big Ten male athlete of the year: Pickel, BWI

Sting Factor: How does the loss of Roseby Lubintus impact Penn State?: Snyder, BWI

Quote of the day

“Gavin is a special player and a terrific young man. Our staff could not have been more impressed with how he presented himself on his visit. His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole. We are absolutely thrilled and excited to witness his contributions on the ice, to our locker room, and to the Penn State community. This is a great day to be a Nittany Lion!”

PSU hockey coach Guy Gadowsky on the Lions landing top hockey prospect Gavin McKenna.