What they're saying: Penn State football DC Brent Pry is Virginia Tech's next head coach
For the first time in his tenure at Penn State, James Franklin will need to find a new defensive coordinator.
Virginia Tech announced on Tuesday that Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry will be its next head coach.
Pry has helped call plays on defense for Franklin since Franklin took over as Vanderbilt’s head coach after the 2010 season. He made the move with Franklin to Penn State ahead of the 2014 campaign. Pry spent the first two seasons as Penn State’s co-defensive coordinator before becoming the sole coordinator in 2016.
The Nittany Lions defense experienced plenty of success under Pry. Penn State has been a top-10 scoring defense four times in Pry’s tenure. The Nittany Lions have met that mark three times in the last five years.
Penn State’s defense surrendered 16.7 points on average in games against FBS opposition this year, which ranks sixth in the country and second in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin.
The picture on the defensive side of the ball always seemed blurry for the Nittany Lions looking ahead, with several starters likely moving on. Now, they’ll have to replace a key member of the coaching staff, too.
What they’re saying
James Franklin: “I’m truly excited for Brent and his family. He’s a passionate leader who’ll inspire his team to play their best football; but his greatest strengths are his dedication, relatability and humility. It’s those characteristics combined with his deep understanding of X&Os that will serve Virginia Tech and the entire Blacksburg community best.”
Brent Pry: “On behalf of Amy and our family, we are extremely grateful to President [Tim] Sands and (AD) Whit [Babcock] for extending us this opportunity at Virginia Tech,” Pry said. “Working for Coach [Frank] Beamer and Coach [Bud] Foster as a graduate assistant in the 1990s, I was privileged to have been a part of this program as the Hokies established themselves as a national power, consistently proving they could beat anyone in the nation.
“Even after I departed Blacksburg, I always continued to appreciate Virginia Tech, its great players, its championship teams, and its wonderful traditions from afar. The resources, facilities, university backing of Athletics, and phenomenal fan support that Virginia Tech enjoys made this a very desirable situation. But just as importantly, the opportunity to raise our children in a community like Blacksburg also has great appeal. We can’t wait to meet the team, the support staff, and Hokie Nation. We will be prepared to hit the ground running in order to attract the type of student-athletes to Virginia Tech who can help us achieve sustained success. Go Hokies!”
Nate Bauer, BWI: “The statistics are never mentioned first with Brent Pry.
“Instead, the architect of Penn State’s defense as coordinator for each of the past six seasons is often discussed in familial terms. Virginia Tech and its fans will soon learn as much of the proud father, husband, and coach with the southern drawl.”
Read Nate’s full column here: Absent Brent Pry, Penn State must replace major influence
