๐ฉ๐น๐ฌ๐จ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฌ๐พ๐บ: ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐
By Marcus Fielding | ESPN Staff Writer
BLACKSBURG, VA โ July 16, 2025
In a move that had been simmering for months, Virginia Tech has officially parted ways with head football coach Brent Pry, ending a tumultuous three-year tenure marked by inconsistency, unmet expectations, and rising discontent from Hokie Nation.
The announcement came early Tuesday morning in a terse statement from Virginia Tech Athletic Director Whit Babcock:
> โAfter careful evaluation of the football programโs trajectory and in light of our goals for national competitiveness, we have decided to move in a new direction. We thank Coach Brent Pry for his dedication to our student-athletes and the university, and we wish him and his family the best in future endeavors.โ
The decision follows Virginia Techโs disappointing 5โ7 finish in 2024 โ the programโs third straight losing season under Pry, who was hired in late 2021 to rebuild a proud but fading ACC powerhouse. Despite his deep defensive background and familiarity with Blacksburg from his time under Frank Beamer in the early 2000s, Pry never managed to establish momentum, either on the field or on the recruiting trail.
But it wasnโt just the record that sealed his fate. Sources inside the program cite growing tensions between Pry and alumni donors, sagging ticket sales, and disillusionment among players โ including five key starters who entered the transfer portal within the last six weeks.
โBrent is a good man and a solid football mind,โ one former assistant told ESPN anonymously. โBut this job demands more than being โgood.โ It demands fire, leadership, results. The pressure in Blacksburg isnโt just real โ itโs historic.โ
Fans had become increasingly vocal in their dissatisfaction. Last seasonโs 38โ13 loss to Virginia โ Techโs first defeat in the Commonwealth Cup since 2003 โ sent shockwaves through the fanbase. The postgame chants of โFire Pryโ echoed into December.
Pry ends his Virginia Tech tenure with a record of 15โ22, the worst three-year stretch in modern program history. His teams showed flashes of promise โ including a 2023 upset of then-No. 10 Notre Dame โ but failed to string together consistency or establish a clear identity.
Now, the search begins for a coach capable of revitalizing a once-dominant ACC brand. Among the rumored candidates: Jamey Chadwell (Liberty), Charles Huff (Marshall), and former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin. Babcock said the search โwill be national and aggressive,โ with an eye toward a hire before the end of August.
For Virginia Tech fans, this marks a turning point. The program that once sent Michael Vick onto the national stage and made Lane Stadium one of college footballโs most feared venues has faded from relevance. Todayโs move signals a renewed urgency to reclaim its place among the sportโs elite.
Meanwhile, Brent Pry exits with class, releasing a brief statement on social media:
> โCoaching at Virginia Tech has been the honor of my life. While the results werenโt what we wanted, I gave it everything I had. Thank you to Hokie Nation โ Iโll always be proud to have worn the maroon and orange.โ
As the Enter Sandman era continues to evolve, one thing is clear: Change has arrived in Blacksburg.
Let me know if youโd like a coaching candidate short list, fan reactions, or a โwhere do they go from hereโ breakdown.
