Virginia Tech Football: Brent Pry on the Hot Seat Heading into 2025, Says ESPN
Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry enters the 2025 season under pressure, according to ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg. Now in his third year leading the Hokies, 2025 was anticipated to be the turning point in the program’s rebuild, with retained talent, transfer portal additions, and a manageable schedule. However, after a rollercoaster season that ended with a 6-7 record and a loss to Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, expectations have fallen short.
Rittenberg included Pry in his list of coaches on the hot seat heading into the new season. Regarding Pry’s situation, he noted:
*”The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November, and if the Commonwealth Cup had gone differently, Virginia Tech could have had a decision to make after a disappointing fall. Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season got him to a bowl game, but he will enter Year 4 with a new defensive coordinator and a staff that now includes former Hokies DC Bud Foster as an advisor/analyst.
“Pry is halfway through his contract, and Virginia Tech isn’t in the best position to eat a seven-figure buyout. The Hokies should be more competitive in a very winnable ACC, especially with quarterback Kyron Drones back. Still, the program has exceeded seven wins just once since 2017.”*
The financial reality of a buyout makes parting ways with Pry challenging. However, the 6-7 finish, coupled with back-to-back 6-6 regular seasons, has put both Pry and athletic director Whit Babcock under scrutiny. The two could be seen as a package deal, with the fates of both potentially tied together.
This offseason, Pry made significant changes to his coaching staff, firing three assistants—a move he reportedly resisted but ultimately carried out under pressure. Despite Pry’s confidence in his roster, concerns remain about the team’s overall talent level and readiness to compete at a higher level.
Adding to the challenges, Virginia Tech opens the 2025 season with tough matchups against South Carolina and Vanderbilt, setting a high-stakes tone early. For Pry, the upcoming offseason is crucial to right the ship in Blacksburg—or risk an even hotter seat as the new season unfolds.
