Penn State DC Brent Pry Named Virginia Tech Head Coach

Virginia Tech appears to have their next head coach as several reports have emerged this morning that the Hokies are expected to hire Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry with Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel being the first to report.

Pry is a very intriguing as he has established himself as one of the best defensive coordinators at Penn State during his tenure with the Nittany Lions. He also has some Virginia Tech ties to the Hokies' mid-1990s rise to prominence as he was a grad assistant under Bud Foster from 1995-97.

Pry has also been a defensive coordinator since 2010 plus had a stint as the DC from 2002-2006 at Louisiana-Lafayette under Rickey Bustle, the Virginia Tech offensive coordinator from 1995-2001. If there's an external guy who understands the lunch pail culture of Virginia Tech, Pry is that guy.

Here's a full rundown of his coaching stops during his career per Penn State.

• 2018-2021: Penn State Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2017: Penn State Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2014-2016: Penn State Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2013: Vanderbilt Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2011-2012: Vanderbilt Co-Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2010: Georgia Southern Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
• 2007-2009: Memphis DL Coach
• 2004-2006: Louisiana-Lafayette Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2002-2003: Louisiana-Lafayette Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 2000-2001: Western Carolina DBs/Special Teams
• 1998-1999: Western Carolina DL Coach
• 1995-1997: Virginia Tech Grad Assistant
• 1993-1994: East Stroudsberg OLBs/DBs

Either as the overall defensive coordinator or as the specific position coach, Pry has overseen the development of numerous future NFL stars including Micah Parsons, Charles Tillman, Ike Taylor, Dontari Poe, Zach Cunningham, Clinton McDonald, Oren Burks, and numerous others.

Pry has also proven to be a high level recruiter who has played large roles in landing numerous elite recruits into big time Virginia recruits like five-star guys Brandon Smith and Devyn Ford plus numerous talented four-star VA talents including Yetur Gross-Matos.

Noon Update

Virginia Tech has announced that Brent Pry is the new head coach of the Hokies replacing Justin Fuente.

Pry comes to Virginia Tech from Penn State where he was one of the top defensive coordinators in the country with Tech looking to get back to their roots of what made Hokie football great. Pry also isn't new to Blacksburg as he was a grad assistant for Frank Beamer and Bud Foster from 1995 to 1997.

Tech's press release also states that interim head coach and co-defensive line coach J.C. Price will be retained as associate head coach and defensive assistant.

Here's what Brent Pry had to say in Virginia Tech's official press release.

"On behalf of Amy and our family, we are extremely grateful to President Sands and Whit for extending us this opportunity at Virginia Tech," Pry said. "Working for Coach Beamer and Coach 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!"

We will have as this story develops.