Hokie ClubAfter many months of anticipation, it's finally time for new head coach Brent Pry and the Hokies to officially kick off their 2022 campaign.
Below are some storylines Hokie Nation should keep an eye out for during tonight's game between Virginia Tech and Old Dominion at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Brent Pry's First Game
The most notable storyline coming out of the offseason is the hiring of head coach Brent Pry. Pry takes over Virginia Tech's football program after spending the last eight years at Penn State under James Franklin. Pry is tasked with bringing Virginia Tech Football back to its roots, instilling a culture of winning while staying true to tradition. Pry has already become a fan favorite, being heavily involved around the community, participating in the Annual Cadet vs. Civilian snowball fight, attending other Virginia Tech sporting events and more. While this first game won't decide his fate, all eyes are on Pry to see how he kicks off his era at Virginia Tech.
QB1
Virginia Tech has seen a carousel of quarterbacks the past few seasons, with a different Week 1 starter for the past five years. The same stands true for the 2022 season, with Marshall transfer Grant Wells. On August 17, it was announced that Grant Wells won the starting job and will be heading Virginia Tech's offense, run by offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen. The redshirt junior comes to Blacksburg after 5,626 yards and 34 touchdowns with the Thundering Herd. Wells has been one of the most productive passers in college football over the past two years, and he was recognized for that in 2020 when he became the first freshman to be named to the All-Conference USA first-team. The gunslinger will look to bring stability to the quarterback room and that starts Friday night in Norfolk.
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The Return of the Lunch Pail
An iconic symbol in Virginia Tech football makes its return in 2022. Pry's goal is to bring Virginia Tech Football back to its core, and he took one step in that direction by bringing back the Lunch Pail. The Lunch Pail was introduced by legendary defensive coordinator Bud Foster back in 1995, and has been a staple of the program ever since. Since its introduction, Foster's defense ranked in the top ten nationally 11 times up until 2013.
The Lunch Pail isn't anything new to Pry, as he was a graduate assistant under Foster from 1995-97. Pry stated that it left a lasting impression on him, and always wanted his defensive unit to embody the traits of a Virginia Tech Lunch Pail Defense. The Lunch Pail is a symbol of hard work and toughness, representing not just the defense, but the people of Southwest Virginia, and will be welcomed back with open arms this season. Fifth-year defensive back and team captain Chamarri Conner was recently given the honor of carrying the Lunch Pail onto the field, beginning with tonight's game.
The ODU-Tech Connection
A bunch of now-Hokies will make their return back to Norfolk, a place where they called their stomping grounds before making the transition to Blacksburg. That crew entails receivers coach Fontel Mines (2021), senior director of strength & conditioning Dwight Galt (2019-21) and assistant director of player engagement Joe Joe Headen (2017-21), who has actually played in all three Tech-ODU games as a cornerback for the Monarchs. The head coach of ODU, Ricky Rahne, also has ties to Pry, with both of them working together as the offensive and defensive coordinators at Penn State. Pry also has worked with a number of other Penn State staff members who also came with Rahne to Norfolk. Lastly, ODU tight ends coach Justin Harper was a standout receiver for the Hokies from 2004-07.
757
Another one of Pry's goals as head coach is to focus on recruiting within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Some of the Hokies' most heralded players – Michael Vick, Bruce Smith, Tyrod Taylor – have all hailed from Virginia. Another thing that all these players have in common is that they are all proud natives of the 757 (area code for Hampton Roads metropolitan area). The 757 area has been known to develop high-quality players over the years, and a dominant performance Friday can certainly help Tech in that regard for luring top recruits from the area.
History is on Their Side
Heading into this game, Tech has history on its side, owning an 89-38-1 mark in season openers. While they are 56-64-6 in when opening a season away from home, the Hokies are 63-40-5 against Virginia FBS opponents. This will be the first time since 2016 that Tech has opened against a team from Virginia, defeating Liberty 36-13 at home. The last time the Hokies opened a season on the road at Virginia, was back in 1982 when they beat Richmond 20-9.