Hokie ClubThe Pry File
Virginia Tech XP: Fifth season
Coaching XP: 35th season
Hometown: Altoona, Penn.
High School: Lexington High School (Va.)
Alma Mater: Buffalo (1993)
Playing XP: Defensive back at Maryville (1988), at Buffalo (1989-91)
Family: Wife - Amy; Son - Colby; Daughters - Madeline, Catherine
| COACHING TIMELINE | ||
| Seasons | Organization / School | Title |
| 2026-pres. | Virginia Tech | Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2022-25 | Virginia Tech | Head Coach |
| 2018-21 | Penn State | Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2016-17 | Penn State | Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2014-15 | Penn State | Assistant Head Coach / Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2013 | Vanderbilt | Assistant Head Coach / Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2011-12 | Vanderbilt | Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2010 | Georgia Southern | Defensive Coordinator / Safeties |
| 2007-09 | Memphis | Defensive Line |
| 2004-06 | Louisiana | Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2002-03 | Louisiana | Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers |
| 2000-01 | Western Carolina | Defensive Backs / Special Teams |
| 1998-99 | Western Carolina | Defensive Line |
| 1995-97 | Virginia Tech | Defensive Line / Graduate Assistant |
| 1993-94 | East Stroudsburg | Defensive Backs / Outside Linebackers |
| POSTSEASON GAMES (21) | ||
| Seasons | Organization / School | Game |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Duke's Mayo Bowl |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Military Bowl |
| 2019 | Penn State | Cotton Bowl Classic |
| 2019 | Penn State | Citrus Bowl |
| 2019 | Penn State | Citrus Bowl |
| 2017 | Penn State | Fiesta Bowl |
| 2017 | Penn State | Rose Bowl Game |
| 2016 | Penn State | TaxSlayer Bowl |
| 2014 | Penn State | Pinstripe Bowl |
| 2014 | Vanderbilt | BBVA Compass Bowl |
| 2012 | Vanderbilt | Music City Bowl |
| 2011 | Vanderbilt | Liberty Bowl |
| 2010 | Georgia Southern | FCS First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals, Semifinals |
| 2008 | Memphis | St. Petersburg Bowl |
| 2007 | Memphis | New Orleans Bowl |
| 1998 | Virginia Tech | Gator Bowl |
| 1996 | Virginia Tech | Orange Bowl |
| 1995 | Virginia Tech | Sugar Bowl |
| PROMINENT NFL PUPILS | ||
| Position | Name | Accolade |
| WR | Jaylin Lane | 2025 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Washington) |
| RB | Bhayshul Tuten | 2025 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Jacksonville) |
| DL | Aeneas Peebles | 2025 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (Baltimore) |
| DL | Antwaun Powell-Ryland | 2025 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (Philadelphia) |
| S | Dorian Strong | 2025 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (Buffalo) |
| S | Chamarri Conner | 2023 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Kansas City) |
| S | Jaquan Brisker | 2022 NFL Draft, Second Round (Chicago) |
| DE | Arnold Ebiketie | 2022 NFL Draft, Second Round (Atlanta) |
| LB | Brandon Smith | 2022 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Carolina) |
| CB | Tariq Castro-Fields | 2022 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (San Francisco) |
| LB | Jesse Luketa | 2022 NFL Draft, Seventh Round (Arizona) |
| DE | Odafe Oweh | 2021 NFL Draft, First Round (Baltimore) |
| LB | Micah Parsons | 2021 NFL Draft, First Round (Dallas) |
| DE | Shaka Toney | 2021 NFL Draft, Seventh Round (Washington) |
| DE | Yetur Gross-Matos | 2020 NFL Draft, Second Round (Carolina) |
| LB | Cam Brown | 2020 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (New York [NFC]) |
| LB | Jan Johnson Jr. | 2020 NFL Free Agent (Houston) |
| CB | Amani Oruwariye | 2019 NFL Draft, Fifth Round (Detroit) |
| S | Nick Scott | 2019 NFL Draft, Seventh Round (Los Angeles [NFC]) |
| LB | Koa Farmer | 2019 NFL Free Agent (Las Vegas) |
| LB | Oren Burks | 2018 NFL Draft, Third Round (Green Bay) |
| S | Troy Apke | 2018 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Washington) |
| LB | Marcus Allen | 2018 NFL Draft, Fifth Round (Pittsburgh) |
| LB | Jason Cabinda | 2018 NFL Free Agent (Oakland) |
| LB | Zach Cunningham | 2017 NFL Draft, Second Round (Houston) |
| LB | Brandon Bell | 2017 NFL Free Agent (Cincinnati) |
| LB | Mike Hull | 2015 NFL Free Agent (Miami) |
| CB | Lavelle Westbrooks | 2014 NFL Draft, Seventh Round (Cincinnati) |
| S | J.J. Wilcox | 2013 NFL Draft, Third Round (Dallas) |
| LB | Darius Eubanks | 2013 NFL Free Agent (Minnesota) |
| DT | Dontari Poe | 2012 NFL Draft, First Round (Kansas City) |
| CB | Laron Scott | 2012 NFL Free Agent (New York [NFC]) |
| DE | Hall Davis | 2010 NFL Draft, Fifth Round (St. Louis) |
| DE | Clinton McDonald | 2009 NFL Draft, Seventh Round (Cincinnati) |
| CB | Michael Adams | 2007 NFL Free Agent (Arizona) |
| S | C.C. Brown | 2005 NFL Draft, Sixth Round (Houston) |
| S | Antwain Spann | 2005 NFL Free Agent (New York [NFC]) |
| CB | Charles Tillman | 2003 NFL Draft, Second Round (Chicago) |
| CB | Ike Taylor | 2003 NFL Draft, Fourth Round (Pittsburgh) |
Coaching Highlights
• Brent Pry returns to the Hokies for a fifth straight season, serving as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach following four seasons as head coach. Prior to arriving in Blacksburg, he served eight seasons as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Penn State.
• Under Pry's direction, the Hokies reached a second straight bowl game in 2024, facing Minnesota in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. It marked Tech's first back-to-back bowl appearances since the 2018 and 2019 seasons and the 36th bowl appearance in Tech history.
• Six of Pry's Hokies received NFL Combine invitations following the 2024 season: Bhayshul Tuten, Jaylin Lane, Da'Quan Felton, Aeneas Peebles, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, and Dorian Strong.
• Tuten had a stellar 2024 campaign under Pry with 1,159 rushing yards (4th in the ACC), 105.4 rushing yards per game (2nd in the ACC and 17 total TDs.
• Powell-Ryland thrived in Pry's defense in 2024 with 16 sacks, ranking third in the FBS ranks. APR received the following postseason accolades: 2024 All-ACC First Team, AP All-American Third Team, The Sporting News All-American Second Team, AFCA All-American Second Team, FWAA All-American Second Team, Walter Camp All-American Second Team, Dudley Award Winner, semifinalist for the Nagurski, Lombardi, and Bednarik Awards.
• The Hokies reached some significant milestones during the 2023 season under Pry including a 5-3 ACC record, the best conference record since 2019. Tech also was one of eight Power Five teams to post five conference wins by 17 or more points. The Hokies finished in the top 20 nationally in total defense while ranking 58th in total offense, up from 119th in 2022.
• Pry's team made the program's 35th overall bowl appearance in 2023, beating Tulane in the Military Bowl, 41-20.
• Pry returned to Blacksburg after working as a defensive graduate assistant for the Hokies from 1995-97 under head coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster.
• A coaching veteran of nearly four decades, Pry has coached teams that have qualified for 15 bowl appearances and have finished in the FBS top 25 in total defense nine times.
• He has played an instrumental role in coaching top 10 defenses at Virginia Tech, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Georgia Southern, and Western Carolina.
• Following his promotion to defensive coordinator in 2016, the Nittany Lions posted three seasons with 11 wins and four seasons with nine or more victories. He helped the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten Championship after defeating No. 6 Wisconsin in that conference’s championship game.
• His longtime association with current Penn State head coach James Franklin dates back to 1993-94 when Franklin was the quarterback for East Stroudsburg University, where Pry coached outside linebackers and defensive backs.
• Pry was a 2021 Broyles Award nominee for the top assistant coach in the country as the Nittany Lions ranked fourth nationally in Red Zone defense (66.7%), seventh in scoring defense (16.8 ppg), eighth in defensive pass efficiency (111.98), and held their opponents to 4.7 yards per play.
• Under Pry’s direction in 2020, Penn State ranked third in the Big Ten in total defense (328.8 ypg), good for 17th nationally, second in pass defense (198.6 ypg), second in TFL (6.7 per game) and fourth in rush defense (130.2 ypg).
• Pry’s defense helped lead Penn State to an 11-2 record in 2019, ranking eighth nationally in scoring defense (16.0 ppg). The Nittany Lions also led the nation in fewest yards per carry (2.6) and forced fumbles (22), while ranking fifth in rushing defense (95.0 ypg) in 2019.
• The Penn State defense led the nation in sacks per game (3.62) and ranked fourth in tackles for loss (8.2) in 2018. His 2018 squad also ranked fifth in the county in yards per pass attempt (5.67), eighth in defensive pass efficiency (106.1) and 11th in Red Zone scoring percentage (.750).
• Penn State also registered an 11-2 record in 2017 with Pry earning his first Broyles Award nomination. The Nittany Lions finished seventh in FBS in both scoring defense (16.5 ppg) and sacks per game (3.23) during the 2017 campaign.
• After taking sole reins as Penn State’s defensive coordinator post in 2016, the team posted an 11-3 mark and finished seventh in the nation, averaging 8.1 TFL per game.
• As co-defensive coordinator for Penn State in 2014, Pry helped direct a unit that finished second in FBS in total defense (278.7 ypg).
• Pry served as co-defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2011-13 prior to his arrival in State College, Pennsylvania.
• While at Georgia Southern in 2010, his defensive unit helped the Eagles to a win over No. 1 Appalachian State and an appearance in the NCAA FCS semifinals.
• A member of the Memphis staff from 2007-09, Pry’s defensive line corps helped the Tigers to back-to-back bowl appearances.
• He also coached at Louisiana-Lafayette (2002-06), helping the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first Sun Belt Conference championship following a four-year tour of duty at Western Carolina (1998-01).
• During his stint as a graduate assistant at Tech from 1995- 97, he was part of a staff that guided the Hokies to three bowl berths.
• Pry lettered as a defensive back at the University at Buffalo before suffering a career-ending injury. He began his coaching career as an undergraduate student in 1992. He graduated with a degree in history from Buffalo in 1993.
• Pry’s father, Jim, played collegiately at Marshall and began his own 40-year college coaching career at his alma mater in 1973-74. The elder Pry went on to enjoy a distinguished career that included stints at Illinois, Duke, Dartmouth, Akron, East Stroudsburg University, Buffalo, VMI, and Bethune- Cookman, as well as time as a high school head coach.
• Pry and his wife, Amy, are the parents of a son, Colby and two daughters: Madeline and Catherine.
Playing Highlights
• Pry started his college career as a safety at Division Three Maryville College in 1988. He later transferred to then-Division III University of Buffalo where he lettered in 1990. Suffering a career-ending injury in 1991, he returned as a student coach for the 1992 season.
• Pry received his bachelor’s degree in history from Buffalo in 1993.