SJR05791
J.C. Price

J.C. Price

Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line
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The Price File

Coaching: 23rd season, 8th at Tech
Hometown: Dunkirk, Maryland
High School: Northern (1991)
College: Virginia Tech (1998, 2002)
Playing Exp: Virginia Tech (1991-95)
Family: Wife – Jenny; Daughters – Madison & Riley

Coaching History

2022-present Virginia Tech Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line
2021 Virginia Tech Interim Head Coach
2021 Virginia Tech Co-Def. Line/Def. Rec. Coord.
2019-20 Marshall Co-Def. Coord./Def. Line
2018 Marshall Co-Def. Coord./DTs
2013-17 Marshall Defensive Tackles
2012 Marshall Defensive Line
2004-11 James Madison Def. Line/Run Game Coord.
2002-03 Virginia Tech Graduate Assistant
1999-01 Radford (Va.) HS Def. Coord./Def. Line
1997-98 Virginia Tech Strength & Cond. Asst.


BOWL GAMES/PLAYOFFS COACHED (21)

2023 Military Bowl     Virginia Tech
2021 Pinstripe Bowl Virginia Tech
2020 Camellia Bowl Marshall
2019 Gasparilla Bowl Marshall
2018 Gasparilla Bowl Marshall
2017 New Mexico Bowl Marshall
2015 St. Petersburg Bowl Marshall
2014 Boca Raton Bowl Marshall
2013 Military Bowl Marshall
2011 FCS Playoffs (2) James Madison
2008 FCS Semifinals (3) James Madison
2007 FCS Playoffs James Madison
2006 FCS Playoffs James Madison
2004 FCS Champions (4) James Madison
2003 Insight Bowl Virginia Tech
2002 San Francisco Bowl Virginia Tech


BOWL GAMES PLAYED (3)

1995 Sugar Virginia Tech
1994 Gator Virginia Tech
1993 Independence Virginia Tech

Coaching Highlights

  • Price is in his third season under Coach Brent Pry as associate head coach/defensive line coach, his eighth overall season in Blacksburg.
  • Price mentored Antwaun Powell-Ryland in 2023. Powell-Ryland led the Hokies with nine and a half sacks, ranking second in the ACC, tied for 14th in the country.
  • As a unit, Price's line recorded 55 tackles for loss during the 2023 season.
  • A team captain and a third-team All-America selection for the Hokies as a senior in 1995, Price returned to Blacksburg as co-defensive line coach/defensive recruiting coordinator in 2021. On Nov. 16, 2021, he was named as the Hokies' interim head coach.
  • The Dunkirk, Maryland native is back at his alma mater after spending nine seasons at Marshall University, serving as co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach (2019-20).
  • Named the Conference USA Recruiter of the Year in 2015, Price was part of seven Marshall squads that earned bowl berths, the 2014 Conference USA championship, as well three C-USA East Division titles.
  • Marshall led the nation in scoring defense (13.0 ppg) in 2020, while ranking second in total defense (279.4 ypg), fourth in rushing defense (95.5 ypg) and 11th in pass defense (183.9 ypg) en route to a berth in the Conference USA Championship Game.  
  • The Herd earned bowl appearances in each of Price’s final four seasons at Marshall. The 2018 defense ranked eighth in the nation, racking up 42.0 sacks.  
  • Price was named The Conference USA Recruiter of the Year by Scout.com for his contribution to the Thundering Herd’s 2016 recruiting class.
  • Marshall’s 2015 squad went 10-3 and finished the season with a St. Petersburg Bowl win as the defense totaled 30.0 sacks and 101 QB hurries. Price helped develop DT Jarquez Samuel into an All-Conference USA second-team selection. 
  • The Herd won the 2014 Conference USA title, finishing the season with a 13-1 record with their only setback coming in a 67-66 OT loss vs. Western Kentucky (11/28/14). Marshall’s defense racked up 38.0 sacks that season to tie for 16th among FBS squads. 
  • With Price coaching Marshall’s defensive tackles, The Herd went 10-4 in 2013 and reached the Conference USA Championship Game.  
  • Price joined Marshall after an eight-season stint at James Madison University (2004-11). The Dukes won the 2004 FCS National Championship and made the FCS Playoffs on four other occasions during his tenure. 
  • Among notable star pupils at JMU, Price coached DE Arthur Moats who won the Buck Buchanan Award in 2009 as the nation’s top FCS defensive player before enjoying a successful eight-year NFL career. 
  • Thanks to Price’s defensive line, JMU led the nation in sacks twice (2004, 2006) and finished in the top three 10 times. The Dukes’ 57.0 sacks in 2004 were a single-season FCS record. JMU produced an FCS-best 47.0 sacks in 2006.
  • During his tenure as a graduate assistant at Tech (2002-03), Price worked hands on with future NFL performers such as DE Darryl Tapp and DT Jonathan Lewis. 
  • Price is married to the former Jenny Root, who was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. A standout for the women’s basketball program, her 1,582 career points still rank as the fifth-highest total in Hokies’ history.

Prominent Pupils
DE    DARRYL TAPP    D2-2006 – Seattle
Virginia Tech    
An All-America selection in 2005, went on to play in 165 regular season games (39 starts) in 12 NFL seasons. 

DE    ARTHUR MOATS    D6-2010 – Buffalo  
James Madison    
Played in 121 regular season games (45 starts) with Bills (2010-13) and Steelers (2014-17). 2009 Buck Buchanan Award winner.

DT    JONATHAN LEWIS    D6-2006 – Arizona
Virginia Tech    
All-ACC honorable mention pick. Produced 134 career tackles, 25.5 TFL and 11.5 sacks from 2002-05.  

DE    RYAN BEE    FA-2019 – Washington
Marshall    
Posted 18.5 sacks, two FFs and three FRs (2015-18).   

DE     JAMES ROUSE    FA-2015 – Houston   
Marshall    
Racked up 102 tackles, 25.0 TFL and 8.5 sacks from 2010-14. 

DL     JARQUEZ SAMUEL    
Marshall    
Registered 105 tackles, 17.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks from 2012-15. 

DL     KEVIN WINSTON    
James Madison    
Played with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 2007.  

DL     JOHN BARANOWSKI    
James Madison    
Posted 78 tackles, 12.5 TFL and 10.5 sacks (2006-07). 

DL    TY TYLER    
Marshall    
Produced 21.0 TFL and 13.5 sacks (2016-18).
  
DT    J.D. SKOLNITSKY    FA-2009 – Washington
James Madison    
Posted 7.5 career sacks at JMU and spent time on NFL rosters with Washington (2009) and the Colts (2010). 

Playing Highlights

  • A third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 1996 NFL Draft. 
  • Spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 1996-97 where his defensive line coach was Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Joe Greene before a back injury curtailed his playing career. 
  • A four-year starter who captained Tech’s 1995 BIG EAST championship team. After beginning that 1995 season with an 0-2 record, the Hokies rattled off 10 straight wins culminating with a 28-10 win vs. Texas in the Sugar Bowl.  
  • Earned third-team All-America honors from AP following the 1995 season, as well as first-team All-BIG EAST honors after recording 104 tackles and a team-high 15.0 TFL, as well as 8.0 sacks.   
  • In Price’s final three seasons, Tech went 27-9 with two bowl wins. 
  • Played in 41 career games for the Hokies, finishing his career with 256 tackles (125 solo), 30.0 TFL and 17.0 sacks (-118.0 yards).  
  • A second-team All-Metro selection by the Washington Post as a senior at Northern High School. Was named the Calvert County’s most outstanding athlete and was the conference player of the year. 
  • Also played center on his prep basketball squad that was the state runner-up.