Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry joined Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop on Tech Talk Live on Thursday night at McClain’s at First and Main to preview Saturday’s home opener against Marshall (4:30 p.m. ET, CW). The Hokies (0-1) dropped their first game of the year at Vanderbilt in Week 1.
Brent Pry
How are you doing?
It’s been a good week. I just rushed out of the facility to come over from practice, and the guys had a great Thursday. Best Thursday we’ve had in a long time. As the head coach, it makes you feel good.
How was Sunday? How was the mood of everybody as you were going over the mistakes?
First of all, I’m glad that we do it on Sunday instead of waiting till Monday. We make the corrections and have a good heart-to-heart as a team and as coaches. Then we go out there and sweat it out, go through corrections and introduce the next opponent, and we’re ready to go with a new week come Monday. The guys have been good, they’re resilient, they showed that in the second half of the game. I’m proud of the way they responded this week, the way they’ve worked and the messaging that they’ve had to one another. It’s been on point.
You had a little trouble getting back into Roanoke on Saturday, right?
At that point, after a tough loss like that, you’re oblivious to what’s going on around you. They said, ‘Coach, we’re in Richmond.’ And I said, ‘What? Why are we in Richmond?’ But we were safe, that’s what counts. Woke up early the next morning ready to attack that thing.
It was a disappointing loss, obviously, and you said it was “humbling.”
It certainly was, for all of us. I don’t want to say the guys were reading press clippings or we were. You’ve got to play every game with your hair on fire like it’s your last. And I don’t know that we did that for the first half. You get yourself in a hole against a decent football team that’s well-coached and that’s what you’ll end up, 17-3.
You guys came out in a big way in the second half. What changed at halftime?
There were a couple things. First of all, it was our mentality. We had to step it up, play like we were capable. To be honest, that first half, we didn’t play like we’d practiced. Defensively, we had to settle down and we really simplified some things and based it up so we could fit that option a little better and get it off-schedule some, which we did, some three-and-outs. And then offensively, just opening it up and using the whole field, sideline to sideline, down the field, and the guys made plays. They had a bit of a chip on their shoulder that second half.
You talked about that in the press conference a little bit. When you get behind and lose the momentum, sometimes you have to do some stuff to change the momentum, like be a little more aggressive.
You definitely do, and as a head coach, I don’t think I did a great job. You’ve got to identify that early, have a plan of action to change the momentum. We’ve talked about that this week as coaches and players. If you want to start fast, what does that look like from the coaches, staff and the players? We’ve got to do that. We did in the second half and we’ve got to do it to start the game.
Kyron Drones had a big second half, what did you think about that?
Honestly, once he settled down and stopped pressing, he played a pretty good game. He made good decisions. They [Vanderbilt] made a nice play, unfortunate for us. They had an inside blitz and we had an inside screen. it was right in the throwing lane for the blitzer, he gets it tapped up and the guy makes a nice play. All of a sudden, we’re in a sudden change situation in the red zone. I thought Kyron played well. He was battling cramping and some uniform issues. We got all that stuff taken care of and he’s in a good place right now.
How was the helmet communication with players?
I don’t know that I’d use the word smooth, but it was certainly beneficial. The coach-to-player communication, if you saw our quarterbacks a bunch, they had their hands over the ear holes. It wasn’t clear enough or loud enough. Just some things to coach up on to make sure we’re better, especially in Lane Stadium. The iPads were great. You could view corrections, get questions answered, I think we hung on them for a little too long, that was a message to the staff this week. I think there was a disconnect on the sideline because we were just swiping. After the first series on defense immediately somebody has one in my face and instead of interacting with the team, I’m looking at the plays and looking at the series, and I think that was true for a lot of it, the coaches and the players. We had a lot of conversations about it, the coaches and the team, and we’ll be better for it this weekend.
If the quarterback can’t hear, can they turn the volume up?
The quarterback can’t turn it up, no. We have to turn it up from the sideline.
What about the heat?
I’ll tell you what, Kyron was sweating through his uniform before we kicked off. They said the high was 111 on the field at one point. I thought the strength and conditioning staff did a great job at getting our team ready. They had as many cramping issues as we did and they practiced in this stuff. It was definitely a factor in the game, but not enough of a factor, I think we minimized it.
The tackling was not sharp in the first half. Do the contact rules in practice make the opening game tougher at full speed?
Well, hindsight’s 20/20, and Coach [Chris] Marve and I said that we didn’t tackle enough in preseason camp. It’s like a lost art, you have to do it, there’s risk involved, but you have to do it to where you’re comfortable. Mose Phillips is one of our better tacklers and he didn’t tackle very well Saturday. Did we give him enough opportunity to do that? So we went back and looked at some of those things to make sure that next camp we’re where we need to be. With concussion protocol, when you have a live period and somebody gets dinged, they’re going to miss two weeks. So did we tackle enough? I’m not sure with that first group. When we looked at it, we said we have to err on the side of being ready to tackle. We just have to go step on them a little bit more, step on their toes, push them one extra step, get up close to the guy and get your body on him and you have to keep your eyes up.
The Gosnell brothers had a really nice second half. What did you think of their play?
Yeah, I love those guys. They play a ball game like they play camp. They’re tough, they compete, they make plays, they’re consistent. I’m very proud of both those guys, coming off injuries and to play the way that they did in Week 1. Really good effort from both of those guys.It was good to see Ali Jennings have a big day, too.
He looked good out there I thought. He’s leaned up, he looks fast, he’s running routes, he had a nice punt return. He’s all in. I think he’s going to have a big year for us.Ali is a pretty smart football mind, isn’t he?
He is and he’s always thinking that way. Sometimes I just give him the stiff arm and say, ‘OK.’ He’s got a ton of energy, he wants to win, he wants to be great, he’s a real positive influence on our football team.Bhayshul Tuten didn’t get many carries in the first half and had two nice runs in the second half come back because of penalties.
He ran the ball well I thought. We have to block a little bit better; we were straining that first half. He had six targets in the throw game, we’re going to find ways to get him the football, he’s too good with it.How did you assess the play of the linebackers?
We struggled in the first half fitting the option as much as we worked on it. The speed of it, their quarterback is very versed in it. As good as our scout team did, it’s just not the same as seeing it out there on gameday. Took a little bit to get a feel for it, it got us on our heels. We’re a fast defense, we were that in camp, pads roll over, we didn’t play that way in the first half. But the linebacker play, those guys you can kinda put them in a bag, shake it up, and pull out a couple that can start for you because we’ve got five we feel good about and we’re going to keep them rotating.How do you think Sam Brumfield did in his first start?
I thought he played solid. Probably a B grade, maybe B-. Once he got going, he did some good things. They had a sprintout pass, I wish he would’ve stolen that curl there a little better. But Sam played well. He’s practiced really well, he’s a leader, and he’s the right guy to be our mike linebacker.What’s your message to Mansoor Delane about forgetting about this game and going forward?
Well, there's two things. First, it’s, ‘What did you do wrong? What can you do better? How can you identify that?’ And man, ‘We’ve got your back. Love ya, we know how good you are, keep grinding, let’s make sure we fix that didn’t help us win the other day.’Josh Fuga and Kemari Copeland had pretty good grades on the game.
Yeah, those guys played well. I’ll be honest, the D-line played well enough to win. That’s what I thought when I looked at the film. That was the one group defensively I thought played well enough to win. They just weren’t enough of a factor. They had the ball out in the alleys and on the perimeter. The quarterback had some nice throws and there were some good catches. The D-line, for what we asked them to do, did a nice job.With the heat, it must’ve been really nice to have so many guys to cycle through.
Yeah, we were looking for reps. Those five defensive tackles and five ends, they all need to play. And we’re trying to find reps for them right now.Special teams had two field goals. There was the punt that had the chance to be downed inside the 5-yard line.
Yeah, I think Keli [Lawson] has to do a better job at getting down the field. We ask those guys to get down to the 2-yard line, turn around and find the ball. If you notice, at about the 12-yard line he starts looking for it. You’re never going to run like you need to and get into position if you’re looking for it too early, and that’s what he was doing.Then Peter Moore got the great punt off on that last drive, but that was countered by a great return and put them in good position.
Sure did. We had Dante Lovett down the field, we ask him to attack the opposite hip and spill that thing if you look at it. We had good coverage if it cut back the other way. Dante shot his gun, but he shot it on the wrong side, and the guy had a lane.On the lone kickoff return, do you prefer to kick the ball into the endzone there and not let them return?
Certainly, always. The worst timing. I mean, he kicks it through the end zone all the time, and when we need one, it’s returnable. But those guys, we’ve got a good group there.What do you think about the new NFL kickoff rule?
I hadn’t watched it so I haven’t thought much about it, to be honest. We’ll see where it goes. Most of that stuff does eventually leak into our game. We’ll see if it does. I know they have their first regular season game tonight. I’ll get a real look at it.How nice was it having DeAngelo Hall come back and teach your team?
Let me tell you, he did a great job. What a great time, he came in on Sunday. He’s got a daughter who’s a freshman at Tech. Brought a couple of his other kids with him. He just had a really good visit, with coaches, with players, he addressed the team and did a great job with his message. It was spot on for what those guys needed to hear. Echoed a lot of what was said in the team meeting that day. We really appreciate him, everybody knows how special he is as a player, but his demeanor and mentality remind me of the way we’re trying to do it.
How nice is it going to be to be back at home?
We’re so excited. First of all, we had an unbelievable crowd in Nashville. I appreciate everybody that came out. Outstanding. I see a bunch of new cowboy hats in the audience, so I understand. But Lane Stadium is one of the best in the country. And it’s the fans that make it that way. Our players and coaches are very fortunate to have a home venue like that. And they’re super excited, they want to put on and play well for the crowd there.The stadium looks nice. Seat backs, grass is green and they added some new things for fan experience.
I think they have a suite deal going on down there. Field-side suite. For our guys, coming out of that tunnel with Enter Sandman, there’s nothing like it.Got a bunch of recruits coming?
We sure do. Some of the top players in the state.What about that 1999 team? That group is getting honored at the game.
I’m so excited. What a deserving honor. You play for a national championship, you deserve to be honored. To have those guys come back, I think about 50 or 60 coaches and players. It’s outstanding. I’m excited for our guys to have a chance to get around them, meet them, shake some hands and build some relationships. No better way than a home football game to kick off the season to honor that team.You were here in the mid-90s before that season. What do you remember of it?
I remember being so excited and proud of Virginia Tech. Coached here for three years, but then became a fan. I’ve always been pulling for Virginia Tech and always singing their praises everywhere I coached and lived. Honestly, what I remember about it is just being heartbroken for the guys. With how hard they played and they didn’t come out on top of it. But very, very proud and that’s part of what built the tradition and legacy here at Virginia Tech.It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years.
We need to get back.You were on that staff on the rise up to that national championship appearance. Could you feel what was being built there in the mid-90s?
Yeah, absolutely. It was so impressive what Coach [Frank Beamer] and his staff were doing. The recruiting, the development, the mentality and mindset, the leadership, the brotherhood, all of that was happening. You go to a Sugar Bowl and beat Texas when you’re not supposed to. You follow it up with an Orange Bowl berth. It was coming, it was great work by the staff and players. That foundation was laid.Will Michael Vick and Corey Moore get a chance to talk to the team?
Absolutely, those guys can talk to the team whenever they want to. Corey was on the sideline at Vanderbilt. He’s been a great supporter, he gets it. He’s been to several games, home and away. He was one of the first text messages I had on Sunday morning. I’m not sure who all ends up making it in there, I saw a list of about 60 guys, so hopefully they’re all a part of that.What was your instant reaction when watching this Marshall team?
They play hard. Offense, defense, special teams, all three phases. They play tough. Coach [Charles] Huff does a great job, he and I are great buddies. We coached together for a lot of years. His group is going to play hard and be confident. They’ll come in here with a chip on their shoulder and every bit of them is going to believe that they’re the favorite to win the game.It’s interesting. Last week, Vanderbilt had 51 new players and a bunch of new coaches. This week, Marshall has 40 new players and a bunch of new coaches.
World we’re living in. What I would take from Week 0 and Week 1, there's a lot more parity than there’s been. People can get better pretty quick.Marshall beat up on Stony Brook in its first game last week. What about that offense and the new offensive coordinator did you notice?
Well, [Seth Doege] is a Graham Harrell disciple. He played quarterback at Texas Tech. He came from Purdue, where Graham is now the OC. They just have a really good offensive strategy, that whole school right there. Some of it goes back to Mike Leach. Really challenging, good football, good offensive play calling. They did a nice job, I thought they mixed it up pretty good. They played two quarterbacks as basically co-starters. Some of the plan was the same, some was different. They’ve got some weapons around them; I think that offense will be a challenge.They’ve got a bunch of guys coming in to try to make a name for themselves.
That’s right. Those guys have enough coming back on defense. They’ve got some coaching stability, some culture established. You’re talking about a group that two years ago beat Notre Dame on the road. Followed it up by beating Virginia Tech and they lose to a ranked NC State 48-41 in Raleigh. This group is well-coached and they have a good football team.
Preparing for a team with three quarterbacks, how do you go about it?
You do a breakdown with each quarterback — what were the runs, the pass plays. Then you figure out what was the same, similar and different. For the most part, their offense stayed the same, but they’ve got some nuances. The quarterback from Tulsa is a little bigger and can run some gap schemes. They’re both talented runners. The kid from North Texas, you’ll see draws, he’ll pull it down and scramble. There are some good differences between those guys.They have a good running back too in A.J. Turner.
We looked at him closely. He’s a guy. He found a crease on that big run and he hit it, nobody was catching him.That offensive line has four new guys. What have you seen?
I thought they played well. Stony Brook is a good FCS program, they’ve been to the playoffs here and there and have done some good things and had some good players advance to some Power 5 schools. Marshall took care of them. Stony Brook tried to play them physical. That offensive line came off the ball and created holes and really strained and got movement. It’s a good group. I think the center is a three-year starter for them.They’ve got a good receiver in Christian Fitzpatrick, he had almost 100 yards in the opener.
He made some good catches. He’s got a big body. He did a good job at shielding a DB off and catching some of those. And in the slot they have Elijah Metcalf from MTSU. He’s scary too. He’s a guy who will get handoffs and be active in the quick game, we have to get him on the ground.They have one senior on the defensive two-deep. What do you think of their defense?
They did a nice job. Again, that’s the group that probably played the hardest. Their best two linemen didn’t play, they were in street clothes in Week 1 — 99 [Isaiah Gibson] and 5 [TyQaze Leggs]. From what we understand, they’ll both be back. It’s a good group, they’ve got some DBs that play hard and run well. They aren’t the biggest, but they can run and cover.Those guys are in the 5-foot-10 range. That could be an advantage for your big receivers.
I hope so. We’ve got to put the ball where they can’t get it.How do you tell the offensive line to move some of those big bodies at about 325?
What’d you tell ‘em, Ron [Crook]? Strain he said, move those feet. And I think Ron would tell you, we've got to finish better. We've got to strain and finish. We didn’t do that in the first half. We went through that last year a little bit, and when it finally turned over, we were just better blockers in the run game. There were more running lanes. I think the guys get it, we’ll do a better job this week. And against big guys, man, you have to move. Have to get pad under pad and have leverage.It seems like that secondary is one of their more experienced groups. Is that the sense you get too?
Yeah, it certainly is. They’ve got a good secondary. Good coach there. They play hard, they challenge in coverage, they take chances. We have to take advantage of it. we've got to get on top of their DBs, for sure.There are so many ties to the Marshall Program. Your dad playing quarterback there, J.C. Price, C.J. McCray. A lot of ties, it’s got to be emotional.
It is, Coach [Frank] Loria, Coach [Rick] Tolley. It’s a unique connection between the two programs. My dad was there on the Young Thundering Herd, the first year after the crash. I always attribute the love he has for the game to that experience. The adversity that the team faced and weathered to field a team, not just win a game. To be around that and to grow up with it, I feel fortunate. Obviously, for that program to be where they are today, commendable to a lot of people.Using your timeouts at the end of the first half against Vanderbilt to get the ball back was very smart. What didn’t work on offense?
Our two-minute execution was not good. We finish practice with it a lot of days. I didn’t think we were very good at the end of the half or end of the game. We worked on it a bunch this week and we have a group that can be good at it. Managing timeouts is key.Do you feel better in those high-pressure situations now that you don’t have to call the defense?
There is some confidence, but also I'm just more prepared. I’m more aware. It was hard going from the defensive huddle to being in tune with that. And I relied on other people, to be honest. I’m certainly a better head coach than I was Year 1.What’s going through your mind as they line up for the winning field goal with no time left?
We were hoping. They had questioned their kicker. He’d missed some, he’d made some. We iced him. I thought that we needed a chance to win the game. We got the chance, just couldn’t take advantage.Do you have it in your head that you’re always going to ice the kicker?
Yeah, I think so. You want the kicker to think about it. Sometimes it works against you and they kick the ball and miss, then they get another chance and make it. I think we're fortunate with John Love right now. He did a great job. It was good seeing him start the year where he left off. He’s really consistent kicking field goals for us. I think you always want to mess with that guy.