Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry joined Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop on Tech Talk Live on Thursday night ahead of the Hokies’ game at Stanford on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network). They’re 2-3 (0-1 ACC) after dropping their league opener at then-No. 7 Miami last week.
Brent Pry
How has the team done this week?
I think they’ve done well. I’m sure they got hit with it on campus Monday and Tuesday. They’ve done well, focused on Stanford. They came in here and watched a bunch of film Monday, asked some good questions, they’re really preparing their butts off.
What explains the fast start at Miami compared to other weeks?
I think it’s a combination. The emphasis to start faster. We talked all week about how you can’t start slow against a team like Miami with all the firepower they’ve got. The guys were excited to play. This is a group that, even this week, they feel like they have a lot to prove. I think they came out of the locker room feeling that way.
Does a game like that add confidence?
It should. We’ve talked about it, there's a lot of positives to take from the game that we were able to show them on film. We were also able to show them that there were a bunch of plays where we didn’t make a quality team earn it, where we can do a better job as players and coaches to make it more difficult for a team like Miami. We’ve got things to improve on so that we can go play well at Stanford. But we certainly gained some confidence going forward.
How good has Bhayshul Tuten been running the ball as of late?
He’s been really good. And if you think about it, there’s two things. He’s been banged up — he wears that brace for a reason. Secondly, the O-line has made progress week-by-week, giving us chances to get things started. We had much fewer minus yardage plays against a talented D-line.
Bhayshul had the first four carries of the game. Is that the attack that you want out of your team?
Coach [Tyler] Bowen did a nice job at committing to it. Not every run was a plus run. We also had some 1- and 2-yarders that still kept us closer to being on schedule than looking at second-and-13 or third-and-12. On second-and-8 or second-and-7, you get a positive play on second down and you’re in pretty good shape.
How big was it to get the ball at Miami 30-yard line to start the game?
What a play. That D-line, Kelvin Gilliam is really playing well, all of those guys up front are. Sam [Brumfield] dove in there and recovered that sucker. And then we capitalize on it. Kyron makes a great play. Good throw, good catch.
What was going on with Antwaun Powell-Ryland being in and out of the game?
He had a couple things going on. He rolled his ankle and was cramping. He battled through and played pretty good.
Can Kyron Drones build on this performance?
He can. He did some really good things running and throwing the ball. I think there are a couple throws that you want back. There’s room for improvement just like everybody else. He works very hard at improving his game every week. Hopefully this will help him take another step.
How did the offensive line play?
They had their best game of the season. And early in the game, the starting center goes down. Kaden [Moore] has to go back to center and Layth Ghannam isn’t on the trip, so here comes Brody Meadows. He really stepped up and did a nice job, him and Bob [Schick] both. Those guards did a great job against an explosive front. They’re straining better, they’re stepping better, they’re finishing. By no means were they perfect, but I think they played pretty well against two great D-lines.How well did they do getting through the game in the humid and hot weather?
We had a bunch of guys tough it out. There’s some spots where we don’t have tremendous depth because of injuries. Johnny Garrett played three series, which was good. He played a couple for Parker [Clements] and he played one for Xavier [Chaplin]. We have to get that healthy rotation going back inside.How cool was it seeing Kaleb Spencer get that 77-yard interception return against his old team?
Man, he's getting better every week. He’s active, headsy, didn’t waste any time getting going the other direction. I know he wishes he could get that sack back at the end of the game, having [Cam] Ward in his clutches. He’s a tough competitor. He started off on special teams and earned himself more playing time at star. He’s getting better each and every week.How about the game Mose Phillips had?
He had a great interception. He flipped his hips and got in the throwing lane and made a nice catch and took off. I think Cam reacted very well. He took off quick, if he hadn’t that return gets at least another 20 yards.How do you think the team did at bottling up Cam Ward?
I think the difference was that we did affect the quarterback. That’s what you have to do against a guy like that, get him off his spot. Make him make a bad decision. Sack him, pressure him, pick him. We were able to do a lot of that. There’s just a bunch of plays in the game where he was able to make some good plays. Some great throws and he made some great scrambles. Flipping that ball to the tight end instead of taking the sack, getting it to a receiver on his back. We did a nice job, just needed to minimize those explosives.How killer was the failed fake field goal?
Very, especially off of a turnover, you need to capitalize on it. That fake, we’d practiced it for several weeks. The nice thing about the fake is that you only do it if you get the look you want, and we got it. To be honest, their guy made a nice play getting penetration and we had poor technique where we didn’t need it, otherwise he may walk into the end zone with that. We got the look we wanted, we wanted to be aggressive. We knew it would take a lot of points to beat that group, so that was the mindset going down there.What about John Love with two field goals of 50-plus yards?
I’m so impressed with him. We went back and forth with him and Kyle [Lowe] on the long field goals. John said he wanted it and felt good about it. Sure enough he made it and he had a couple yards left. He’s got a ton of confidence and trust.How about those Gosnell brothers?
They’re really hard workers, smart guys, competitors. I’m very happy and thankful to see them having success. It’s pretty cool for their family.This is the first time you’re taking on one of the expansion teams of the ACC. How different is preparing for a team you’re not too familiar with?
You have to do your studying in the offseason. You can’t pull out a previous game folder. You have to study the play-callers, where they came from, their background. You have to get a good portfolio of what they do. We certainly did that over the summer. It’s a unique challenge to the team.
Do you know Stanford coach Troy Taylor at all?
I’ve only met him since he’s been in the ACC in annual meetings and the national convention. He’s a great guy and he did a tremendous job at Sacramento State as a head coach to earn an opportunity at Stanford. They look improved over last year and I’m sure we’ll have our hands full.What have you seen out of Ashton Daniels behind center?
He can run, he’s quick, and surprisingly he’s much bigger than I realized. Six-foot-2, 220, hard to tackle, tough, confident, he throws a catchable ball to 13 [Elic Ayomanor]. He’s a misdirection guy. [Justin] Lamson has also played a bunch for them. Started three or four games last year, he’s a big body and a running quarterback. I don’t think much will change.Running back Micah Ford is just a freshman but he’s playing pretty well.
He’s fast. He got outside of Clemson’s defense several times. That stands out when you can get past that group.What’s the key to bringing those guys down in the open field?
You have to close the space. Take the air out of it. Minimize their opportunity to make you miss.The Cardinal is only giving up 76 yards rushing per game. How will that battle be?
They play strong and physical, The front seven is a good group. They have a good scheme. They move around three down, four down, they bring pressures. We’ll have our hands full.What makes Elic Ayomanor so good?
He’s got great size and amazing ball skills. He made a one-hander in the end zone [at Syracuse]. Impressive catch. Had to leap up and snag it with one hand, he came down hard and hung onto it. He’s a deep ball and contested ball threat.Another freshman wide receiver, Emmett Mosley, has been pretty good too.
I think he’s a guy that lines up in the slot. Has a little more wiggle to him.Have you traveled on this long of a plane ride before?
Yeah, mostly for bowl games. Taking a much bigger plane. We get folks laying down. There are 36 seats that lay and we have players in all of them. The linemen, the captains, the skill positions are all taken care of.You mentioned being creative with stretching on the plane.
We have to. It’s a two-hour bus ride and a five-hour plane trip. They have their devices to put on their arms and legs that keep blood circulating and muscles warm. Just helps to have things out there. We have to keep them hydrated. We will have them with a number of bottles of hydration that they will need to finish before we get there. We have a meal planned as we get on and during the plane.What’s the schedule look like with you guys getting there a day early?
We have our normal Thursday practice a bit earlier in the day. We’ll have our meetings and then get on the bus. When we get there, we’ll have a team walk to get used to the climate. Big taco bar for all the guys. Little bit of fellowship and then get them in bed at a decent hour. Get them up and just have a normal Friday as if we were here in Blacksburg. We have Nick Sorensen coming to talk to the team. Coordinator for the 49ers and once a really good player here. We’ll have our Friday meeting and practices at a local high school there.How’s the weather looking?
Forecast flipped on us. High 70s at first and now we’re looking at 90, 91, 92.
Caleb Woodson
How are you doing?
I’m doing great.Who recruited you and why did you pick Virginia Tech?
Coach [Shawn] Quinn brought me here. I got looks from other schools like South Carolina and Florida State. Tech was the first to offer me, these guys were genuine and stuck to their word. I also wanted to stay close to home.You were captain of your high school team. Two 10-win seasons. Pretty impressive run up there.
Yes, sir, had a great coach up there, Coach Hatfield. He led us to great success as a team.How does success translate to college?
It helps a lot to be used to a winning culture. You try to bring that with you to Virginia Tech to be a winner. That has helped to grind and keep going every week.What was the biggest adjustment to come to college?
Everybody at this level is good. There’s much less room for error and you have to be very sharp, sound, and clean.Do you miss being a wide receiver like you were in high school?
I do miss playing receiver and scoring, but I prefer defense more.You played two ways that year. How was that?
It was a lot on my body. I’m glad we don’t do that in college — besides Travis Hunter.You competed as a swimmer in the Junior Olympics. What was that like?
I was a swimmer from when I was 6 years old all the way up until I was 13. Going to that and all those big meets were very good for me and my body.What did you compete in?
Everything, but my best event was the 100-yard backstroke.Did the early mornings in the pool get old?
That’s why I stopped. I got burnt out because it was 6 a.m. on Saturdays in the cold. I had grown to have enough of that.Did you enjoy the Summer Olympics?
That was during fall camp. It was hectic, but I did enjoy watching what I could.You have two brothers, Kyle and Cole. Are they both athletes?
I have one older brother, Kyle. He swam and went to UVa on an academic scholarship. My younger brother, Cole, is committed to Pitt to play safety.What was the experience of spearheading that community service work for unwedded mothers with young children?
That was great. I got my teammates together in my senior year to help out this house full of unwed mothers to help them paint, landscape, move things, a whole bunch of different activities for me and my teammates. It puts things into perspective that not everybody is as fortunate as we are. To give back and help out means the world.How good is Bhayshul Tuten?
Four 100-yard games is crazy. He’s a beast.How did that 77-yard interception return feel for the linebacker room?
Felt great. First one in the room this year. Have to get more.