I was once a supporter of Brent Pry...............(beware, long)
for about 2 months. After Fuente, hoped for a fresh start so I was optimistic. However that changed when I learned Pry was hiring completely inexperienced OC and DC's. So yeah, I turned negative before Pry even fielded his first team. I was called out for it, being called a negative nancy, etc etc for pointing out the obvious, that this HC and team were headed for failure.
Any new coach's biggest decisions are his coaching hires, and he failed miserably long before he started. It's incomprehensible how a new HC with no prior experience would hire similarly inexperienced coordinators for this team. Assigning Bowen, a guy who had never played or coached the QB position, the new QB coach position was equally boneheaded.
I say this because it simply has to be said. Brent Pry was never and will be never be a bright guy. He just doesn't have the smarts to be a HC. His staff decisions have proved me right on this. Whether its the staff hires, or issues with game/time management during games, its all the same. Too many poor decisions over and over.
I said this before about him, that his poor decision making ability was not by chance, and it was a lifelong trait for him. 4 years after his hire and still making poor decisions. Is there any question?
I watched his ODU postgame for the first time today, and was struck how little emotion he displayed. He didn't even really seem to be all that upset. Saying that this is our deepest team ever was a complete joke. He never broke above the 40's in recruiting rank (including transfers), and this year 83. No fire in him, and IMO no strong desire to win, something all HC's need.
I wrote a satire about him a year ago, essentially stating he was a plant for Penn State, designed to sabotage VT football so PSU could continue to dominate recruiting in the state of VA. I was just kidding, but was I? Pry was born in PA, and most of his extended family still lives in PA. Got the feeling some time ago that Pry wants to go back to PA, having accomplished his mission and being rewarded with $25 mill by a gullible AD who is as clueless.
I predicted last year that this year would be Pry's last and I was proven right. The VT community never deserved the incompetence and fleecing of millions at our expense for a man who never really wanted to be here.
** Edited by n2beaches at 9/15/2025, 11:30:31 PM
9 Replies
10mo
I was critical - particularly of the Marve hire and Pry's decision to diaper train him, but for other reasons too - and I got skewered for it. I remember few, if any, coming to my defense.
Hell, I got criticized when everybody was giving high fives about snowball fights and I said they meant absolutely nothing to me and I'd rather Pry spend his time focusing on being the CEO of a major college football program.
** Edited by marcbvtgm at 9/16/2025, 12:34:41 PM
(In response to this post by n2beaches)
10mo
And told him in the beginning he has a short leash. Would he have taken the job? Who cares? I am ready to move on from him and not his name again in this context. He had his shot and blew it before he ever started. The job apparently was too big for him. But 20 million plus later. Good job for him!
(In response to this post by n2beaches)
R
RJHokie
10mo
Plus I’m quite certain JB was one of the major forces pushing for the hire and Babs didn’t push back.
(In response to this post by likehokies)
10mo
with what I did at my 1st job. Got let go. It's just business
(In response to this post by n2beaches)
10mo
Please stop with the sour grapes. Pry was the answer to Fuente, and overall a solid guy. He is inherently likeable and was overall good for the program image and reputation. The field experience was weak, but that is just a reflection of how difficult college football is these days.
I bet Pry will land at a Div 2 school or sports commentator, and be very successful.
(In response to this post by n2beaches)
E
EDGEMAN
10mo
...told me all I needed to know. Pry's coaching staff was clueless.
(In response to this post by n2beaches)
10mo
I cringe every time someone on this board uses that as a valid criteria for someone we are going pay $ millions
The top 3 attributes of any coach should be competence, competence and competence. Nice has got nothing to do with it.
** Edited by VT ChemE 1986 at 9/15/2025, 11:57:22 PM
(In response to this post by n2beaches)