College football is no joke. The teams are sacrilegious to rising players and shape their career identities. Coaches are like their second fathers and they understand Uncle Ben’s words to Peter Parker very well: “With great power comes great responsibility.” This power is also monitored by the University as teams, carrying the university’s identity in their maiden names, give the institutes good and bad recognition based on their performances.

Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry is no exception to this and his performance is beginning to stir a coach carousel in the 2025 pre-season. Pry, who has been heading the Hokies since 2021, seemed to have been making necessary but difficult changes in the team for a better future. After all, he charged a great deal for his leadership, drawing a salary of $4,775,000 in 2024. But he ultimately landed his coaching career in jeopardy as Virginia met a crushing defeat at 24-10 against Minnesota Golden Gophers in Duke’s Mayo Bowl game on January 3, scoring 6-7 in the 2024 season. He is topping On3’s 2025 CFB Hot Seat charts with a massive $27.5 million buyout, which Virginia Tech would owe him for his 6-year contract with them since November 2021.

Pry now contributes to expanding the hot seat coaches’ list. ACC’s Stanford Cardinals’ HC Troy Taylor stands second, having scored 3-9 in this season. Then follows Scott Satterfield from Cincinnati Bearcats with a 5-7 record in the 2024 season, Brent Brennan of Arizona Wildcats with 4-8, and Mike Locksley of Maryland Terrapins with 4-8. SEC’s Sam Pittman of Arkansas Razorbacks follows the line with 7-6 and is retained for 2025. Billy Napier and Hugh Freeze of Florida Gators and Auburn Tigers, having 8-5 and 5-7 have also been retained by their teams. Common sense and general awareness dictate that it would be too heavy on Virginia’s pockets to let go of Pry right now.

In December 2024, Brent Pry let go of Virginia Tech’s linebacker coach and DC Chris Marve, senior director of strength and conditioning Dwight Galt IV, and offensive line coach Ron Crook. He declared that as the head coach, it was his responsibility to “restore this program to its rightful place among college football’s best and deliver the success Hokie Nation deserves.” The context was set in a way that made Virginia supporters rightfully expect Brent Pry to be up to something. Everyone was hopeful about the Hokies’ play against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Virginia Tech Hokies lose confidence in Brent Pry after Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss

Losing January’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl humbled them down to reality. The team was severely malnourished, lacking key running backs, quarterbacks, defensive backs, pass rushers, and receivers. Rationally believing the team to have outperformed itself was not likely despite Pry’s efforts. The Golden Gophers manhandled the Hokies, blocking a total of 9 first downs. Virginia Tech’s seasoned quarterback Kyron Drones was unavailable for the bowl game due to an undisclosed injury. They had to rely on William Watson III and Colin Schlee, who achieved 10 passes out of 18 for 149 passing yards.

Watson, the freshman quarterback was however outshined by Golden Gopher’s Max Brosmer, who is set to appear in the NFL draft this year. Virginia linebacker Keli Lawson and offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin, perhaps the Hokies’ best offensive lineman, were also nowhere to be seen on the field due to their entry into the transfer portal. Hokies’ impressive running back Bhayshul Tuten was also claimed by injury.

Honestly, the Hokies had very little chance against the record-breaking Golden Gopher players. Their struggle in such an important game and team lineup against Minnesota’s senior players made many, if not all, fingers point at head coach Brent Pry’s incompetence.

A certain part of the Hokies’ fanbase also believes that it’s better if Pry is released from his duties. The team’s inconsistent play since 2022, when they rose from 3-8 to 7-6 in 2023 but again fell to 6-7 in the 2024 season under Brent Pry’s coaching has been in talks for some time. However, Pry’s lumpsum buyout also makes his removal unlikely. We can’t be certain of anything as of yet. Like we said in the beginning, college teams are sacred to varsities and its players and they might just want to fix their team by hook or by crook!