BLACKSBURG, Va. – Whit Babcock introduced former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry as the new Hokies head coach Thursday morning. Having grown up about an hour away in Lexington, he served under Frank Beamer as a graduate assistant in the 90s.
Pry brings long-standing ties to the success of the past, sentimental ties to the stomping grounds of his youth, and maybe more importantly, a true understanding of the culture of both the program, the people, the players and the fan base of the region.
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever step out and do my own thing,” Pry said. “It took this place to do it. It took what Coach Beamer built and Bud and so many others to be the right place for me, it was the right time.”
[Virginia Tech hires Penn State DC Brent Pry to be Hokies next head football coach]
“The question was out there, I think there is a fit here, that somebody understands the tradition,” Bud Foster said. “But also understands the expectation and the standard here and what it takes to do that here, you know, and Brent embodies all that.”
During his time at Virginia Tech, Pry said he did his best to soak everything up, and never stop learning.
“You just, you’re like a sponge, I consider myself still learning stuff all the time, I learned some stuff this year along the way that is going to stick with me, you’re like a sponge at that age especially,” Pry said. “You’re learning every day, that experience was a great one and helped shape me. I cut my teeth under Coach and under Bud and it shaped who I am today.”
The next two weeks seem pretty busy for Pry as he will be traveling and talking to recruits, trying to get them to stay with Virginia Tech as Early Signing Day approaches on Dec. 15.