Coach 

Last year’s Lauren’s First & Goal Clinic was filled with coaching talent, and it will be again this year. One of those talented coaches who moved to the head coach ranks is Brent Pry.

Virginia Tech begins the Brent Pry era in 2022, and like Virginia Tech of the past, you can bet it will be built on tough defense.

As the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State (Linebacker U). Pry was a 2021 Broyles Award nominee for the top assistant coach in the country as the Nittany Lions ranked fourth nationally in Red Zone defense (66.7%), seventh in scoring defense (16.8 ppg), eighth in defensive pass efficiency (111.98), and held their opponents to 4.7 yards per play.

One thing Coach Pry likes to do is to bring pressure. A way to get the offense trying to adjust to a multiple stressor is to get into a Bear front late and then move and pressure on the snap. Coach explains how these help get a man free. He likes to plan a couple of these every game. (click on image for video):

Video: Bear Pressure

Of course, having been at Linebacker U, Coach Pry puts a premium on training up the Linebackers. It starts with identifying the keys for success at the linebacker position and then coaching them up. Coach Pry explains those keys here (click on image for video):

Video: Keys to LB Success

Coach Pry brings a defensive mindset to the Hokies. But as he said in his introductory press conference, there is something deeper than that - relationships:

“Relationships is where it's at for me. I seem to have aligned myself in each stop with people that believe in that, that that's where it starts, from Coach Beamer to James Franklin and everybody in between. That's not going to change for me.”

From his father Coach Jim Pry to his early year as a defensive graduate assistant for the Hokies from 1995-97 under head coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster, to his last boss James Franklin, Coach Pry has been influenced by some of the best and he’s ready to show the leadership that he’s developed along the way.

Best of luck to Coach Pry and the Hokies in 2022.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski

P.S. Get a 2 for 1 deal on Coach Pry’s clinic talks here.