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Franklin to McAfee: We've got a ton of work to do at Virginia Tech (2:06)
James Franklin tells Pat McAfee how his coaching experiences have prepared him to take over at Virginia Tech. (2:06)
Adam RittenbergDec 7, 2025, 11:56 AM ET
- College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.
Former Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry, fired by the school in September, is set to return as the Hokies' defensive coordinator under James Franklin, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.
A highly unusual move in major college football, Pry will rejoin the team he led from 2022 until Sept. 14, when he was fired following an 0-3 start. Pry went 16-24 as Hokies coach with bowl appearances the past two years. Virginia Tech hired Franklin, who was fired as Penn State's coach in October, as its new coach Nov. 17.
Before Virginia Tech, Pry served as Franklin's defensive coordinator at Penn State. He also worked as co-defensive coordinator under Franklin at Vanderbilt from 2011 to 2013.
Franklin became emotional when discussing Pry at his introductory news conference with Virginia Tech, noting that Pry's father, Jim, had coached Franklin in college at East Stroudsburg.
"I've known Brent for over 30 years," Franklin said. "... I've got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made."
CBS first reported Pry as a target for Franklin's defensive coordinator role. Pry, 55, was a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech under Frank Beamer early in his career.
Virginia Tech owed Pry about $6 million at the time of his dismissal, which is subject to offset if he obtained another coaching job.
