The results on the field haven’t been that good, and that is often expected in year one of a new coach, but the vibes? Yeah, the vibes are really good.
National Signing Day has come and gone, and for Virginia Tech, there is some real optimism in the program after a strong signing class that could really bring some answers to the quarterback position and wide receivers as well as build the foundation for years to come.
The transfer portal, as usual, hasn’t been kind to the Hokies in terms of exits, with Armani Chatman headed to North Carolina for example, but they have answered in a big way with coach Brent Pry even hinting that they may not be done there as they look to build on a 3-9 season.
The class features 29 players, 15 which will be early enrollees, and 15 of the 29 are from the state of Virginia. Old Dominion’s star wideout Ali Jennings is one of them.
“I believe we can win an ACC championship with this formula,” Pry said.
“[The families] appreciate we’re trying to do this with guys from our footprint, specifically guys from the state of Virginia. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to sign some guys from outside. We did, and we will. But there is an emphasis on homegrown talent. Those guys are going to know each other from tournaments, playing one another, growing up in pee wee ball and different things. Their parents, especially, have an appreciation for where Virginia Tech has been, and they understand what this program can be.”
Aside from recruiting well in the Commonwealth, Tech landed four players from Tennessee. The four highest-rated recruits for Tech are from outside of the state, with Mr. Football in West Virginia, offensive lineman Layth Ghannam, leading the way. The second and third-best prospects they recruited are wideouts from Tennessee in Chance Fitzgerald and Ayden Greene. The Hokies also landed offensive lineman Lance Williams, Mr. Football in Tennessee.
The biggest prize of all is quarterback Kyron Drones, a former four-star recruit who has three years of eligibility left after transferring from Baylor.
“He’s a triple-threat guy,” Pry said. “Really high football IQ, great wheels and can spin it … He was our No. 1 guy on our board.”
Pry went on to say that Tech had four QB targets in the portal. Pry, the former defensive coordinator at Penn State, has deep recruiting ties to the area, as do a lot of his staff. For them, the relationships are what makes it all.
“Relationships, that’s the first thing that stands out to me. That’s the main thing in recruiting – trust and relationships,” wide receivers coach Fontel Mines said. “I’ve had the opportunity to recruit those schools [in Richmond] the last 10 years of my career and have actually played against some of those coaches when I was a player. I’ve known some of those recruits when I was at two other schools. So, just having relationships previously with those guys definitely helped. That’s a good brand of football. They are well-coached and win games.”
Moving forward, Pry said they need a pass rusher, an offensive lineman and a running back who could potentially start.
Tech fans needed a coach who can recruit, and he’s shown it so far.
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