Update: It’s official
Former Penn State head coach James Franklin is targeting one of his closest friends— and a guy PSU fans know quite well— to be his defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech.
CBSSports reported early Sunday morning that Franklin is targeting Brent Pry for the position.
Ordinarily, this wouldn’t raise any eyebrows.
But considering Pry is three months removed from being fired as the head coach at Virginia Tech, him coming back as defensive coordinator would be… something. Sure, things like this have happened before. Bobby Petrino was once the head coach at Arkansas, and then came back to the same school as offensive coordinator. But Petrino didn’t come back as coordinator until more than a decade after he was the head coach.
Pry agreeing to a lesser role at the same school so soon after being fired is something that, as far as we can tell, hasn’t happened at the Power Four level.
If this did happen, it would speak to the amount of respect Pry has for both Franklin, who he’s known since the two were in college and worked with for more than a decade at both Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Pry’s first Power 4 job was at Virginia Tech, where he was a graduate assistant from 1995-97.
He maintains friendships with legendary Hokie coach Frank Beamer and Beamer’s longtime coordinator, Bud Foster, both of which played roles in getting Franklin to Tech.
Pry also played a role in Franklin getting there, too, and Franklin teared up when talking about his friend at his introductory press conference.
“I’d like to acknowledge Brent Pry,” Franklin said. “I always say I am not going to get emotional and then I get emotional. Brent Pry is a good friend. Brent Pry’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years. Brent’s first year coaching was my senior year at the Harvard of the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference – East Stroudsburg University, I know you guys are all very familiar with it.
“And then Brent and his family were with me at Vanderbilt all three years and then, I think, for our first seven years at Penn State. 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, so, I just want to show respect to him. I know how much coaches pour their hearts and souls into this job and I just want to make sure that I give Brent the respect that him and his family deserve.
