Brent Pry praises Virginia Tech fans for atmosphere they create in Lane Stadium

Virginia Tech players and coaches come and go, but no matter the era, the Hokie fans always pack Lane Stadium and provide a truly unbelievable pregame atmosphere for their program.

Nestled deep in Appalachia as the highest-elevated college football stadium east of the Mississippi River, Lane Stadium packs 60,000+ on Saturdays, with the whole crowd belting out a few anthems just before kick-off, a signature of VT home games.

Of course, Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ comes on, which one reporter called “an out-of-body experience” at ACC Media Days this week. With that hard rocker plus Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” Virginia Tech creates a college football entrance unlike any other for their home team.

“What’s it like coaching there on Saturday?” the one reporter asked Brent Pry after recounting their own awe at the atmosphere, particularly the Metallica aspect.

“Man, I love running out of that tunnel,” he answered. “Even when I watch the highlight video of it, you know, I get chills. It’s special.”

Pry went on to say that he’s just thankful to have such support on his side.

“I think for all of us, you love the competition, you love playing in front of big crowds, you love the excitement of the entrance,” Pry said. “So, we’re very fortunate that way. I think our fans are some of the best in the country. They pack the place.”

They just make the entrance onto the field such a thrill for the team, coaches included.

“They’re jumping to that tune. When we come out of the locker room and Johnny Cash’s ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’ is just kind of slow playing as you take that walk,” Pry continued. “By the time you hit that tunnel, man, it’s the best. So I just try and make sure I don’t stumble coming out, that’s all.”

Those fans finally had a reason to cheer in the back half of the 2023 season. With most of the stars off that group back in 2024, perhaps Virginia Tech can be in the mix for an ACC title. If that’s the case, expect some monster crowds at Lane Stadium this coming fall.

The Hokies again experienced turbulence in 2023. On the heels of three straight losing seasons to kick off the 2020s, Tech was headed down that same path when a win vs. Old Dominion was followed by three straight losses to Purdue, Marshall and Rutgers for a 1-3 start. However, Virginia Tech went 6-3 the rest of the way and 5-3 in the ACC to finish strong, setting up plenty of promise for 2024.