Brent Pry recalls process that led him to hiring Sam Siefkes

The Virginia Tech Hokies are dealing with turnover on the coaching staff this offseason after head coach Brent Pry decided to make several major changes. One of those included making a move at defensive coordinator to hire Sam Siefkes for the 2025 season.

Shortly after that hire was announced, Pry shared some insight into the process that led to hiring Siefkes. In particular, he shared how Siefkes initially made his way on Virginia Tech’s radar during the hiring cycle.

“I did know about Sam,” Brent Pry said. “I’ve got a guy that played for me for five years that I’m very close with, recruited him, coached him, Jesse Luketa is out there playing at Arizona. That was the first conversation. When I talked to Jesse often enough just kind of about the coaching and the scheme out there. Of course Ryan Smith‘s coaching out there. Ryan GAd for me at Penn State and coached here.”

Sam Siefkes was most recently in the NFL as a linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. He has also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings. On top of that, he does have experience as a coordinator in college, leading the Wofford defense from 2018 to 2020 where he produced some of the FCS’ best defenses.

“We garnered candidates from multiple phone calls that we received,” Pry explained. “And also we looked out across analytically who fielded some really quality defenses over the last couple years at different places, and then you kind of trace it back. Of course, agents talk and field names, just did a great job of just kind of surface level, 100 level, the initial research on guys. We had a working list of 20 candidates that we kind of zeroed things in on, and then we took it down to 10. Sam made that 10.”

The 2024 season ended in a bowl game for Virginia Tech but it was still a frustrating final stretch to the season for Pry and the Hokies. They lost four of their final five games, including the bowl game, to finish 6-7 with a losing record. That prompted some of those changes to the coaching staff, including firing defensive coordinator Chris Marve and replacing him with Sam Siefkes.

Brent Pry confident in what Sam Siefkes brings as defensive coordinator

One thing that Sam Siefkes lacks is experience at the FBS level. Despite that, Brent Pry is confident in what he brings to Virginia Tech as a defensive coordinator.

“I think a couple of things. I think his five years coordinating is very valuable. He kind of had a path similar to my own, and his ability to do what he did at Wofford… That’s consistency at a high level, productive defenses. To do it at Wofford out of two different structures. Not many guys that I know have done that. That’s challenging. As I mentioned, his football IQ is very impressive. Then, NFL experience to me, they’re doing it at the highest level, the game planning, the playcalling, the situational defenses, and the guys that he was around — some of the best at the highest level. Then, when they’re telling me that he’s ready to do this, more than ready, and that he’s got NFL coordinator, head coach one day,” Pry said.

“I mean the praises were, so I felt very confident in it. Again, as you spend time and you learn more, that needle just kept moving for Sam in that direction. He’s composed, he’s poised, he’s got a ton of confidence. A lot of things and traits that I look for that say he’s more than capable.”