Virginia Tech releases contract details for new head coach Brent Pry

Editor’s note: Terms were amended after Virginia Tech clarified its figures following the original posting of this story

Virginia Tech officially introduced their new head football coach, former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry, to Hokie Nation in a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Shortly after Pry issued a statement and fielded questions, the details of his new contract were released by Virginia Tech.

Under the new 6-year deal, Hokies’ coach Brent Pry’s total pay is set to be $4 million in each of first two years, then rise to $4.75M for 2024 and ’25, and $5M for 2026 and ’27. Justin Fuente had been set for $4.25M this season, not including 10% pandemic reduction.

There is also a $5.5 million budget allotted for 10 full-time assistant coaches and $2.25 million for support staff written into Pry’s contract with Virginia Tech.

Pry, 51, replaces former Hokies coach Justin Fuente, who was let go Nov. 16 after his teams went 43-31 in six seasons.

Pry returns to Blacksburg, where he served as a defensive graduate assistant from 1995 to 1997 under head coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster.

Pry spent the past six seasons as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, and has helped produce Top-25 units in total defense in eight of his past 12 seasons, including four at Penn State, three at Vanderbilt and one at Georgia Southern. The Nittany Lions rank seventh in scoring defense this season, allowing 16.8 points per game.

Virginia Tech investing significantly in Brent Bry

There have been ongoing discussions surrounding Virginia Tech’s athletic budget for football ranking in the middle-of-the-pack in the ACC and well below a bevy of programs throughout the country.

That’s about to change with Hokie athletic director Whit Babcock giving Pry a significantly better deal than Fuente hauled in upon his arrival from Memphis.

Fuente’s first deal was worth $3.2 million in his initial campaign. The contract stated he would receive $3.65 million by 2021, and at the time, the deal made him the third-highest paid coach in the ACC.

In 2018, the program appeared to be heading in the right direction and Fuente was awarded a bonus. The agreement extended Fuente’s current contract one more year through 2024 and increased his financial compensation to $4 million for 2018 and 2019.

It is clear Virginia Tech is making a significant investment in their new coach.