Brent Pry Reflects on How South Carolina Opener Alters Virginia Tech’s Summer Preparation
Having a strong Week 1 opponent can bring added energy to an offseason, and for Virginia Tech, opening the 2025 season against South Carolina brings an extra level of excitement. Head coach Brent Pry is looking to start the season on a positive note, especially as he heads into a crucial year for the Hokies.
After the first day of preseason camp, Pry acknowledged that there was a noticeable energy boost coming out of the summer. When asked if facing South Carolina in the opener contributed to the heightened enthusiasm, his immediate response was affirmative. However, Pry believes there are deeper motivations at play, as the team is eager to prove themselves.
“I think more than anything, these guys have a chip on their shoulder,” Pry said. “They’re excited about how close they are, they’re excited about the summer they’ve had, and they feel like they have something to prove.”
Virginia Tech’s 2024 season ended on a disappointing note, with the Hokies losing four of their final five games, including a defeat to Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl that left them with a losing 6-7 record. This marked the second time in three years under Pry that the Hokies finished with a losing record.
The program has been in need of a turnaround, with the last eight-win season dating back to 2019 and the last double-digit win campaign in 2016. The later years of Frank Beamer’s tenure and the coaching periods that followed have struggled to find consistent success.
Roddy Jones of the ACC Network perfectly captured the importance of the South Carolina game for Pry and Virginia Tech. A win in this high-profile matchup would provide a much-needed confidence boost and ease some of the pressure surrounding the program.
“I don’t think there’s a person on this Earth that needs or could use a win Week 1 more than Brent Pry,” Jones said. “He wins that game, and I think there will be a collective sigh of relief for Virginia Tech. There’s a lot of pressure on the program right now. Imagine the added pressure if they lose to South Carolina going into the Vanderbilt game.”
Jones also noted the significance of the game’s timing. The contest will be nationally televised on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 3:30 p.m. ET, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the nation’s attention focused on the South Carolina-Virginia Tech matchup as it’s one of the few games on that day.
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