
James Franklin’s Persuasion Secures Brent Pry’s Return to Virginia Tech
A look at how a combination of professional ambition and hometown support convinced defensive mastermind Brent Pry to remain at Virginia Tech as defensive coordinator.
Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning Whit Babcock across Football.

A look at how a combination of professional ambition and hometown support convinced defensive mastermind Brent Pry to remain at Virginia Tech as defensive coordinator.

After surprising dismissals at Penn State and Virginia Tech, James Franklin secured the services of defensive coordinator Brent Pry, whose deep roots in the community and shared history with Franklin have reignited optimism in Blacksburg.

Virginia Tech is targeting Florida Atlantic’s athletic director Brian White to replace Whit Babcock, with a deal expected before the 2026 football season.

The ACC rivals have called off their scheduled 2027 and 2028 meetings, focusing instead on the upcoming 2026 and 2029 contests that will continue a decades‑long series.

The schools have canceled their 2027 and 2028 games, replacing them with Baylor matchups, while preserving historic contests in 2026 and 2029.

The Atlantic Coast Conference schools have revised their football schedule, canceling the 2027 Blacksburg and 2028 College Park games while keeping the 2026 and 2029 contests intact.