Virginia Tech fires Altoona native Brent Pry after 0-3 start
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BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech fired football coach Brent Pry -- the Altoona native and former Penn State defensive coordinator -- on Sunday after the program stumbled to its first 0-3 start since 1987.
The school announced the move a day after the Hokies fell behind 31-0 on the way to a 45-26 home loss to Old Dominion.
In a statement, school president Tim Sands said the change was "necessary" due to on-field results described as "not acceptable" as Pry reached his fourth season. That included giving up 65 unanswered points over more than 70 minutes of game action during last week's home loss to Vanderbilt and into Saturday night's loss to ODU, which beat Pry's Hokies in his coaching debut in 2022 and again in what became his finale.
"Blacksburg will always hold a special place in our hearts," Pry said in his own statement. "We leave with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships, and we will forever be cheering for the Hokies."
Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery will serve as interim coach, while Sands pointed to a need to "develop a financial, organizational and leadership plan that will rapidly position (the program) to be competitive with the best" in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The school hired Pry in 2021 after eight seasons as the defensive coordinator at Penn State. But the former Virginia Tech graduate assistant under Beamer went 16-24 with the Hokies, including 10-13 in league play.
He signed a six-year, $27.5 million contract at the time of his hiring. He is making $4.75 million this season and the school would owe Pry a roughly $6 million buyout.
Virginia Tech went just 1-12 under Pry in games decided by one-possession margins.
UCLA fires coach
LOS ANGELES -- UCLA fired football coach DeShaun Foster after the team started the season 0-3.
Athletic director Martin Jarmond announced the decision on Sunday. The move came after the Bruins lost to New Mexico 35-10 on Friday, marking their second straight loss to a Mountain West Conference opponent.
Foster, who took over from Chip Kelly in February 2024, had a 5-10 record with the team. The Bruins were also defeated by Utah and UNLV this season.
Tim Skipper will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season.