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Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech Football: Biggest Takeaways From ACC Media Days

Originally posted on Virginia Tech Hokies on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 6:00 PM ET

ACC Media Days are officially in the rearview and the countdown to Virginia Tech's season opener in Atlanta against South Carolina is on. Virginia Tech seems to be flying under the radar heading into 2025, but head coach Brent Pry, quarterback Kyron Drones, linebacker Jaden Keller, and defensive lineman Kelvin Gilliam Jr all sounded confident about this team when they were at the podium.

So what are the biggest takeaways from the Hokies and their time at ACC Media Days?

1. Brent Pry addresses the issue with winning one score games

One of the reasons that Virginia Tech has fallen short of expectations under Pry is their record in one score games. Virginia Tech has among the worst teams in the country in one score games, but Pry addressed that head on today when asked:

"Yeah, we've certainly talked about it a lot, as well as everybody else. First of all, it was coaching decisions, making sure we're making the right decisions, not just at the end of the game but throughout the game. Then secondly, being the team that is more mentally and physically tough and prepared at the end of a game to close it out.

So there's a couple different areas that we focused on to make sure we're better there, and certainly we've talked about it. We've leaned into it as a program, how close we were to being the team that we want to be. We were competitive week in and week out and just kept finding ways to come up short as a staff and as a team.

We should arguably be improved in that area. We've put a lot of emphasis there."

2. Pry sounds like he knows the opportunity that awaits this team in week one and week two

The Hokies are big underdogs in week one against South Carolina and then after that game, they welcome Vanderbilt to Lane Stadium. The Commodores beat Virginia Tech last year and while Pry knows these games will be challenging, he knows it is a big opportunity as well:

" Yeah, honestly, in general, we feel like we have something to prove, and that's been the mindset since the end of season.

The opportunity to play South Carolina, to play Vanderbilt at night in Lane Stadium, again, that's why these guys come to Virginia Tech. That's why I wanted to be back. The standards and expectations are to beat those guys, to win those games, like Tech did for a bunch of years.

It's challenging. South Carolina is a hell of a football team. They've recruited well. They've got a ton of momentum. They've got a dynamic edge guy. They've got an ultra talented quarterback. We've got our hands full.

But we're up for the challenge, and we're working every day to be the best team that we can be to go down there and play a good brand of football.

Then Vanderbilt, great respect for Clark Lea. I know Clark; he's done a tremendous job. I coached at Vanderbilt three years. I know the challenges in that place. He's done a tremendous job. They'll bring a really good football team in here, and they've got their own quarterback that's awful talented.

But I like our group. I like our quarterback. I like our guys. I like the direction we're going. This team right now is the closest to the vision I have for Virginia Tech football, for what I want us to be and who I want us to be. We're closer than we've ever been."

"Yeah, first of all, I think the way they responded to adversity early in their season. A testament to Shane and to that group of coaches and players, to rally back and finish the way they did.

They've notched some big wins, which is where we're still trying to get. We came awful close on a Friday night down in Miami, but we haven't garnered that type of win. South Carolina presents an opportunity to do that.

They're arguably a top-10 group. They're talented on both fronts. They've got a really -- their defensive line is productive. They're athletic. They're tenacious. They've got a great plan defensively.

I think the quarterback is one of the best in the country, and he's only going to get better. I think the pieces around him -- the offensive line, down the stretch, played as well as any group out there. Veteran coaches, and I know they're doing it the right way.

We're going to have our hands full, but we've got a good group. We're hungry, and we're competing, and we're deeper. We've got a bunch of transfers, but these transfers have a ton of experience, guys with a lot of reps at other places, and they've really come together nicely.

It's going to be a dogfight. We're going to give them everything that we've got, that's for sure."

Can they be more competitive than most believe? We will see.

3. Pry and Kyron Drones seem comfortable with new offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery

Pry had to replace both coordinators this offseason and former Baylor and Auburn offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery is now leading the unit. One of the big questions will be how he will get the most out of quarterback Kyron Drones. While it might just be talk, both Pry and Drones seemed comfortable with Montgomery and excited about what he can bring to Blacksburg:

"Yeah, that's a great question. It's pretty easy to answer. First of all, I wanted somebody that would give us the best opportunity, us and Kyron, for him to reach all of his potential and then some" Pry said. "When you look at Phil's track record with quarterbacks, it's hard to argue that he's not the right guy to do that.

Then secondly, to bring a play caller in here that has a proven plan that he believes in, that he is super knowledgeable about, that you're not reinventing the wheel every week and trying to find answers and trying to find solutions, that we can invest and buy into a plan and a system and have answers, and Phil provides all that. He's an experienced play caller. He's a veteran quarterback developer, and he's an outstanding person.

I feel very fortunate to have him with us."

"Just a level of consistency Coach Monty wants me to get to each and every day, the standard he sets me to. I just love our bond already, even though I've only been with him since January, me and him got so close, just him being a quarterback guy and he also offered me coming out of high school. So he's been wanting me to be his quarterback, and I'm just glad I get the opportunity with him."

How good Virginia Tech is this season could hinge on how much Montgomery can get out of Drones.

4. Kelvin Gilliam spoke about how the Hokies are going to replace so much sack production up front

Virginia Tech had one of the best defensive lines in the country last season, but there is a lot of production that is gone. When asked about it, Kelvin Gilliam talked about who is new to the group and his message to that group to make sure the production does not slip:

"Yeah, those guys definitely did a great job last year. Like, you see them going to the next level. For them, me coming back and playing with those guys, those guys taught me a lot, whether it's their strengths in the pass game or any other weaknesses that they have. For them, my message to this D-line that's coming up, look what we did last year. Look at the success we had last year, regardless of the score. And so I told those guys, man, we can come and do the same exact thing, because those guys taught me a lot, whether it's their pass rush skills, whether it's get-off. For them, the success that they had, for me to come back and leave behind, has just been a great deal of stuff. Some guys that I get to mention is Benjamin Bell, James Djonkam, Keyshawn Burgos, Kemari Copeland. I could go on and on. I love to brag about these guys. These are the same guys that show up to work each and every day since January, and I told these guys, we are on a mission. We are on a mission for success."

5. Jaden Keller is excited to play for new defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes

Phillip Montgomery was not the only coordinator getting attention today. Linebacker Jaden Keller spoke at length about new Hokies defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes and what he has been able to do so far with the players:

" Yeah, it's incredible, just having him, having someone that knows so much about ball, knows so much about the next level. Everyone on the roster aspires to get to that next level, to get to the league and to the next level. Just having a guy that knows so much about football that you can pick his brain and just learn so much.

From just the short time that I've met him, I've already learned so much. Things that you wouldn't even think about, like outside of football or the little details or offensive tendencies, why they do certain things, not just learning the defense but learning why offenses do certain things at certain times of the game. Not only is he making you a better football player, he's making you a smarter football player.

Once you're a smarter football player, it kind of plays into the point of playing faster. Once you're playing smart, using your head, you're anticipating, you have a feeling of what offenses might do in this certain situation, you allow yourself to play a lot faster, allow yourself to play a lot more confident, just knowing that your coach has given you all the skills, all the tools in your toolbox to go out there and execute each and every day.

But having him as a coach has been incredible, just him and this defense. He can coach any position. He knows everything. You can ask him about safeties, linebackers, D-line, anything. He knows. So just being able to pick his brain, like I said earlier, and just watching him interact, his coaching style is amazing. He can adjust to whoever he's coaching to, like kind of how KD was just saying. He knows how to coach certain players. Not everyone is coached the same. Not everyone needs to be yelled at. You've just got to figure out and got to learn the player. That's going to come with time. He's a new DC. He's learning the defense more and more each and every day. He's been being -- talking of him just being there for us. Just learning the defense and learning his players, it's only going to get better from here."