Everything From Brent Pry After Virginia Tech's Win Over Old Dominion

Brent Pry addressed the media after the win against ODU.

Brent Pry Post Game vs ODU 9/14/24 /

1. It looked like you got that run game cranked up how you like it, what did you see in the second half there?

Brent Pry: " I just think we had to commit to it. You know, sometimes you gotta have a little patience and just keep handing it off to 33. I mean, I wanted to see what he could do. You know, he was banged up a little bit, and the true dog came out because he wanted the ball, you know, despite the injury. And, he came through for us."

2. Things were close there for a while, APR had two sacks on that one drive and forced a fumble. It seems like you really took it over there. Just what can you say about a game like that for him?

Brent Pry: " First of all, I mean, that's the second time he's had four sacks in a game, and that's only him and Bruce Smith that have done that. And Bruce Smith's here tonight, so incredible accomplishment by APR to do it at home. So many family and friends here. Really, really happy for him. He did his personal share last night for the team and talked about coming home. Talked about coming to Virginia Tech and how it was the right thing for him and what it's meant for him. And I'm just very, very happy and proud of his efforts tonight."

3. Last time you were here, it was very much a sloppy game with 15 penalties, tonight only two. Only one turnover yes but overall, pretty clean.

Brent Pry: " They did a nice job defensively, we had some things we weren't getting hat on hat in the first half well enough in the run game. I thought we got it cleaned up at halftime again, we're doing some nice things, and we're making good adjustments at halftime."

4. Johnny Garrett came in and had to play a lot of snaps for Xavier, how is Xavier doing? And how did you think Johnny performed?

Brent Pry: " I think Xavier's fine. I think, you know, he took a pretty good lick, they X-rayed and it was clear. So, Johnny stepped up and played every snap but one or two, and did a great job. He's been working, he's gotten better and better. We had a plan for him of some substitution stuff today, but we had to throw that out the wind because all of a sudden he's the starting left tackle, but he did a nice job. "

5. Was that something that happened in pregame with Chaplin?

Brent Pry: " Yeah, he got kicked pretty good."

6. Just the fast start, how important was it?

Brent Pry: " Really big, we talked about it all week, we worked on it. We talked about it as coaches, to make sure our plan aligns with that, and I thought that play call was excellent You know, something we went in this week, and some deception there, and it certainly worked out."

7. Has it worked to that level? I mean, it looked like they completely just let Lane go right by it?

Brent Pry: "So no, it's a tricky formation. Unfortunately, I've had it run against me before, it was a good job, I thought Parker's theatrics were pretty good. "

8. We asked you earlier this week about Kyron, aside from that one pick, would you say this is Kyron playing his best game of the year?

Brent Pry: " I think so for sure, I know he's going to look at that film and see areas he can do better and play better but it was his best game today."

9. Jennings didn't play in the second half, what's he dealing with there?

Brent Pry: " He's got a tweak. I think he's going to be okay, but, you know, we weren't comfortable putting him back out there. He was disappointed, it was good to see him make a few good plays earlier."

10. Jay Lane had I think a hundred yards in the first quarter for you guys, how did he get you guys going early?

Brent Pry: " You know, honestly, he was slow to go, we weren't even sure he was going to play against Vanderbilt. He wasn't a hundred percent, I think he's finally greased up and he didn't get a lot of action in the game because he was injured, he didn't get a lot of practice. I think he's kind of hitting his stride right now, where we're getting the Jay Lane back that we know and love from last year."

11. When ODU made it tight there at halftime, they broke off a couple of big runs off the edge what did you see?

Brent Pry: " One was a miscommunication, completely on that side of the defense. You know, something that one of the guys thought he heard that put them both on dive instead of something like that's a problem can't happen. And then, you know, they did a nice job with their mid-line there was actually a dark play, a tackle trap, and they busted it through. We misfit it, we gotta get it on the ground, you gotta minimize those things too you know, explosive runs of 20, but it doesn't have to go for 40,50,60 you gotta be better. But for the most part, the message at half-time was, listen, we make them drive the field, make them earn it, I don't know if they can do that, and that's kind of how the second half went."

12. What, if anything, did you know about the third-string quarterback, the true freshman, and your pass defense for the second straight week was pretty much lights out, were you pleased with it?

Brent Pry: "We played a lot of man tonight, and let me tell you, that kid, we watched a lot of his high school film and he's fast, he's an athlete. He reminds me of some other guys on our schedule. He's got a chance to be a good football player, you know, they played to their strengths and they got those crazy splits, which are unorthodox and the defensive staff did a nice job for him."

13. Woodson got the start at wheel, is that a situational thing?

Brent Pry: " Kelly's been a little bit banged up and Caleb played well and practiced well, and he's earning more opportunities, and like I said, those linebacker positions. Even JK played well at Mike tonight, he got some reps there and I mean Sam played good. You know, those guys again, they're all complementing each other and we need all them guys to play well."

14. To go back to APR, he didn't put up numbers in those first two games, what did you feel like he unlocked coming back home?

Brent Pry: " I think we gotta get 'em off schedule in those third and longs, you know, we didn't do that well in the first two weeks. I thought Marshall got rid of the ball quickly, they had a good plan there that minimized that. But I know he was, amped up to play this game you know, he got his one-on-one shot and he won one of those."

15. You mentioned APR holding the lunch pail this game, was that leading into this week a 757 push?

Brent Pry: " Well, he's been deserving of it and staff had been putting pressure on Coach Marve, and he held out and held out, and held out, you know, finally, it was just apparent that he deserved that thing. And then he went out and maximized it. And when you get that lunch pail, you don't want to let it go and that's how he's going."

16. No yards defensively allowed in the third quarter there, what changed out of halftime to kind of shut down Henicle?

Brent Pry: " Again, we had to minimize the explosives and make them drive the field. You know, we had to control the quarterbacks and that was big for them and again they got a nice plan. They make you light in the box and hand the ball off because they get those wide splits, but I thought the DB's you know, to your point did a nice job. That was an important piece of the gameplan, we couldn't give up, you know, a bunch of catches, just playing the way we were."

17. On the block field goal what did you see?

Brent Pry: " They had a jumper, who did a nice job and they gotta push. I'm not sure about the legality of what they were doing in those A gap a couple of times, so we kept questioning them. Didn't seem like you know, you're not allowed to touch that guy, he's got to get his head up a full second. Anyways, it looked like a jumper came down illegally but I won't know until I turn it in."

18. What did you like about how John bounced back?

Brent Pry: " Yeah it was awesome, I'm not surprised. You know, John's steady and confident, I wasn't wavering on what John could do."