Virginia Tech is reshaping its football identity under James Franklin, who officially announced a revamped coaching staff on Tuesday that blends continuity with fresh firepower from across the college and pro football landscape.
Let’s start with a familiar face returning to a new role: Brent Pry is back in Blacksburg, this time as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Hokies fans know Pry well-he led the program as head coach for four seasons, guiding the team to bowl appearances in 2023 and 2024.
Before that, he and Franklin were a formidable duo at both Penn State and Vanderbilt, where Pry’s defenses routinely ranked among the best in the country. Now, he’s back in a role that plays to his strengths-crafting aggressive, disciplined defenses from the second level out.
Joining him on the defensive side is Sean Spencer, who steps in as run game coordinator and defensive line coach. Spencer arrives from Texas A&M, where he helped lead the Aggies to a College Football Playoff berth in 2025.
His defensive front was no joke-Texas A&M ranked among the national leaders in tackles for loss and total defense. Add in his NFL experience with the New York Giants, and you’ve got a coach who knows how to develop talent and disrupt offenses at every level.
Another homecoming is in store for Anthony Midget, now the pass game coordinator and safeties coach. A former Hokies captain and All-American, Midget brings both pride and pedigree back to his alma mater. He’s been sharpening his coaching chops in the NFL with the Steelers, Titans, and Texans, and now returns to guide the next generation of Virginia Tech defensive backs.
Vic Hall rounds out the new defensive hires as defensive recruiting coordinator and nickels coach. He most recently coached safeties at Rutgers and brings a diverse coaching résumé from across the college ranks. A former standout player at Virginia, Hall adds regional knowledge and recruiting savvy to the staff.
On the offensive side of the ball, Franklin has made some bold moves. Ty Howle takes over as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach after a six-year run at Penn State. He’s credited with developing the program’s first John Mackey Award winner in 2024, and his track record with tight ends and overall offensive development makes him a key piece in shaping what the Hokies’ offense will look like moving forward.
Norval McKenzie joins as assistant head coach, run game coordinator, and running backs coach. His work at Georgia Tech speaks for itself-his backfields consistently ranked among the ACC’s top rushing attacks. Expect him to bring that same physical, downhill mentality to the Hokies’ ground game.
Matt Moore returns for a second season as offensive line coach, and that’s good news for Virginia Tech’s run game. Under his guidance, the Hokies were among the ACC’s best in rushing offense in 2025-a crucial foundation for any successful team.
At quarterback, Danny O’Brien steps in as the new position coach. With experience at both the collegiate level and in the CFL, including time at Penn State, O’Brien brings a versatile, developmental mindset to the most important position on the field.
Fontel Mines will continue in his role as offensive recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach. He’s entering his fifth season in Blacksburg, and his return adds a layer of stability and consistency to a staff undergoing significant change.
Special teams also get a boost with the addition of Doug Shearer as coordinator. He spent the last four years at UConn, where his units consistently ranked among the nation’s most productive. That kind of attention to detail and execution can swing close games-something Franklin knows well.
Rounding out the performance side of the program, Chuck Losey has been named assistant athletics director for athletic performance for football. With more than 20 years in collegiate strength and conditioning, Losey brings a wealth of experience in player development, injury prevention, and peak performance.
Franklin also announced a series of additions and retentions on the support staff, including analysts, position assistants, and athletic performance personnel. Many of these hires come from Franklin’s previous stops, particularly Penn State, while others are holdovers from the existing Virginia Tech infrastructure.
All in all, this is a staff built with intention-mixing institutional knowledge with new voices that have proven themselves at the highest levels. Franklin is setting the tone early in Blacksburg: this is a program that’s not just looking to compete, but to build something sustainable, physical, and fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball.
The pieces are in place. Now it’s about putting it all together.