Brent Pry Reacts to Virginia Tech’s Costly Mistakes in Loss to South Carolina
Virginia Tech had a chance to pull off an upset against No. 13 South Carolina on Sunday in Atlanta, but late miscues cost the Hokies in a 24-11 defeat. Entering the fourth quarter, the game was still within reach at 10-8. However, two explosive plays by the Gamecocks — including a momentum-shifting punt return — sealed the Hokies’ fate.
After the game, Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry addressed the media, reflecting on his team’s performance and the mistakes that proved costly.
On the Punt Return That Changed the Game
“You never like to have your cover team go twice in a row. You just don’t want that. I didn’t like it when it happened. And then our gunners, you’ve got to take your shot. You’ve got to finish. I don’t know if they assumed that he wasn’t going to catch the ball or that he was going to fair catch it, but they came off the gas instead of taking their shot, which makes the guy go sideways and gives the rest of your coverage team a chance to make the play. Certainly disappointing.”
Analysis: Pry’s frustration stems from Vicari Swain’s 80-yard punt return for a touchdown, the defining moment of the game. South Carolina had initially let a punt go out of bounds, but a formation penalty gave Shane Beamer the choice to force a re-kick. He took it — and it paid off. The Hokies’ coverage faltered, giving Swain the opening he needed.
On Self-Inflicted Errors
“Disappointed in the outcome, and there’s no pats on the back. Too many self-inflicted errors, untimely penalties, dropped balls at the right time, and not good enough in the red zone. You’ve got to have touchdowns down there.”
Analysis: Pry acknowledged the recurring issues plaguing Virginia Tech. Missed opportunities, penalties, and red-zone struggles have been themes under his tenure. Against South Carolina, the Hokies had chances but repeatedly failed to capitalize, leaving points on the field.
On Execution vs. Play Calling
“I don’t have a problem with the play selection. We’ll look at the film again but it’s the execution. We got to be better. It’s the penalty. It’s the execution. It’s the decision-making. And we’ve doubled down on our work in the red zone so that makes it even more frustrating.”
Analysis: While Pry defended new offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery’s play calling, he pointed squarely to poor execution. Whether it was a missed throw, a dropped ball, or a penalty, the Hokies couldn’t finish drives. Pry’s comments suggest the scheme is sound, but the players must perform at a higher level to turn opportunities into points.
On Moving Forward
“We’ve got to be better and we will be. We have to grow from this.”
Analysis: Despite the frustration, Pry struck an optimistic tone. The loss highlighted familiar problems, but there were flashes of promise. As the season progresses, Pry believes growth and improvement are inevitable — though fans will want to see results sooner rather than later.
Virginia Tech may have fallen short in Atlanta, but the game showed they could hang with a ranked opponent. For Pry, the next step is turning competitive moments into wins — and eliminating the costly mistakes that continue to define his team’s close losses.
