Brent Pry is returning to Virginia Tech on a three-year contract.

The former Hokies coach was hired by James Franklin to be defensive coordinator and agreed to a three-year deal that will pay him more than $5 million, according to a contract obtained by a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request.

Pry and Virginia Tech agreed to a contract that runs through March 1, 2029, and also agreed to reduce the buyout of his previous contract as head coach.

The contract and amended buyout will net Pry nearly $8.4 million.

The letter of intent for Pry’s contract went into effect Dec. 7 and was signed the following day.

Pry will make $1.5 million in the 2026 and ’27 seasons ($400,000 in base salary and $1.1 million in supplemental compensation), and he is set to make $2 million in 2028 ($400,00 in base salary and $1.6 million in supplemental compensation).

He will receive a pro-rated amount in base pay and supplemental compensation for the final 25 days of 2025 and for the first two months in 2029.

The base pay and supplemental compensation over the course of the deal is more than $5.2 million.

Pry can make up to $100,000 in performance incentives during each season of the contract.

Pry was fired on Sept. 14 after beginning his fourth season as head coach with an 0-3 record. The Hokies were 16-24 in his three-plus seasons at the helm.

His previous contact had him set to be paid $6,073,295 as a buyout for his contract after being fired without cause. Those payments were set to be paid quarterly through Dec. 1, 2027.

He will receive $3,117,487 paid out through Jan. 31, 2027.

Pry spent 11 seasons on Franklin’s staffs at Vanderbilt and Penn State. He served as either defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach throughout those 11 seasons.

Pry left Penn State after the 2021 season to become a head coach for the first time when Virginia Tech hired him to replace Justin Fuente.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/12/21/brent-pry-amended-buyout/