Brent Pry has led the Hokies through low and high expectations during his tenure as head coach. In his first season as head coach in 2022, the Hokies struggled, finishing the year with just three wins. Since this year, Virginia Tech has seen a complete turnaround. The Hokies won seven games last year, including the program’s first bowl win since 2016. The team from Blacksburg has certainly catapulted itself into conversations it was never in before: ACC contender, underdog candidate, and even CFP underdog.

All of those arguments are valid. This is the most talented Virginia Tech team in a long time. The Hokies have a cornerback roster that is probably the best in the ACC, a strong defensive line with several NFL-level players, and the most versatile offense in the ACC. The list of pure NFL talent is just ridiculous: Dorian Strong, Mansoor Delane, Aeneas Peebles, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Ali Jennings, John Love, Bhayshul Tuten, Kyron Drones, and the list goes on. There are no weaknesses anywhere on this roster, and Brent Pry has spent a lot of time making sure of that.

That’s why ESPN+ has included Virginia Tech on its list of “breakthrough and comeback” candidates.

“Brent Pry’s Hokies are obvious candidates for a list like this: They’ve been on a resurgence in the second half of 2023, and most of the reasons for that resurgence are back. Quarterback Kyron Drones and running back Bhayshul Tuten give Tech a dynamic running game, and a total of 19 starters return. Competing in the ACC will require more improvement in the trenches — which is never guaranteed — but according to SP+, the Hokies are rated as underdogs in just two games (at Miami in Week 5, Clemson at home in Week 11).

After so much consistent success in the 1990s and 2000s, life has gotten a little bumpier for Virginia Tech of late. The Hokies haven’t finished in the SP+ top 30 since 2017, and they’ve only done that twice in the last 12 seasons. They lost 12 of the first 17 games Pry coached, but they’ve won five of seven, and Drones gives them real star power behind center.

There is serious reason for optimism in Blacksburg.”

I don’t think it’s unrealistic to think Virginia Tech isn’t far off from getting back into ACC contention. Virginia Tech is a long-standing and storied program that doesn’t lose for long. There’s no reason for fans not to have faith in Brent Pry, it’s finally time for the Hokies to get back into contention in the ACC, and this year is just another step in getting ever closer to glory.