Virginia Tech Football Announces Staff Changes Under Brent Pry
Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry has made several updates to his football staff, introducing five new hires and shifting roles within the existing team. The Hokies announced these changes on Wednesday, adding four assistant coaches—Jens Danielsen, Cannon Montgomery, Bryan Whitehead, and Jireh Wilson—along with a new support staff member, Trey Neyer. Danielsen (assistant offensive line coach) and Montgomery (assistant running backs coach) will contribute to the offense, while Whitehead (nickels coach) and Wilson (edges coach) will work on the defensive side. Neyer will serve as the director of player personnel.
“I appreciate the support from Whit Babcock and our administration in providing resources to help us succeed,” Pry said in a statement. “I’m excited about these new hires and staff assignments. We’ve brought in talented coaches who align with the culture we’re building at Virginia Tech.”
New Coaching Additions
Danielsen arrives from West Virginia, where he worked with current Hokies offensive line coach Matt Moore as a run game specialist and centers coach. His coaching career includes experience as a quality control coach at Mississippi State, a graduate assistant at Baylor, and a co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Navarro College.
Montgomery, son of Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, most recently served as a graduate assistant at Houston Christian, working with quarterbacks. His background includes stints at Auburn and Tulsa, where he played wide receiver for four years under his father.
Whitehead joins from Southern Miss, where he coached the nickels position for three seasons. He has prior experience working with Tech defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes at Wisconsin-Platteville and Wofford, where he oversaw defensive backs. Between those roles, he served as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin-La Crosse, leading a defense that ranked among the best in the WIAC conference.
Wilson comes to Virginia Tech from Kennesaw State, where he coached defensive backs and safeties. His past roles include defensive coordinator at North Greenville (D-II) and a defensive assistant at Gardner-Webb, where he mentored All-American cornerback Raequan Ousley. Wilson, a former Wofford standout, was a First Team All-SoCon selection under Siefkes and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at NGU.
Neyer, the Hokies’ new director of player personnel, previously held the same position at West Virginia. His decade-long career includes experience at Miami (OH) and Alabama, where he was a student assistant and contributed to two national championship-winning teams.
Staff Role Adjustments
Virginia Tech also announced internal role changes for three existing staff members.
- Brent Davis, previously co-offensive line coach, will now oversee tight ends. This shift allows Stu Holt to focus solely on special teams. Davis, a former Army offensive coordinator, was brought in as an analyst in 2023 and played a key role in improving Tech’s rushing attack. He was a Broyles Award nominee in 2017 for his coaching at Army.
- Shawn Quinn, who coached linebackers and nickels, will now take on the title of outside linebackers coach. Quinn was Pry’s first hire at Virginia Tech and has extensive experience coaching linebackers. He also stepped in to call defensive plays in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl after the departure of defensive coordinator Chris Marve.
- Xavier Adibi, previously an associate linebackers coach, has been promoted to inside linebackers coach. Adibi, a former All-American linebacker at Virginia Tech (2004-07), joined the staff in 2022 after serving as the defensive coordinator at East Texas A&M. During his playing career, he recorded 298 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and six forced fumbles.
With these changes, Pry continues to refine his coaching staff as the Hokies prepare for the upcoming season.
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