Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry is facing a sluggish start to recruiting for the Class of 2026. As of now, the Hokies have secured only four commitments, two of which were added over the weekend.
Before joining Virginia Tech, Pry served as defensive coordinator at Penn State under James Franklin, where Franklin often came out on top in recruiting battles. Nearly four years into his tenure in Blacksburg, Pry is now losing key recruiting fights to his former boss, with a significant blow delivered on Monday.
**Virginia Tech Falls to Penn State in Another Recruiting Battle**
On Monday, four-star linebacker Elijah Littlejohn from Charlotte, N.C., chose Penn State over Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and NC State, opting for the Big Ten over three ACC programs. This marks the third time in the past year that a recruit has picked State College over Blacksburg, with the sting deepened by the fact that two of the three had previously committed to the Hokies.
Last September, wide receiver Matthew Outten de-committed from Virginia Tech following the Hokies’ Labor Day Weekend loss to Vanderbilt, flipping his commitment to Penn State. In November, four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone, a Pennsylvania native, also backed out from Virginia Tech—five months after committing—and chose to play for James Franklin at Penn State, staying in his home state.
How close was Virginia Tech to securing linebacker Elijah Littlejohn? It’s unclear, but being in the running for the talented four-star from Charlotte, N.C., only to see him pick Penn State over the Hokies and other ACC schools like Georgia Tech and NC State, is a tough pill for Hokies fans to swallow. Brent Pry faces a steep challenge with the Class of 2026 recruiting, and for the third time in less than a year, Penn State and Franklin have outmaneuvered him on the recruiting trail.
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