Two weeks ago, Virginia Tech football head coach Brent Pry dismissed three assistant coaches: defensive coordinator Chris Marve, offensive line coach Ron Crook, and strength coach Dwight Galt IV. The departures of Marve and Crook were expected given the struggles their units faced in the 2024 season.
After a disappointing year, it seems Pry is making changes in response to increasing pressure. With issues in in-game management and a poor record of 1-12 in one-score games, his margin for error is shrinking. Following the firing of three assistant coaches, the former Penn State defensive coordinator will need to make the right hires moving forward. He took a step in that direction by hiring a new offensive line coach from a Big 12 school.
Virginia Tech hires Matt Moore as OL coach
Virginia Tech has hired Matt Moore, West Virginia’s former offensive line coach, to replace Ron Crook. At first glance, this seems like a solid hire by Brent Pry. Moore brings 19 years of experience coaching in Division 1 and has had significant success at West Virginia, where he’s developed several NFL players.
“I am thrilled to add Matt Moore to our staff,” Pry said in a press release. “He brings extensive experience coaching offensive lines at the Power Five level. His proven ability to develop strong, tough offensive line units that play with exceptional physicality will be a tremendous asset to our program. His leadership and expertise align perfectly with our vision for Virginia Tech football.”
The Hokies will certainly benefit from Moore’s experience, as the offensive line has been a major weakness for the team over the past two years. Moore’s primary task will be to rebuild a line that is losing players to the transfer portal and to graduation. Strengthening the offensive line to protect returning quarterbacks Kyron Drones and Pop Watson is crucial. It wouldn’t be surprising if some of Moore’s former players from West Virginia follow him to Blacksburg.
Overall, this hire feels like a significant upgrade, which is exactly what Pry needs as his seat grows warmer heading into 2025. Moore’s track record suggests this will be a positive move, and fans should be optimistic. The next step is to provide him with the players he needs to develop as soon as possible.
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