Brent Pry managed to conduct four in-person interviews late last week despite Winter Storm Harlow blanketing Virginia Tech’s campus in snow earlier in the week.
Pry took his time with the interviews, prioritizing candidates who would blend well with the current coaching staff. With less than a month before spring practice, he wanted to avoid a complete overhaul of the offensive system. Instead, he sought someone who could build on the success of the past two seasons while adding their own touch to the scheme.
Top veteran proved to be an ideal fit. With eight years of experience as Tulsa’s head coach and previous roles as an offensive play-caller at Houston, Baylor, and Auburn, Montgomery’s offensive expertise and track record of developing quarterbacks made him the clear choice to become Virginia Tech’s new offensive coordinator, officially hired on Monday.
“We didn’t want to start over from scratch. We’ve built a solid foundation, and while there are areas we need to improve, I didn’t want to lose the progress we’ve made,” Pry said Monday afternoon. “Coach Montgomery recognizes that as well. He saw it during film study and understands what we’re trying to build. We didn’t want to take two steps back just to move forward and be successful this fall.”
Montgomery’s hiring came less than two weeks after former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyler Bowen unexpectedly left to join Ohio State as the new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.
As the new offensive coordinator, Montgomery will lead the Hokies’ offense, while Brian Crist is currently working with the quarterbacks, Pry confirmed Monday. Pry emphasized that Montgomery’s experience with quarterbacks played a significant role in the decision to hire him.
At 53, Montgomery has built a reputation for developing quarterbacks and orchestrating high-powered offenses, particularly during his seven seasons at Baylor. Serving four years as co-offensive coordinator and three as the primary offensive coordinator under Art Briles, Montgomery helped produce standout quarterback performances, including Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III in 2011, Nick Florence in 2012, and Bryce Petty in 2013 and 2014.
Baylor’s offense thrived under Montgomery’s leadership, leading the nation in total offense in 2013 and 2014, while finishing second in 2011 and 2012.
Montgomery also found success at Houston, where he spent five seasons under Art Briles (2003-07), developing standout quarterbacks like Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb. In his final season with the Cougars, he served as co-offensive coordinator. Most recently, Montgomery was Auburn’s offensive coordinator during the 2023 season on Hugh Freeze’s staff.
“Coach Montgomery has a deep connection with Art, going back to their days together in Texas high school football, where he had a significant influence on that offensive system,” Pry said. “It was also valuable to see him adapt and implement new ideas at Tulsa that suited their program. His journey from the start of his career to now, including his time at Auburn, showed growth and versatility, which was important to me in this process.”
Virginia Tech fans first encountered Montgomery during the 2015 Independence Bowl, which marked Frank Beamer’s final game as Hokies head coach. In a high-scoring thriller with nearly 1,200 total yards of offense, Virginia Tech edged Montgomery’s Tulsa team 55-52.
The 55 points Tulsa scored in the 2015 Independence Bowl marked the most points ever allowed by a Bud Foster-led Virginia Tech defense since LSU’s 48-7 victory in the second game of the 2007 season.
“I definitely remembered that game,” Pry said with a laugh. “Coach Montgomery and I talked about it, but I waited until after we hired Philip to bring it up with Bud. Coach Foster had a lot of respect for Coach Montgomery, that offense, and how well they played in that game.”
The Independence Bowl concluded Montgomery’s first season at Tulsa. In his second year, he led the Golden Hurricane to a 10-3 record and later guided them to the American Athletic Conference championship game in 2020. Over his eight seasons at Tulsa, Montgomery posted a 43-53 record.
After being let go by Auburn at the end of the 2023 season, Montgomery spent the 2024 season as co-offensive coordinator for the UFL champion Birmingham Stallions.
Pry explained that the hiring process began with vetting 10 potential candidates, which was eventually narrowed down to six for initial interviews. Four in-person interviews and three Zoom interviews followed, leading to a final group of four candidates. Montgomery ultimately stood out as the top choice.
“Coach Montgomery clearly emerged as our best candidate,” Pry said. “We had several strong candidates, but he checked the most boxes for what we need to continue progressing not just offensively, but as a program overall.
“He’s a veteran offensive coach with a proven track record of developing quarterbacks, calling plays, and achieving statistical success along with winning seasons.”