The new staffs at Virginia and Virginia Tech are hitting the recruiting trail. Some of their first stops were in the 757.
The race is on.
This week, the new football staffs at Virginia Tech and Virginia hit the road — and the runway — to visit potential recruits across the state.
Both staffs took trips to Hampton Roads in their first recruiting visits since Virginia Tech hired Brent Pry and Virginia hired Tony Elliott. Their predecessors — the Hokies’ Justin Fuente and the Cavaliers’ Bronco Mendenhall — were criticized for not recruiting well in the state, and Hampton Roads coaches were particularly baffled about the lack of attention given to the 757.
Things, apparently, will be different under the new regimes. Both Pry, a former Penn State defensive coordinator, and Elliott, a former offensive coordinator at Clemson, promised to recruit hard in the state.
“We’re (757) Bound!!!” Virginia Tech assistant coach Derek Jones wrote on his Twitter account before boarding a plane. “It’s a great time to be a Hokie!”
The Virginia and Virginia Tech staffs visited Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake in a nod to coach Chris Scott and South Hampton Roads’ most successful program in recent years. The Tigers have won back-to-back Virginia High School League Class 6 state championships.
Eli Harold, a former Virginia star and now an assistant coach at Oscar Smith, posted a photo on Twitter that included Scott, Elliott and Virginia assistant Marques Hagans, writing, “I present to you the NEW ERA of @UVAFootball!!! It’s time for the #Takeover.”
Both staffs also visited Phoebus and coach Jeremy Blunt. The Phantoms have won eight state championships in the past 20 years, including the latest Class 3 title.
“It was great having UVA in the building today,” Blunt said on Twitter. “Thank you to Coach Elliot(t), Coach Hagans, and Coach (Chris) Slade for stopping by. I enjoyed hearing your vision for your program, we look forward to building this relationship and working with you!”
After a visit with Virginia Tech’s Jones, Blunt wrote, “it truly was a pleasure to have V. Tech back in the building….it has been too long.”
Among the schools Pry and Hokies assistant Fontel Mines, a former coach at Old Dominion, paid visits to were Western Branch, Deep Creek, Salem and Norview.
“The love & support in the 757 has been amazing,” Mines tweeted with a picture of Pry and Western Branch coach Rashad Cook.
Jones also visited Menchville in Newport News and Warhill and Jamestown in the Williamsburg area.
Jones noted on Twitter that Jamestown coach Terry Smith played for Tech and was a member of coach Frank Beamer’s first recruiting class.
On Thursday, Pry visited Warwick High in Newport News, tweeting, “Looking for the next @MichaelVick to QB @HokiesFB #legend #backinthe757.”
At Tabb, coach Brent Ashley also hosted members of both staffs, including Slade — a legendary player for Tabb who went on to become an All-America linebacker for Virginia and an All-Pro in the NFL.
“It was great having UVA in the building this morning,” Ashley tweeted. “Always great to see Tabb Legend Chris Slade.”
Most of Hampton Roads’ top players in the Class of 2022 chose colleges when the early signing period began Dec. 15. Only two players ranked among The Pilot’s Top 50 recruits signed with Virginia or Virginia Tech: King’s Fork defensive lineman Kyree Moyston (No. 7) and Green Run Law defensive lineman Lemar Law (No. 10) both signed with the Hokies.
Since then, Virginia gained a commitment from Michigan State transfer Jack Camper, a defensive lineman who starred for Cox High in Virginia Beach. He will play as a graduate transfer and have one remaining season of eligibility.
Jami Frankenberry, 757-446-2376, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com
