Before taking the reins as head football coach at Virginia Tech, Brent Pry honed his craft under James Franklin at Penn State, serving as the defensive coordinator. When he arrived in Blacksburg to succeed Justin Fuente, Pry knew that rebuilding the Hokies would start with one key element: recruiting.
Since then, Pry has made notable strides in attracting in-state talent—a skill he also flexed while at Penn State—and expanded Virginia Tech’s recruiting footprint into the Northeast. A highlight came last June, when the Hokies landed a major commitment from four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone out of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, a promising prospect in the Class of 2026.
But the celebration didn’t last. In November, Falzone reopened his recruitment, leaving the Hokies with no commitments in the 2026 class. Still, Virginia Tech didn’t give up easily. Despite his de-commitment, they remained in contact with the talented signal caller. Former offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen even visited Falzone shortly before departing for Ohio State, where he now coaches the offensive line. Even with the continued interest, it never truly felt like the Hokies were back in serious contention.
On Saturday night, the inevitable happened—Falzone announced his new commitment, staying close to home and choosing Penn State. The move wasn’t exactly a shock, but it still stings in Blacksburg. At 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds, Falzone becomes the second former Hokie commit to flip to the Nittany Lions.
This isn’t the first time Penn State has swiped a recruit from Virginia Tech. Back in September, four-star wide receiver Matthew Outten from the Class of 2025 flipped to the Nittany Lions just two days after the Hokies’ heartbreaking season-opening overtime loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville.
As it stands, Virginia Tech’s 2026 class features only one pledge—wide receiver Carnell Warren, who committed earlier this year. More recruits are expected to follow, but losing a talent like Falzone, especially to a familiar rival like Penn State, is a tough pill for Pry and the Hokies to swallow.
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