Under Pressure: Brent Pry Faces Heat as Hokies’ Lane Stadium Fades from Glory to Obscurity in EA Sports Snub

Once hailed as one of the most intimidating venues in college football, Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium is no longer the electrifying cauldron of chaos it used to be—at least according to EA Sports. In a move that has left Hokies fans stunned and infuriated, Lane Stadium, once synonymous with bone-rattling noise and the iconic blare of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” has been glaringly overlooked in the newly released EA Sports College Football 25 rankings of top home-field advantages. And with that snub, head coach Brent Pry finds himself in the line of fire.

For a generation of college football enthusiasts, Lane Stadium wasn’t just a football field—it was a rite of passage. A nightmare for visiting teams, the stadium’s entrance sequence was the stuff of legend: players jumping to “Enter Sandman,” the crowd shaking the ground, and a collective roar that made Blacksburg tremble. But now, as the latest EA Sports game drops and ranks other stadiums above the Hokies’ historic home, many fans are asking one question: how did it come to this?

During the peak of Virginia Tech’s football dominance in the early 2000s, Lane Stadium was more than deserving of its fearsome reputation. Opponents dreaded traveling to the heart of southwest Virginia. ESPN commentators routinely ranked it as one of the toughest places to play, and the fanbase’s passion turned home games into seismic events.

But in the new EA Sports rankings, Lane Stadium fails to crack the top tier. Instead, louder, trendier programs like Alabama, Georgia, and even Colorado—with their newfound media frenzy—are lauded. The absence of Lane Stadium in these rankings didn’t go unnoticed. Hokies fans took to social media in outrage, decrying what they perceive as a sign of national disrespect.

Yet behind the digital slight lies a deeper issue—one that centers on head coach Brent Pry and his struggles to return Virginia Tech to national prominence.

Brent Pry, hired in 2021 to bring stability and spark back to the Hokies, entered his tenure with strong ties to Virginia Tech’s glory days, having served on Frank Beamer’s staff in the early 2000s. There was hope that Pry could rekindle the spirit of a once-proud program. But after two underwhelming seasons, that hope is fading.

In his first season, the Hokies limped to a disappointing 3–8 record. The second campaign showed marginal improvement, but it was still far from what fans expected. Offensive inconsistency, lackluster defensive performances, and an inability to win big games at home have chipped away at fan confidence.

Now, with Lane Stadium slipping from the national spotlight, fans are pointing fingers—not just at a video game company, but at the man tasked with reviving the program.

For many longtime supporters, the EA Sports snub represents more than a digital slight—it’s a reflection of the program’s broader decline. Lane Stadium didn’t just fall off a list because of technical limitations; it fell because Virginia Tech football has lost the fire and fear it once commanded.

Enter Sandman” still plays. The crowd still jumps. But the energy doesn’t carry the same weight when the team on the field struggles to live up to the program’s legacy. When opponents no longer fear coming to Blacksburg, the mystique evaporates.

And that’s the core of the issue. Brent Pry has been unable—so far—to reignite that mystique. The symbolic loss of Lane Stadium’s top-tier status in EA Sports is now part of the larger conversation about his tenure. Fans are demanding results, and they’re no longer satisfied with nostalgia.

Pry now enters a make-or-break season. The Hokies have a schedule that offers opportunities to regain relevance, but every game will carry the weight of expectation. If the team falters again, especially at home, calls for a coaching change could grow louder.

To reestablish Lane Stadium as a feared venue, it will take more than speakers and songs. It will take wins—big wins—against meaningful opponents. It will take a return to defensive dominance, offensive identity, and a brand of football that reflects the grit and pride of Virginia Tech.