Greer standout defensive back/wide receiver Troy Pride, Jr. announced via Twitter that he is de-committing to Virginia Tech due to the pending retirement of long-time head coach Frank Beamer.
Beamer, the winningest active head coach in major college football, announced his retirement at the end of the season on Nov. 1. The 69-year-old Beamer has 277 career victories, including 235 in 29 seasons at Virginia Tech.
Pride’s announcement read:
“Firstly, I would like to thank God for all that He has blessed me with throughout the process and the opportunities that have been afforded to me. With that being said, I would like to announce my de-commitment from Virginia Tech due to the unpredictable future. I will have tremendous respect for their coach staff, including Coach Gray and #HokieNation but this huge decision has prompted me to step back and think some things over and closely evaluate my decision. VT remains one of my top schools because of the respect and love they have given my family and I. I am currently reopening my recruitment.”
Pride has visited Notre Dame, Tennessee and Clemson over the course of the season, but had remained committed to Virginia Tech until Wednesday. In addition to Virginia Tech, he reportedly has offers from Tennessee, Marshall, Appalachian State, Mercer and North Carolina.