Pry announces Xavier Adibi, Brian Crist additions to coaching staff
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech Football head coach Brent Pry announced Tuesday that former Hokies’ LB Xavier Adibi has joined the football staff as a defensive analyst.
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Adibi returns to Blacksburg after serving as the defensive coordinator for Texas A&M – Commerce for the past three seasons. Under Adibi’s guidance, the Lions finished the 2021 season with the No. 3 ranked total defense and passing defense in Division II, allowing just 214.9 total yards and 116.9 passing yards per game. Texas A&M – Commerce also finished the year with the No. 5 ranked scoring defense in Division II, allowing only 13.2 ppg.
Adibi's defensive unit was one of the best in the Lone Star Conference in 2019, leading the league in sacks per game (3.4) and finishing in the top two in total defense (316.3 ypg), passing defense (193.8 ypg), rushing defense (122.5 ypg), Red Zone defense (69.8 pct.), defensive touchdowns scored (seven) and tackles for loss (113.0). S Dominique Ramsey was named a first team All-American, and the defense earned four all-region and seven All-Lone Star Conference honors.
Adibi was hired by Texas A&M – Commerce following one year as a defensive analyst with Arkansas during the 2018 season.
As a player with the Hokies, Adibi became the second linebacker in Tech football history to earn All-America honors, achieving the feat as a senior following the 2007 season. Adibi was a two-time All-ACC selection and was part of two ACC Championship teams in Blacksburg. Following his illustrious Tech career, Adibi was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by Houston. He was inducted into the Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
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Pry also announced Tuesday that Brian Crist has been promoted to senior offensive analyst. Crist spent last season on Tech’s staff as an offensive analyst.
The Blacksburg native began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Virginia Tech (1994-95) under head coach Frank Beamer. Crist and Pry were both graduate assistants on Tech’s 1995 squad that defeated Texas in the Sugar Bowl and concluded the season ranked No. 10 in the final AP Poll.
Prior to rejoining Tech in 2020, Crist spent five seasons at Youngstown State under head coach Bo Pelini. He served as offensive coordinator (2018-19) and wide receivers coach (2015-17) for the Penguins. Crist was part of a coaching staff that helped Youngstown State reach the 2016 FCS National Championship Game, marking the program’s first appearance in the FCS title game since 1999.
Crist spent one season as executive director of player personnel/offensive assistant at Nebraska (2014) and served as wide receivers coach at Bridgewater College in 2013.
He and Pry spent five seasons working together at Louisiana-Lafayette (2002-06). Crist coached wide receivers in 2002-04 before adding duties as passing game coordinator in 2005-06 while Pry served as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. The Ragin’ Cajuns won the 2005 Sun Belt Conference title with both coaches on the staff.
Crist enjoyed two stints on the coaching staff at UMass (1996-01, 2007-10), highlighted by a win in the 1998 FCS National Championship Game. The Minutemen made three FCS Playoff appearances, winning the Atlantic 10 title in 1998 and 1999, as well as a Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2007. His most notable pupil at UMass was WR Victor Cruz, who went on to star for the N.Y. Giants.
Crist in the son of now-retired longtime Blacksburg High School football coach, David Crist. The younger Crist served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at his high school alma mater in 2012.
Crist earned his bachelor’s degree in economics with math from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia in 1994. He and his wife, Amy, have four children, Jackson, Ali, Caroline and Logan.
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