BLACKSBURG, VA. – Pearson Priolet waited two long years to catch the lunch pail, so the moment he finally did, right after Virginia Tech’s 1997 opener against Rutgers, is indelible in his mind.
“I got to see a lot of good football players like JC Price, Cornell Brown, Torrian Gray, Myron Newsome walk around with that lunch box,” said Prioleau, now the Hokies’ safeties coach, who had seven tackles and a 43-yard fumble returned for a touchdown that day against the Scarlet Knights.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on that thing. And when I first got my hands on it, I immediately understood the glory, but I also immediately felt the responsibility of being the person to carry that lunch.
The lunch pail tradition is back at Virginia Tech, the school announced Friday on Twitter, another way new coach Brent Pry is returning to the Hokies.
He’s back.#This is home. | #GroundUp
ℹ️ https://t.co/5oHPhSkulk pic.twitter.com/GotKxKwgVc
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) August 26, 2022
The Hokies have been open about Pyle’s return after a two-year hiatus, though expect the process to be similar to what marked Bud Foster’s defense at Virginia Tech from 1995-2019, when he was tasked with carrying the defensive leadership. Practice during the week and back and on the sidelines on game day.
“It’s a special deal,” Prioleau said. When Lunch Pal came into being, I had the opportunity to be a freshman in that 95 batch, so I know what that Lunch Pal means to this program, what it means to the 95 batch and what it means to all the teams. Moving forward. Not just for footballers, but for this whole community and its values.
“The values are the ultimate teamwork; the values carry around the hopes, dreams and goals of this entire university. So it’s getting a chance to start this new era by moving forward little by little.”
The lunchbox began as a symbol of the Hokies’ defense in 1995 when Foster and Rod Sharpless were coordinators. Sharpless bought the original pile from his father-in-law’s neighbor in New Jersey.
Since then, the defensive leader selected by the coaching staff has had plenty of carries on and off the field. The tradition evolved over time, with players collecting grass from the field and bringing it inside after road wins. Tech painted the letters WIN on the side, which Foster said, “Now what’s important.”
In the year We will win. We are Virginia Tech.
Only two people have ever been awarded a permanent pail: former defensive end Daryl Tapp, who carried it almost two years straight in Tech’s first ACC days, and former defensive line coach Charley Wiles, the adopted long-time right-hander.
In the year
In the post-Foster transition, Virginia Tech cut ties with the lunch pail as one of Foster’s protégés, Justin Hamilton, tried to find his footing as the new coordinator. For Prioleau, the decision came from respect.
“With his blessing and the blessings of those who came before us, we give back,” Priolow said. “When Coach Foster stepped down as defensive coordinator, that decision was made regarding him. This program wasn’t all that their face into the moniker or the lunch pail represented, but with the new age, the opportunity to bring it back, it was an easy decision. …
“It was a no-brainer for us. Everyone around this program understands what that lunch pail does not only for this team, but for this community. So to have that thing back on our side is a big moment.”
Like any other culture.#This is home. | #GroundUp | #LPD
ℹ️ https://t.co/5oHPhSkulk pic.twitter.com/iqmYLTsOUq
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) August 26, 2022
Prioleau still remembers pulling the trigger again in ’97. He said it is a great honor and encouragement.
“Guys understand that you’re not really playing for the lunch paycheck, but you’re playing your best to be the best you can be on the football field at any given time,” Prioleau said. “Everyone is playing the best they can and with this award you take responsibility to be the best. Not only on the field, but to be the best leader in the classroom, to be the best teammate in the locker room.
“So just going out and getting a ton of sacks or tackles or an interception or two doesn’t get you a lunch pay. You get paid for being the last teammate on the defensive side of the ball.
(Photo: Rob Keenan / USA Today)
