Redshirt sophomore Brennan Armstrong will be starting quarterback for UVA in its season opener at Virginia Tech on Sept. 19, after winning a battle in camp with Mississippi State grad transfer Keytaon Thompson.
Armstrong appeared in 11 career games in 2018 and 2019 as the primary back-up to Bryce Perkins, going 17-of-25 for 258 passing yards and two TDs and adding 93 yards on 16 carries on the ground.
Under the NCAA redshirt rules, Armstrong retained his freshman season after appearing in only four games in 2018.
In two of those games, Armstrong appeared in one series while Perkins was sidelined for a medical evaluation. On both occasions he led UVA on a scoring drive, which included a field goal against Louisville and a touchdown at Georgia Tech.
Thompson, a junior in terms of eligibility, transferred to UVA in May, appeared in 20 career games for Mississippi State over the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons, though he appeared in just one game in 2019, which he was able to use as a redshirt year.
A consensus four-star recruit coming out of high school, Thompson was 2-0 as a starter, including leading the Bulldogs to a 31-27 win over the Lamar Jackson-led Louisville Cardinals in the 2017 Taxslayer Bowl, rushing for three scores and tying a MSU bowl record.
Thompson recorded three 100-yard rushing games and tallied 672 rushing yards, while averaging 6.8 yards per rush for his career. He also has passed for 846 yards and eight touchdowns for his career.
Story by Chris Graham
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