UVA Football coach Tony Elliott said Monday that the quarterback decision is a “program decision.”
Elliott was referring to the news that second-year quarterback Anthony Colandrea would start this Saturday in the Cavaliers’ season-opener against Richmond.
Elliott, in his opening game-week press conference of the 2024 season, said that Colandrea is young and known as a kind of “gunslinger,” but he’s demonstrated improved decision making.
Elliott said the “program decision” came from asking around the team because the quarterback decision is that significant.
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Elliott, starting his third year as Virginia head coach, said he was proud of the way Tony Muskett and Colandrea handled the QB1 competition both before and after the decision was made to start Colandrea.
While the decision to start Colandrea was termed a “program decision,” it may very well have career consequences for Elliott, who is 6-16 through two seasons at UVA.
The most recent defeat, a 55-17 loss to Virginia Tech in Scott Stadium in the 2023 season finale last November, turned the burners up on Elliott and staff.
Had the Scott Stadium sprinklers not inadvertently turned on, the Hokies might still be celebrating at midfield, taking selfies and smoking cigars.
What concerns me about Elliott’s decision to start Colandrea is the part when he says Colandrea will run out on the field first against the Spiders, but “we’re going to need both to win football games.”
While that may sound like Elliott has confidence in both Muskett and Colandrea, it also might indicate he’s not totally sold on either.
Don’t forget, after both players battled through spring ball, and almost four weeks of preseason camp, Elliott was unable to name a starter until this past Saturday.
Hum.
Chris Graham: Tony Elliott goes with Anthony Colandrea at QB
The first thing that comes to my mind about a team proclaiming to have two quarterbacks is that in most cases they have none.
In a perfect world, Colandrea evolves (quickly) into more than a gunslinger, but a precision-calculated gunfighter.
In a perfect world, Colandrea stays healthy, and Muskett gets some snaps behind center in mop-up situations for Virginia.
Mop-up duty when, hopefully, the Cavaliers are on the winning side of the final score.
In that perfect world, which we already know doesn’t exist, Virginia won’t need two quarterbacks to win football games. Colandrea gets the starting nod and never looks back.
Colandrea was the right choice as Virginia’s starting quarterback.
He has three years of eligibility, and he is potentially the future of the Virginia football program.
Our sources at AFP had Muskett clearly ahead of Colandrea going into the summer.
However, Colandrea and some of his receivers worked together most of the summer, and he made up a lot of ground as preseason camp started.
Enough ground that Elliott needed until last Saturday to make his decision as to QB1.
If the competition was thisclose, then the decision to start Colandrea should have been simple.
Think about this. When is the last time that UVA had the same quarterback for three straight seasons?
You can’t simply replace quarterbacks every season if you are trying to build a consistent winner in college football.
Colandrea offers Elliott that opportunity.
Colandrea has earned the starting position.
Now he has to keep it.
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