Word in the media room at the John Paul Jones Arena Saturday is that Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae has left the football program, and will be replaced as play-caller for the Dec. 29 Fenway Bowl by QB coach Jason Beck.
There has been speculation around the program in recent days about the staggering number of student-athletes entering the transfer portal, particularly on the offensive line, which stands to lose three starters, second-team All-America center Olu Oluwatimi and tackles Bobby Haskins and Ryan Swoboda.
A fourth O lineman, backup tackle Joe Bissinger, has also put his name into the portal.
Some of the speculation, uninformed, but still, centered on the question, was someone on the current staff perhaps encouraging the entries into the portal, which was something that Oluwatimi seemed to confirm in a chat with reporters on Monday, after the introduction of new coach Tony Elliott, as he explained his decision to put his name into the portal.
“There was a lot that went into that decision. And I just kind of felt it was the right decision for me. I spoke to Coach TJ (offensive line coach Garett Tujague), I spoke to Mendenhall, and they were they were all for it,” Oluwatimi said.
The current situation with Virginia Football – outgoing coach Bronco Mendenhall and his staff are coaching the team through the bowl game, as Elliott works behind the scenes to put together a staff for 2022 – was destined to be awkward.
We may have just hit a new level of awkward.
Story by Chris Graham
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