Virginia’s mission is ‘handling success’ after unexpected jump to 11 wins, trip to ACC title game

Virginia

2025 record: 11-3

Expectations

The expectations weren’t high, but the pressure was increasing as Virginia entered last season under Tony Elliott. The Cavaliers were picked to finish 14th in the 17-team ACC, while the Cavaliers were just 11-23 in Elliott’s first three seasons. Yet the Wahoos shocked everyone by reaching the ACC championship game and posting only the second season with double-digit wins in program history (10 in 1989).

“Everybody’s going to be hungry to go chase success,” Elliott said early in preseason camp. “It’s when you’ve had success, how do you maintain that hunger? And that’s handling success.”

That explains the vibe entering this season as Virginia adds 46 new players, including 31 via the transfer portal. The Cavaliers are picked to finish sixth in the ACC with four preseason All-ACC picks, tied for second-most in the league.

They have a schedule that features primarily teams picked to finish in the bottom half of the league, including just one game against a team picked to finish in the top five (at SMU on Oct. 17). The Cavaliers open at home against N.C. State (picked seventh in the ACC) on Aug. 29 in a game originally slated for Brazil.

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Strengths start with experience on offensive and defensive lines

The Cavaliers should be on sound footing up front on both sides of the ball.

The offensive line returns its left side with tackle McKale Boley and guard Noah Josey, two preseason All-ACC picks. They’re joined by another every-game starter in Drake Metcalf, who started primarily at right guard but also stepped in at center. Virginia will get a boost with Monroe Mills, a 6-foot-7 graduate student who missed last year after arriving as a touted transfer from Louisville.

Defensively, end rusher Fisher Camac is back after tallying 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, while Jason Hammond returns inside after starting all 14 games.

Weaknesses include uncertainty with retooled RB, WR rooms

The offense was a strength last year as Virginia built early momentum while regularly hitting 40 points per game before finishing ranked fourth in the ACC in total offense (417.9 yards) and averaging 30.8 points. But there’s a lot of turnover with reworked rooms for the receivers and running backs.

Virginia returns just 18.1% of its receiving yardage and 19% of its receptions from last year, so the Cavaliers dipped into the portal while trying to bring along inexperienced returnees. Elliott said “the talent is there” among the group, but the push through camp centers on consistency.

J’Mari Taylor is gone after running for 1,062 yards and 14 TDs last year, and top candidates to pick up work include transfers Jekail Middlebrook (Middle Tennessee State) and Peyton Lewis (Tennessee). Middlebrook drew praise early in preseason camp from Elliott, who called him a steady player who “flies below the radar a little bit.”

New faces

QB Beau Pribula (transfer from Missouri), WR Rico Flores Jr. (transfer from Notre Dame), DT Darrion Henry-Young (transfer from Coastal Carolina), S Brandyn Hillman (transfer from Michigan), CB Jacobie Henderson (transfer from Rutgers).

Key losses

QB Chandler Morris, RB J’Mari Taylor, WR Trell Harris (transferred to Oklahoma), LB James Jackson, S Devin Neal.

Biggest games for the Cavaliers

Vs. N.C. State (Aug. 29), Duke (Oct. 23), at Virginia Tech (Nov. 28).

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AP college football: https://apnewstodays.pages.dev/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnewstodays.pages.dev/hub/college-football