Biggest Offseason Questions That Virginia’s Tony Elliott Must Answer

The Virginia Cavaliers' head coach has some questions he needs to answer ahead of their 2026 campaign.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott greets players during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers may not have reached the College Football Playoff this year, but if they can fine-tune their performance during this offseason and enter their 2026 campaign with as much confidence as they displayed this year, it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that the Cavaliers could have a shot at winning the conference title game and landing a spot in the CFP.

However, there are some major questions that UVA's head coach Tony Elliott will need to answer before next season arrives. Here are three of the primary topics that must be addressed:

Can He Lean on Recruitment?

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) misses a pass in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

For Virginia to continue seeing success in years to come, Elliott must turn his attention toward recruitment. So far this year, his program has landed quite a few promising young stars, but that energy must stay high through the offseason. It's always ideal to be in the company of veteran players, but younger talent is the future of any program. UVA isn't exactly known for its strong recruitment, but this could be on its way to changing.

What Went Wrong in the ACC Championship Game?

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Heading into the Cavaliers' ACC Championship Game against Duke, the odds pointed in UVA's favor. The contest went into overtime, but Virginia was unable to hold itself up against the Blue Devils, who clinched a 27-20 victory and earned the title. Earlier in the season, the Cavaliers defeated Duke 34-17, raising questions as to what went wrong last weekend. As Elliott explained during his latest media appearance:

"... it's a championship football game, and Duke has got one of the highest pressure rates of anybody in the country with their front four, okay. Man, it was just a battle. It was a battle, and I won't know the exact answer until I watch the film every play-by-play to see exactly what it was. But we knew that coming in that they were going to correct some of the things from the previous game, just as we were going to try and tweak some of the things from the previous game, and it was going to be a battle."

This was a missed opportunity for UVA, which can be primarily attributed to struggles on offense. The conference title game is the last matchup in which a program wants to slow down or get complacent. Before next year, Elliott must address these pitfalls and figure out how to align his offensive and defensive units.

How Will the Quarterback Position Look?

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This question is more blurry than the others, as it's still unclear if UVA will be able to retain Chandler Morris for another year. As a whole, Morris has been a reliable player for the Cavaliers, but his recent performance was below his standard. Despite this, we've seen what he is capable of, so holding onto him through 2026 would be the best-case scenario.

Last week, Elliott explained that a decision has yet to be made, stating, "Yeah, there's been some talks with Chandler of possibly, still that's to be determined. So not going to say if that's going to happen or not. So we're planning as if it's not. So we want to continue to bring in guys. I think the quarterback position, you're going to have to recruit that position every single year. Because you only play one guys are gonna want opportunity very difficult to sit in a long line."

As with any college football program, the offseason is filled with adjustments and questions, some of which go unanswered before the next campaign begins. However, Elliott is focused on bringing his program back to the ACC Championship Game and potentially the CFP next year. The first step in doing so is to address these looming questions.