Everything Tony Elliott Said After Virginia's Surprising Upset Over Duke

All signs pointed toward the Duke Blue Devils coming out on top over the Virginia Cavaliers during week twelve, but in true UVA fashion, the Cavaliers pulled through for another incredible 34-17 upset. They took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and took off from there. The third quarter was particularly impressive as UVA managed to score 14 points while preventing the Blue Devils from reaching the end zone. Having sealed another victory this season, what did head coach Tony Elliott have to say during his postgame press conference?

On UVA's defense...

"Extremely important. But I think you've seen over the last several weeks that that group has been coming into form and really starting to gel on all three levels. And so super proud of those guys and just play complementary football, which, you know, helped the offense to be able to go out and know that they don't have to be perfect,right? They got their brothers on the other side of the ball who are going to be there with them and play complimentary football. We knew coming in that we hadn't seen really anybody get to the quarterback, right? Their offensive line and their scheme had done a really good job, but we felt like we had to stop the run first and foremost. I think everybody knows how great 10 the quarterback and very experienced offensive line, but I thought what really made them go was their ability to stay ahead of the chains and run the football, which allowed them to be, you know, allowed them to have the playaction stuff and, so I thought they did a really good job from from a staff standpoint putting together a good plan and then the guys, man, they owned itand they went out and they executed. So, I think when we talk about the middle eight, that's what we talk about. So, those three points right there at the end of the half are huge. We were hoping that it was seven, but we said we have to come away with points, right? So, that put us up, I think that put us up 10 right there. And then we talked about when we came in at halftime, I said, "Hey, we're not talking about going out and playing the next 30 minutes. I'm focusing on the next four minutes, right? Winning that second half of the middle eight, starting with a defensive stop, special teams maintaining field position, and then the offense going and scoring. And I think right there that kind of let them know that we're, man, we're not letting up and that that it was going to be a fourth quarter game and then we were able to kind off from there progress and there was a little bit of a low right there in the fourth quarter but I thought that they turned it back on and finished the right way."

On UVA's offense...

"So, it was huge to be able to establish the run, and then it was good for the quarterback because he was able to extend some third downs and get us out of some tough situations, and it just breathes confidence, right? And so then the defense goes out and they do their job, and then you get another opportunity to go back out there. So, it was huge to get off to a fast start. That's what we talk about all the time. That's part of our plan to win: a fast start, win the middle eight, and then dominate in the fourth."

On what this week was like with Chandler Morris...

"I mean, it was early in the week, obviously, you're just trying to do what's right for him, right? Because, you know, I know what kind of young man he is and the competitor he is. He's going to go out and do everything he can as early as he can, right? But you have to take it slow and make sure that he's getting enough rest so that his body can recover and heal the right way. Then, you know, we got to Wednesday and you started to see, okay, there maybe a chance, right? But I thought Danny had a great week of preparation as well. And we didn't know until really up until before the game, you know, that he was going to be available to go, but I knew that if he was cleared to go, that he was going to because he had made it. He was adamant about this is what he came for; an opportunity to be in this position in the month of November, you know, basically with a kind of a win and stay alive, you know, type of type of mentality as it relates to the race for Charlotte."

On if his team found something deep this week and tonight...

"You know, I felt like this was probably the most complete game, you know, that we've played in all three in all three phases, and that's really what you're talking about is being able to show up in all three phases and play complementary football. I think you saw just what I've been able to see, and it's hard, and that's what I told him. I said fellas, you know, I recognize it. I've seen it. I've seen it in you, and I'm telling you that you’ve got it. Now you have to go showcase it to the world for everybody else to tell you that you’ve got it right. And so, it was just good to see them come out and just play free and not really focus on what's at stake, but just focus on trying to play their best four quarters of the year. And I felt like, and then we'll go back and watch the tape, and I may change my opinion after I watch the tape, but I feel coming off the field, I feel like they played their best four quarters collectively."

On Chandler's toughness...

"I mean, you know, he just went out and he ran the ball when he needed to. He checked us in and out of the plays. He extended some third downs. Man,you saw his fire and his leadership on the sideline with his guys. So, I'm just glad everybody else is seeing, you know, what I've always known about him in terms of the warrior mentality that he has."

On if it was nice not having to sweat the final moments of the game...

"I think maybe y'all felt like that. I didn't. I mean, and I had to apologize as I was talking to J a second ago on the radio. I said, "Please don't go back and watch the TV copy," because I was pretty animated there in the fourth quarter. I was pretty hot because I felt like, man, there was a second where we just relaxed for a millisecond, right, which created an opportunity for them,right, to put up 14 points, you know, on us. And I'm like, man, I want to finish because again, and I was telling this to Sage, and we were sitting on the field, and he said it too. He's like, man, we're laxed. I said, yes, you have to realize we haven't been here before, right? This is a team and a program that hasn't been in this situation, and we have to teach, and I have to teach. And so I didn't feel like that. I mean, because for me it's all the way until it's all zeros on the clock, because football is a crazy game, and the ball can bounce anyway. So I really didn't feel that, to be honest with you. I know the scoreboard and all that did, but I really wanted to challenge the team to take another step, right? To just finish. No relaxing on the sideline because, again, that's how football works. You relax for one play, and it could change the entire game.

... you saw how quickly they scored 14 points, right? They scored 14 really, really quickly. So, maybe that is a fair question because you're right. But for me, I felt like it was a teaching moment to try and teach everybody, coaches, players, do not relax. Like, because, and that's what my message was. It's like it's not for now. It's really for later, right, and what we're trying to get accomplished, right? Right. And we can't allow ourselves to have those moments where we relax a little bit."

On the trenches on offense and defense...

"Yeah, I mean that group, I was a little nervous coming in with Duke's defensive front, and you saw they were disruptive at times in the run game. They forced us to flush the pocket, but they had one of the highest pressure rates or times to pressure in the country, and really, it's just a testament to what those guys up front have shown when they're on all right and they're playing, you know, clean football with great communication. You can come out of a game without getting your quarterback, you know, hit much and no sacks. Then on the other side, man, we see it every day in practice, right? And I know they get frustrated, and I go in there and I encourage Dez at times. I encourage the other offensive coaches because I went against it for nine or ten years versus Brent Venabals every day in practice, where, man, he's always trying something new. He's always got some type of funky package, but it makes us better, and I think that's what you're seeing is the fact that we get tested in practice has us better prepared for the games and the opponents that we see."

On UVA not allowing offensive touchdowns and the testament it gives to John Rudzinski...

"Yeah, they're, I mean, they're doing a great job of putting together outstanding plans and more importantly, the players understand the plans to be able to go out and execute, and then that builds confidence, and then the guys can go out there and win the one-on-one competitive plays, like I thought Karnley made some really good competitive plays. So the coaches helped him get in position, but then, you know, he's got to go execute, and he did. So I think that's what you're seeing, is that the guys have a ton of confidence in the plan. They got a ton of confidence in the technical coaching that they're getting, so they can go out and just execute and have fun."

On Kam Robinson's status and UVA's defensive unit stepping up...

"Yeah, I mean, one, his status-wise, he came back in for one play. The initial thought was that after they went and did a scan, they went and got an X-ray, and everything was clean. Thought it was maybe a bruise to the nerve, and then he tried to go back in and wasn't able to play full speed. So, shut him down. Then Landon, I think, went out and led us in tackles, filling in for him, and, you know, Landon played what started three games for us, right? So depth-wise, it just goes to show, and then the belief that the next man just has to be ready. And I think it's also a credit to the rotation we've been able to establish throughout the course of these last several weeks of being able to play both Landon and Marcellus and bring James and Kam off the field to catch their breath and not miss a beat."

On how much Trell Harris has grown...

"Huge, and where you're seeing him grow is in that area after the catch. Man, he's making those catches over the middle with confidence, and then able to put his foot in the ground and then use his natural ability, and then he runs tough, and then you can move him around in different spots to be able to try and get the ball to him. So, just super happy for him because I know how frustrating and hard it was last year to miss time, and then to come back and really had to work, had a little bit of a setback with the knee, you know, over the summer, and then, he’s been really leading that unit, or the receiver unit and so just super. It was good to see six make some plays, right, and then seven, you know, he'll make his plays. So, it's really good when those guys can contribute, but I thought they did a good job too of blocking in the run game to create some of the explosive runs for us."

On a game like this for the back...

"Really, really happy for Fish because man, he's been close and he's been working hard and and that's what I told him. I said, man, you’ve got to play with your length, right? And then that's going to be able to give you the ability to get off of blocks and go get that quarterback. So, man, super happy for him and everybody in that locker room was super happy for him because they know how committed he is to this team, how unselfish he is, and how hard he's been working to have a game like that."