Three Early Observations From Virginia’s Spring Football So Far

After experiencing such a stunning campaign, the Virginia Cavaliers and their loyal fans are hoping to see a similar level of success on the field this season. With spring football now underway, fans are starting to get a glimpse into what's to come for the Hoos.

Their roster has a significant number of new faces, but this is not a program without talent or experience. Despite a slow start to the transfer portal during the offseason, head coach Tony Elliott eventually gained momentum and was able to land some key playmakers who complement his program quite well.

So far, there are three primary observations from UVA's spring football, and what the Hoos are experiencing.

1. Quarterback Battle Is the Elephant in the Room

Missouri Tigers Beau Pribula throwing a football — Missouri Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

With elite signal callers Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein in the mix, Virginia should not have any issues with reliability in this role. On that note, Elliott's quarterback room is navigating one of the most prominent position battles out there. Pribula looks to be the safer option here when it comes to the starting role, as he wrapped up his latest campaign having completed 182 of 270 passes for 1,941 yards at 67.4%, logging 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions along the way.

Holstein is the other key candidate when looking at the starting slot, but it's hard to imagine that he would out-compete Pribula in this battle. However, that's not to say that he won't thrive throughout the spring. Adding to the chaos is the status of former starter Chandler Morris, which remains up in the air at the time of this writing.

2. Improvements on Offense Continue To Be a Major Focus

Virginia Cavaliers Tony Elliott yelling during a game — Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

During Elliott's latest press conference, he made it clear that protecting the football is a point of emphasis for the Cavaliers this spring. Last year, their sputtering offense contributed to some heartbreaks, but now is the time to turn this around.

Several noteworthy players were added to UVA's offensive unit during the offseason, some of whom include wide receivers Rico Flores Jr. and Jacquon Gibson, along with running backs Peyton Lewis and Jekail Middlebrook. Those who were pulled out of the transfer portal should become valuable assets to UVA's offense.

3. Expectations Are Higher Than Ever

Virginia Cavaliers Tony Elliott greeting his players — Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This was to be expected, but when comparing Virginia's spring season last year to now, there is a stark difference; there's far more confidence and pride, but with that, the bar is set incredibly high. In 2025, the Hoos finished 11-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. If they want to make a deep run in the ACC for a second consecutive year, they must lock in all three phases—that work starts now.