Three questions for Virginia's special-teams unit in 2026

Underappreciated kicking game helped swing field position; Can the Cavaliers repeat that effort?

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers punter Daniel Sparks (38) punts in the second quarer at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Among the most underrated factors in Virginia's 2025 football success was the consistently solid and often spectacular play of the Cavaliers' special teams.

Coaches aim for excellence in all three phases of the game, and Virginia's underappreciated kicking units did their share. Will Bettridge set a school single-season record by making 24 field goals (in 30 attempts), and Daniel Sparks established a new standard by averaging 47.2 yards per punt. Cam Ross returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averaged a solid 7.8 yards per punt return.

Those efforts helped the Cavaliers dominate field position in several games and made life easier for their offensive and defensive teammates. Bettridge and Sparks are back for their final college seasons, and a similar performance would go a long way toward helping Virginia return to the ACC championship game this fall.

Here are three questions the Cavaliers hope to answer on special teams in 2026:

1. Who'll be the return men?

Ross ran back a kickoff 100 yards for a score against Coastal Carolina and averaged 33.3 yards on eight returns. He also handled most of the punt return duties, but he's now preparing for training camp with the NFL's Denver Broncos.

His absence leaves an important vacancy and not a lot of experience to fill it. Transfer receiver Jaquon Gibson returned three kickoffs for 71 yards last season at UMass, and Jekail Middlebrook ran back eight punts for an 8.0 average at Middle Tennessee State.

Kam Courtney returned three punts and had a 38-yard kickoff return for the Cavaliers in 2025 and may get expanded duties this fall. Special teams coordinator Keith Gaither has a wealth of depth at running back and receiver, but needs to find at least one sure-handed and elusive return man.

2. Can Bettridge add distance to his accuracy?

Through three seasons as Virginia's starting kicker, Bettridge has been remarkably consistent. He's converted 67 of 82 field goal attempts (81.7%) and 116 of 118 extra points (98.3%). He's 18 points shy of Connor Hughes' school record of 335, a mark he should shatter before September is over.

He's clearly had a limit to his range, though. He's matched his career-long with a 47-yard field goal in three different seasons (2022, '24, and '25), but has yet to convert from any farther.

The Cavaliers may not need him to extend that distance this year. But given the number of close games they played last year (seven decided by one score), it wouldn't hurt to be able to count on him from 50.

3. Can the punt coverage improve?

No one doubts Sparks' leg strength. If he'd had enough attempts to qualify, he'd have ranked fourth in the nation in punting average last season. Seventeen of his 37 punts traveled 50 yards or more, including a 65-yarder in the ACC title game against Duke. As a sophomore in 2022, he had three 60-yard punts in one game alone.

At times, though, he seems to outkick his coverage. The Cavaliers allowed 13 yards per punt return last season, including a back-breaking 88-yarder to Carlos Hernandez for the game's only touchdown in a 16-9 loss to Wake Forest. Shoring up the containment could be critical in close games.