Tony Elliott Highlights Importance of Adapting When Facing Florida State on Friday

Tony Elliott believes that his program must be "ready to adapt" heading into their Friday matchup against Florida State.

Sep 20, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back Harrison Waylee (21) carries the ball as Stanford Cardinal linebacker Zach Johnson (38) attempts a tackle during the fourth quarter at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Virginia's highly anticipated matchup against Florida State is right around the corner. This is expected to be the most trying game thus far, and perhaps one of the most important games of the Tony Elliott era.

If there's anything that's certain about Friday's matchup, it's that both teams will be challenged immensely. Both programs are known to be equipped with explosive offenses this season, which will make for one grueling competition. Virginia's defense is not as consistent as its offense is, but compared to previous years, significant improvements have been made.

With this in mind, questions have inevitably been raised. Despite concerns, UVA head coach Tony Elliott maintains a high level of confidence in his program and his game management plan. However, he carries the valuable belief that the ability to adapt is imperative for any program to succeed.

Elliott Emphasizes the Importance of Adapting to the Flow of the Game

Aug 30, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott looks on from the field during the second quarter against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The Seminoles currently lead the country in average points per game (58.0), which will undoubtedly put the Cavaliers' defense to the test. If there is any time for UVA's defense to step up, it's now. Florida State often scores early and fast — this matchup will be no different. As Elliott stated during his press conference on Tuesday:

Virginia is well aware of how tight this game could be, making it all the more important for the program to be flexible and adjust to changes in plans as the game progresses. As with any team, the ability to do so is incredibly important.

"So we got to be ready to adapt. And the fourth down calls will be driven a lot by the analytics and what that says, but then also the gut feel on the field. So we're going to be aggressive. We're going to come to play. Our guys will be excited, excited to play and I think it's going to be a good opportunity for us to see how much progress we've made versus a team like Florida State"

"This is as good a Florida State team as I've seen in a while, and I've seen some really good ones. But they got guys that are potential household names like Tommy Castellanos, he's a household name. And you'll see that by the end of the season, man, they got Duce Robinson, a guy that's a household name coming from the West Coast. Now we're here to the East Coast and the connection with his dad playing at Florida State, man. I look at Big Jackson, Darryl Jackson, man, he reminds me of Dexter Lawrence. I mean, I hadn't seen a guy that size with that athleticism that can move like that."

During Elliott's media appearance, he chuckled when he was questioned on the Seminoles' star quarterback Tommy Castellano. As Elliott explained, Castellano carries a sense of confidence with him when he plays and has a clear understanding of the offense. He knows how to play the game, and he plays it well.

There are plenty of players in Florida State's offensive unit who are hungry to score, leaving little room for error within the Cavaliers' defense. As Elliott stated, this is an excellent opportunity for Virginia to measure their progress and determine where they need to continue building.

If UVA can play with confidence and adhere to Elliott's point about being able to adjust, they stand a good chance of walking away successful on Friday.