Virginia Football: Three Players To Watch on Offense In Fall Camp

Aug 31, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) celebrates with Cavaliers running back Kobe Pace (5) after scoring a touchdown against the Richmond Spiders during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Virginia Football has not made a bowl game in Tony Elliott's first three seasons, but based on their offseason activity, that seems to be the goal. Elliott has brought in 30 transfers this offseason, and the Cavaliers have one of the most underrated transfer classes in the country and one of the top ones in the ACC. To top it all off, UVA has one of the most manageable schedules in the ACC. They avoid Clemson, Miami, SMU, and Georgia Tech this season, four teams that are projected to be among the best in the conference.

The mood when the Cavaliers took the stage in Charlotte for ACC media days was that UVA is ready to compete in the ACC. Actions speak louder than words and Virginia is going to have to be ready to roll against Coastal Carolina on August 30th.

Here are the three players on offense I am watching as fall camp gets underway.

1. QB Chandler Morris

I will start with the obvious pick. If Morris is not a major upgrade over Anthony Colandrea and Tony Muskett, it might not matter how good the other positions are.

There is a chance that Morris could in fact be a huge upgrade at the position, but he only has one real season to show for it. Morris only played in five total games during his lone season with Oklahoma and then transferred to TCU. He played in four games for the Horned Frogs in 2021, including a standout performance in an upset win over No. 12 Baylor. Morris was 29-41 for 461 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

Nov 9, 2024; Denton, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Chandler Morris (4) throws a pass against the Army Black Knights during the second half at DATCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

He would battle an injury that would limit his playing time in both 2022 (when the Horner Frogs made an appearance in the national championship game) and then in 2023, when he only played in seven games. Morris threw for 1,532 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 66% of his passes. He would then transfer to North Texas, where he would have the most productive season of his collegiate career.

For the Mean Green last season, Morris threw for 3,774 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing 63.1% of his passes. He also had 242 yards rushing and four touchdowns. According to PFF, Morris finished as the highest-grade player on the North Texas offense with 78.9 grade in 887 total snaps at quarterback.

It comes down to if 1) Morris can stay healthy and 2) Was his production a product of the kind of teams he was facing on the field last season? I would argue that when he was healthy at TCU, he did have games where he put up big numbers, so last season might not have just been a product of facing weak defenses. Morris has more experience and has been more productive than either Colandrea or Muskett.

Nov 9, 2024; Denton, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Chandler Morris (4) throws a pass against the Army Black Knights during the second half at DATCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

2. WR Trell Harris

Harris appears to be ready for a breakout campaign and might be Morris' top target this fall.

Harris was the third leading receiver last season for UVA behind Fields and tight end Tyler Neville (NFL), totaling 15 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 14. 7 yards per catch. Harris is going to be counted on quite a bit and if he can emerge as the leader of the room, Virginia could have one of the top passing attacks in the ACC.

3. RB J'Mari Taylor

J'Mari Taylor is the most accomplished running back not just in terms of the newcomers, but on the entire roster. Last season for NC Central, Taylor had 196 carries for 1,146 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. According to PFF, Taylor finished with an 86.3 overall grade in 484 snaps. Yes, it was at the FCS level, and there is going to be a serious step up in terms of competition in the ACC this year, but Taylor is going to have a chance to come in and be a major factor in the backfield for the Cavaliers this season.